The document discusses a study on how social justice leaders form and utilize relationships in their work. It examines the types of stakeholders they partner with, including various school staff. Relationships can act as both barriers and assets in pursuing social justice initiatives. As assets, relationships help leaders build support and advocacy for their goals. However, certain political leaders or white parents may present barriers. The study involved interviews with seven social justice leaders in Chicago to understand how they cultivate, manage, and leverage relationships.

1. Presentation
Title Goes Here
Subtitle of
Presentation
Relationships as Assets,
Relationships as Barriers:
Social Justice Leaders’ Use of
Relationships in their Work

2. Research Questions and Method
• With whom do social justice leaders form relationships as part
of their work?
• What impacts, if any, do social justice leaders perceive
relationships to have on their work?
• How do social justice leaders form, manage, and maintain
relationships with different types of school and community
stakeholders?
• Interviews with seven social justice leaders in Chicago

3. Social Justice Leaders’ Partners
• Leaders partnered with a variety of school stakeholders
• The impetus to form relationships was typically tied to how
relationships could benefit the school and social justice
imperatives
• Relationships did center community interests, but as we have
described in other research, there was a simultaneous goal of
benefiting the school

4. Impacts of Relationships
• Barrier
• As is discussed in the literature, white parents can form a particular
barrier
• Certain district and political leaders could form barriers
• Asset
• Leaders cultivated relationships as a means to push through justice
initiatives
• Forming relationships with staff helped leaders build staff support for
their work
• Relationships with parents allowed leaders to build support and parent
advocacy for justice work

5. Managing Relationships
• Frequent presence within the community—show community
that leader is there and willing to help
• Leverage staff for help in cultivating relationships with families
• Knowing the political and relational landscape is helpful—know
who to please and who to push
• Use position in a way that forges relationships amongst
stakeholders who were previously unconnected

6. Thank You
Meagan Richard, mricha44@uic.edu
Jason Salisbury, jsalis2@uic.edu
College of Education | Policy Studies in Urban Education