Farewell Message From Dr. Terry Anne Scott
Dear Community,
As of September 9th, the Institute for Common Power will no longer exist. I am writing, first and foremost, to thank you for nearly five years of support. The Institute for Common Power (ICP) started as an idea not long ago, and we transformed that idea into incredible, life-changing programs that we know are working to better the world. The closing of ICP is not a sad moment. Instead, it represents the beginning of something that promises to alter the lives of an untold number of people.
Earlier this summer, I was presented with an opportunity by an organization to create my own nonprofit organization that will focus primarily on forging pathways for success and opportunities for the people of Selma, Alabama, while continuing to support educators and promote history education. I accepted the offer and created the Institute for History and Equity (IHE). To further render this offer something tantamount to a dream, I am able to have my incredible team at ICP join me on this new journey. I have had the honor of traveling to Selma since 2017. Now, I have the honor of focusing our work on Selma with the incredible professionals who comprised what I have always called the “Dream Team” of ICP. Therefore, Dr. Devon Geary, Victoria Elias, Izu Sampson, and I will be starting IHE on September 10. (Jordyn Schulte was also essential in building ICP. She is now pursuing a Physician Assistant degree at the University of Arizona.) Our new roles are as follows:
Dr. Terry Anne Scott, CEO and Executive Director
Dr. Devon Geary, Director of Education and Community Outreach
Victoria Elias, Director of Housing and Energy Affordability
Izu Sampson, Operations Manager
Additionally, the four Institute Educator Ambassadors known as our Educators for Democracy team—Carmen Cruz, Luke Michener, Kimeu Boynton, and Kandace Logan (Ivory Kennedy is a former member of this outstanding group)—who work with us at ICP to create programming, such as the Banned Book Club, will now be working with us at IHE.
I will include more information in future newsletters about the work we will be doing. Our new website will be up next week. You can find us at www.historyandequity.org.
We will also continue to work with Common Power (CoPo) on various projects. For instance, we will collaborate on Truth and Purpose Learning Tours, with some learning tours offered through CoPo and some offered through IHE. Similarly, both organizations will offer public lectures.
Please know that our work with educators will continue. One of our greatest accomplishments at ICP has been our ability to bring now more than 400 K-12 educators into the work of truth-telling, community uplift, and voter advocacy. Collectively, they have taught nearly a quarter million children across the continent. We gave each one of these educators a scholarship to join us on the ICP Truth and Purpose Educator Learning Tour to Georgia and Alabama. They then became Institute Educator Ambassadors and had access to grants, ICP symposiums, free history courses and lectures, and so much more. Additionally, they have the ability to knock on doors with CoPo with all of their travel expenses covered by the organization. Once they knock on doors, they become what we call Common Power Frontline Educators. This will not change. They will still be Institute Educator Ambassadors, but with IHE. They will have access to grants, free history courses and lectures, and more through IHE. They will also be able to knock on doors with CoPo and have their travel expenses covered by CoPo. In short, Institute Educator Ambassadors will be part of IHE and Frontline Educators will be part of CoPo.
There are many people to thank for the work that we have been able to do at ICP. We are grateful to all of you who have joined a learning tour, attended a lecture, donated, spread the word, and more in an effort to support us. I, and the ICP team, want to thank the Common Power community for the opportunity to build the Institute. We are all very proud of the work we have been able to do over the past several years and we know that this work was done as the result of deep collaboration. I want to issue a special thanks to CoPo’s Executive Director, Charles Douglas, for providing us with the opportunity and support to dream big and strive to make monumental things happen. I also want to thank him for his leadership and steadfast commitment to creating an inclusive democracy that privileges opportunity, compassion, and parity over all else. I want to thank Dr. David Domke for bringing me into the fold of this work. We met while we were both teaching at the University of Washington. I first traveled to Selma because of him. He has provided opportunities for so many people and I appreciate that tremendously. Finally, I want to thank every member of the CoPo staff. None of the work we do occurs in a vacuum. Every person on the field work, marketing, and fin-ops teams supports everyone in the organization. We are a family of people working to fight for those whose voices are so frequently silenced.
Please know that this parting is a beautiful journey that promises to enable us, at the Institute for History and Equity, to honor a community that has given so much to America and the world. We look forward to walking with Selma into a brighter future.
Terry Anne Scott, Ph.D.
Executive Director
The Institute for History and Equity
THE INSTITUTE FOR HISTORY & EQUITY
Leveraging History to build power; confront structural inequality; and equip communities, organizations, and educators to shape an equitable future
Our Mission
The Institute for History & Equity is a non-profit organization that identifies, creates, and implements innovative, locally based projects and programming designed to dismantle obstacles to advancement while we empower communities, organizations, and educators to generate lasting change. We are committed to restructuring housing, resource accessibility, education, energy efficiency, job opportunities, and more in Selma, Alabama through community-led initiatives, systems building, educator training, and public awareness. Selma is an underserved city that has given much to the advancement of the nation, yet faces astute infrastructure and fiscal challenges. We understand that to assist in transforming communities and provide avenues for success, we must educate the public about the historical processes that have created systems of inequity. Thus, we are dedicated to illuminating undervalued, underappreciated, and pivotal aspects of our collective history as we use lessons from the past to chart a path forward. Educating the public and educators about the history of rural and urban development, as well as community building, agency, and empowerment, is instrumental to ensuring that people have a clear understanding of the inception and perniciousness of systemic inequality while inspiring people to provide opportunities for change. We believe that History functions as both prologue and primer; it serves as our guide as we work to catalyze people to action that is transformational, sustainable, and equitable.
What We Do
We expand opportunity and enhance systems in Selma, Alabama that advance prosperity and community well-being.
We research, identify, and implement educational initiatives to provide resources and produce better opportunities and outcomes for local students.
We identify and implement affordable housing options.
We partner with local and national entities to enhance and fortify infrastructure designed to create and sustain business opportunities and long-term growth.
We research and implement programming designed to promote energy affordability, equitable infrastructure, and the role of energy policy in expanding economic mobility.
We partner with local and national organizations to develop and offer employment training opportunities.
We work to help people connect present structural issues in underserved communities to their historical antecedents.
We are dedicated to offering courses, lectures, and learning tours for the general public and educators so people are equipped with the knowledge and perseverance necessary to use history as a vehicle to provide awareness and inspiration.
We work to cultivate intentional spaces for people to come together in community to pursue a common cause for community advancement.
This is a quick view into the work we will be doing. Please follow us on social media @historyandequity to stay informed about our work and future offerings.
We will see you soon!