About Us
Mission
We support the creation of sustainable learning environments that dismantle systems of oppression, amplify voices of the Global Majority, and cultivate partnerships to liberate the human potential.
Our Story
Montessori for Social Justice was founded in 2013. After an impromptu gathering at the AMI International Montessori Congress, members of the national Montessori community who attended began catalyzing relationships and resource sharing.
The first resource offered was a listserv email, where they shared research, narratives, and offered support to those who had a personal commitment to public Montessori, and social justice. The group grew large in a short time, and there was a consensus that those who advocate for public Montessori, and those advocating for social justice in Montessori education should meet.
In June 2014, the first “Montessori unconference” was held at City Garden Montessori in St. Louis. MO and was attended by 35 people. People gathered together again in summer 2015, hosted at Westminster University in Salt Lake City, UT.
After the successful 2015 (un)conference, the group was codified to establish the commitment to social justice, racial equity, and an anti-bias, antiracist application of Montessori pedagogy.
Between 2015-16 committees and working groups were convened to delegate conference planning, recruitment & community engagement, mission & visioning, and accountability to People of the Global Majority.
In 2017, the founding Board was elected by the MSJ community, and convened the first board meeting at the 2017 conference at Waltrip High School/Garden Oaks PK3 – 8th Grade public schools in the Houston Independent School District in Houston, TX.
In 2018 the first day-long pre-conference retreats were organized: a De-Centering Whiteness group and a full-day retreat for Montessorians of Color of the Global Majority.
Between 2017-2019 the founding Board worked on the mission, vision, and founding documents for the board. MSJ also received 501(c)(3) status from the IRS.
We are now planning ways to bring resources, workshops, and presenters to the larger Montessori community.