Brandi Forté
Brandi Forté has worked in educational settings and communities in California and New York since 2004. She joined Community Roots, a Roots ConnectED learning site, in 2006 as a founding teacher. Holding multiple roles and teaching grades K-5 led to a lens informed by experiences working with a range of ages, diverse learners and families, and collaborating with different teams. She has also worked as a literacy coach providing support to veteran teachers and administrators. Brandi supported learning and development for student teachers of a Teacher Training Residency Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She designed and facilitated professional development for Mentor Teachers and Supervisors of the program. As the Program Developer and Project Manager for Roots ConnectED, Brandi is responsible for developing curriculum, tools and resources that support coaches, staff development, learning in workshop settings and institutes based on our Anti-Bias framework. Brandi's work supports coach development and the varying needs of diverse educational communities and allows us to use a flexible and responsive approach that creates meaningful shared experiences as a path toward reaching goals.
Outside of her secular work, Brandi volunteers in various community outreach settings as part of a global education effort that fosters impartiality and is founded on practical ways to show love for others. Living in communities outside of the U.S. in a purposeful way has led to lasting bonds and continued appreciation for the perspectives and strengths of those who identify, think and experience realities differently than she does. Brandi understands that change begins on a personal level with a humble recognition of the connection to and responsibility toward others. She values the opportunity to work with others from an inclusive, anti-bias approach and develop a culture conducive to positive communication, relationship building, learning, and growth. She feels that Roots ConnectED is a unique space to build empathy, understanding and to refine our reflective capacity.