On May 3, 2025, educators from HFLI’s Allies for Radical Collaboration (ARC) fellowship came together for a vibrant Show & Share Exhibition, the culminating event of a months-long journey of personal and professional transformation. In this “science fair-style” showcase, ARC Fellows shared stories of change—how they identified key challenges within their educational ecosystems and took culturally responsive, restorative action to address them.
ARC cohorts focused on creating deeper, more equitable learning environments by looking inward, building authentic community, and rooted in identity, connection, and agency by designing interventions rooted in activating culturally responsive and restorative practices. Through the ARC Fellowship, participants explored how their personal and social identities influence their teaching, engaged in community fieldwork, and carried out personal action research projects that addressed real needs in their schools.
What Did the ARC Fellows Do?
ARC Fellows followed a powerful, reflective process to bring their projects to life:
- Ecosystem Mapping: Fellows created context maps that visualized the systems, people, and spaces they interact with daily, helping them identify leverage points for change.
- Intentional Action: Drawing on culturally responsive teaching practices and restorative justice principles, each fellow selected a focused action to positively impact students and their broader community.
- Data Collection & Analysis: After two months of implementation, fellows reflected on the effects of their actions, received peer feedback, and refined their approaches to achieve a deeper impact.
- Reflection & Storytelling: Each fellow synthesized their learning into a visual presentation using student work, documentation, and data to share the why, what, and how behind their project.
ARC in Action: Building a Better Future
The ARC Show & Share was more than an exhibition—it was a celebration of what’s possible when educators are given the space to reflect deeply, connect with purpose, and take action with intention. As ARC Fellows return to their schools, they carry with them not only new tools and strategies but also a renewed sense of agency and a network of peers committed to transformative change.
Recruitment for the 4th Cohort of the ARC Fellowship will start mid-July. Reach out to Clare McKenna by email to designthinking@hfli.org to learn more.
