TweetSharePinShare0 Shares Trying Together, in partnership with the Neighborhood Museum Program, will host UnConference: From Representation to Inclusion on Saturday, October 4, at the Carnegie Museum of Art. UnConference: From Representation to Inclusion will focus on immigrant children and their families, delving into the ways early childhood educators can foster supportive and inclusive learning environments. Participants will hear from a keynote speaker and caregivers, before taking part in a large group activity. They will also attend workshops led by representatives from organizations that serve immigrant families in the region. These workshops will cover topics such as inclusive practices and building trust; trauma-informed communication; play and literacy; honoring identity; practical considerations for educators; and more. Register Details Saturday, October 4, 2025 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 $25 (Registration is required) Parking will be available in the museum parking lot and on the street. A light breakfast with coffee and tea will be available and lunch will be provided as a part of the registration fee. The UnConference will begin with keynote speaker Ivonne Smith-Tapia, Director of Refugee and Immigrant Services at Jewish Family & Community Services. Ivonne grew up in Colombia and holds master’s degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Social Work with a certificate in Human Services Management. Participants will take part in a large group workshop and panel in the morning. After lunch, participants will attend two sessions chosen during registration (out of the ten session options). The day will end by 4:30 P.M. Please note: 6.5 PQAS and Act 48 credit hours will be available. Workshops During registration, participants will be asked to make selections for two workshop time slots. Participants will select their first and second choices of preferred sessions for each of the afternoon session time slots. Workshop Session 1 Options • Effective and Trauma-Informed Communication Pathways for English Learners and Their Families With translation technology at our fingertips and live interpretation just a call away, we have never had more effective tools for working with English learners and their families. However, harnessing these tools effectively requires awareness and practice. Additionally, applying trauma-informed fundamentals to family conversations allows us to build relationships with students and parents alike. This session will provide an overview of in-person and remote communication pathways (e.g., Google Translate, TalkingPoints, live and telephonic interpretation, etc.) as well as fundamentals of trauma-informed care. We will then apply these tools to model situations, such as helping families register for kindergarten. Presenters: Joy Givens & Cali Jackson, Immigrant & Refugee Youth Program Specialists (Jewish Family & Community Services) • Muslim Families in Learning Environments: Building Trust and Inclusion Muslim families are an important part of today’s diverse educational communities. Their cultural and religious values shape parenting, routines, and expectations from educators. This session helps educators develop cultural awareness and explore topics like halal food, modest dress, gender norms, and parent communication. By creating respectful and inclusive learning environments, educators can build trust with families and support children in feeling seen and valued. Presenters: Sudad Nsaif & Tahereh Hooshangi, Refugee Caseworkers (Jewish Family & Community Services) • Who Makes the Rules? Exploring Cross-Cultural Communication Through Play Description: In this interactive session, participants will play a hands-on card game that simulates real-world challenges around communication, collaboration, and navigating difference—all without speaking a word. Through gameplay and a guided debrief, we’ll reflect on how assumptions, norms, and unspoken expectations can impact relationships in early childhood settings. Together, we’ll explore strategies for fostering more inclusive, culturally responsive environments for children, families, and colleagues. Presenters: Zhenya Dudina, Senior Education Manager & Claire Stacey, Community Events Coordinator (Hello Neighbor) • Supporting Positive Identity Development Through Picture Books In this session we will define and explore the importance of positive identity development in early childhood education and consider how educators can support young children’s positive identity development in practice. Together, we will read high quality picture books to help us think through the ways in which educators can use picture books as tools for this work. We will explore a range of identities, noting the importance of both the self and book work needed for practice. Participants will have opportunities to explore multiple books and collaborate to consider how to bring these ideas into their own practice contexts. Presenters: Caitlin Forbes Spear, Director of Literacy & Learning & Jennifer Briggs, Literacy and Learning Specialist (University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development) • Carnegie Museums of Art Extension Activity This session will be an extension of the creative breakouts from the morning for those who want to do further artistic reflection on the concept of culture and cultural humility. Participants will have the chance to contribute to a communal art project reflective of the theme of the day. Presenters: Taylor Leeper, Manager of School Programs (CMOA) Workshop Session 2 Options • What’s In A Name? Honoring Identity Through Cultural Learning This session opens a doorway to exploring issues that affect us every day, and that, ultimately, reverberate through the most intimate aspects of who we are. Can names create subconscious bias? What is the history of our given name? Does the region where our name is most popular impact how we are perceived? How do social status and laws affect our name? Why is it so challenging to ask someone how their name is pronounced? Presenters: Luz Amanda Hank, Assistant Director for Partnerships and Programming & Howard Alvarez, Outreach/Engagement Graduate Student Assistant, Center for Latin American Studies (University of Pittsburgh) • Refugee 101: Background and Practical Considerations for ECE Teachers This session gives an overview of refugees and other humanitarian-based statuses, their pathway and process of coming to the United States, and some basic considerations when working with refugee families. The session will include the basics of communication and interpretation as well as an introduction to cultural humility and trauma-informed care. Presenters: Caley Donovan, Program Manager (Virtual Resettlement, HIAS) • Positionality, Power & Poetry: A Reflection on Bias & Creating Inclusive Practices within Multicultural Classrooms During this interactive session, participants will engage in reflective dialogue and poetry to explore how personal and professional identities shape classroom dynamics and affect immigrant families. By unpacking implicit bias and understanding positionality, practitioners can foster more inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments. The session will offer practical strategies for affirming diverse identities, and building trust with immigrant families. Participants will leave with tools for self-reflection and classroom practice that support equity and belonging for young learners and their families. No prior experience with poetry is required. Presenters: Zainab Adisa, Racial Equity Fellow (Allegheny County DHS) Not Just a Seat, But a Say: Inclusive Practices That Nourish Inclusion is more than offering families a seat at the table; it’s making sure they have a say in what’s being served. In this interactive and reflective session, early learning professionals will examine how everyday practices can unintentionally sideline families from non-dominant cultures. Using real-world tools and examples from The Learning Loft, participants will explore how to move from surface level gestures to meaningful, culture sustaining inclusion. Together, we will rethink communication, events, and classroom routines so that every family feels seen, respected, and heard. Walk away with practical strategies that build authentic, equitable partnerships rooted in belonging and shared power. Presenters: LaRae Cullens, Executive Director & Dr. Danelle Conner, Chief Academic Officer (The Learning Loft) • Carnegie Museums Guided Art Tours Guided tours of specific exhibits within CMOA that speak to the immigrant experience and creating a culture of belonging. Presenters: Taylor Leeper, Manager of School Programs (CMOA) About UnConference The UnConference is an innovative, hands-on professional development training format in which a deeper experience is provided around a particular theme. Local and national speakers are invited to present and participants are encouraged to engage hands on in the workshops. The day concludes with a roundtable discussion on how to apply these experiences and ideas in the early childhood environment and share ideas on how to partner with new colleagues. Thank You To Our Sponsor and Partners A huge thank you to our series sponsor PNC Grow Up Great and our workshop partners. TweetSharePinShare0 Shares
