Two Tarrant County College Trinity River employees have been named to Leadership ISD’s 2022 cohort of Civic Voices Fellows.
Carter Bedford and Jessica Fuentes will join 34 other stakeholders — from civic and community leaders to district and campus administrators and educators – to advance racial equity and academic excellence through advocacy and policy. This highly selective 10-month program provides civic leaders the information and insight needed to effectively influence systemic transformation.
Bedford, director of student development services at TCC Trinity River, organizes, supervises and coordinates all aspects of the student services programs related to student activities, student organizations, mentoring initiatives, diversity programming, health services and community outreach.
“I am ecstatic to be selected to network and fellowship with Leadership ISD Cohort Class of 2022,” said Bedford. “Leadership ISD’s purpose is to connect community members to local Independent School Districts so we can advance items related to academic excellence and racial equity. Although our cohort has just gotten started, we have already been working diligently to assist with voter registration efforts. I am looking forward to more knowledge on school governance and how I can assist with ensuring our schools stay top notch.”
As the coordinator of community education, Fuentes is responsible for developing programming and events that engage the community partners with the College. She is looking forward to collaborating with other change agents interested in improving the educational outcomes of students in the region.
“As an alumnus of FWISD, a parent of two FWISD students, a former FWISD teacher, and an educator working to support local students and teachers, I am excited to be a part of the Leadership ISD 2022 cohort,” said Fuentes. “So far, it has been a whirlwind as we have worked to register voters and raise awareness about the upcoming FWISD Bond Election. I hope that through this program I will learn more about the many issues impacting our district and gain the tools to advocate for policies that serve all students.”
Participants are required to attend monthly seminars, local school board meetings and serve on an action team that focuses on helping to propose a policy that eliminates disparities and improves student outcomes.
For more information about Leadership ISD, visit https://leadershipisd.org/