Uplift Movement

Big news — UpLiFT Movement is heading to Atlanta! 🎉

Our Executive Director, Jonathan C. W. Jones, will be presenting at UNITE 2026 alongside the Norman C. Francis Teacher Residency at Xavier University of Louisiana his alma mater, on something close to his heart: building real partnerships that tackle the BIPOC educator shortage and the turnover rates hitting our schools.

The session is called "What Could We Build Together? Live Partnership Discovery for Educator Diversity." Our founder, an HBCU grad and the founder of UpLiFT, teaming up with the school that shaped him — asking out loud what we could build if we stopped working in silos.

This work matters because representation in the classroom matters. Kids need to see what's possible for themselves, and that starts with who's standing in front of them. Twenty-five years after walking through Xavier's gates as a student, Jonathan is proud to bring that journey full circle on this stage.

If you're in Atlanta or attending UNITE 2026, come say hi! We'd love to connect.

Just a few days away!
This Friday, join Elevate Teaching, Movement, Ujima Collective, and Black Educators Alliance as we celebrate the educators, school leaders, and community members who make a difference every day.
📅 Friday, June 12, 2026
⏰ 4:00–7:00 PM
📍 Klassics Kitchen & Cocktails
Enjoy an evening of connection, appreciation, heavy appetizers, and non-alcoholic beverages as we close out another school year together.
This event is free and open to all.
Register today: elevateteaching.us/events