Sydney Morris Activist of the Year Award

This school year, E4E-Chicago made major strides in advancing a school board resolution calling for a districtwide strategy on educator mental health, and Nathan’s leadership was instrumental in building that momentum. Behind the scenes, Nathan helped move the campaign forward at every stage. He gathered feedback and research from fellow educators, organized multiple school-based events, and mobilized colleagues to take action, helping generate hundreds of petition signatures in support of stronger mental health supports for educators across Chicago Public Schools.

What truly distinguished Nathan was his willingness to lead publicly and courageously on an issue that too often goes unspoken. From participating in a powerful campaign video on educator mental health to speaking candidly on a public panel with stakeholders present, Nathan consistently used his voice to elevate educators’ experiences and students’ needs. His advocacy made a tangible impact: after hearing Nathan speak on the panel, members of the school board introduced the resolution for legal review. Nathan’s advocacy reflects the very spirit of the Sydney Morris Activist of the Year Award: courageous, community-centered, and deeply committed to creating schools where both educators and students can thrive.

Dr. Marissa White is a Hartford educator whose advocacy is matched by her track record of results. A New Haven native and product of a “Grow-Your-Own” program, she has spent her career proving what’s possible when leadership is rooted in community, culture, and love. In 2022, she made history as the first candidate to earn a doctoral degree in educational leadership from Sacred Heart University, where her dissertation introduced a framework to retain educators of color. That work has shaped her advocacy ever since. Today, she leads the Dr. Joseph S. Renzulli Gifted & Talented Academy, the only Category One School of Distinction in Hartford Public Schools.

This year, Marissa has been a driving force in E4E-Connecticut’s advocacy work, serving on the Teacher Diversity Committee and its steering committee, where she has helped shape strategy and keep campaigns focused on what educators and students truly need. She recently drew on her dual perspective as a former mentee and current principal to publish an op-ed calling for modernization of Connecticut’s TEAM mentorship program, arguing that the state must shift from compliance-based paperwork to culturally responsive mentorship if it hopes to retain the Black and Brown educators its students need most. She took that same message directly to decision-makers on Advocacy Day, engaging policymakers and joining meetings with key leaders, including the Hartford mayor.

What sets Marissa apart is her commitment to her students and colleagues. Whether refining campaign priorities, contributing to planning conversations, or showing up in the spaces where the work gets done, she brings clarity and purpose to every conversation about educator diversity and retention. She follows through, builds coalitions, and helps others recognize the power of their own voices. Marissa reflects the best of educator leadership: data-driven, culturally relevant, and rooted in love.

Cedric is a science educator with 17 years of classroom experience, currently teaching AP Biology and Advanced Laboratory Chemistry at Brooke High School in Boston. A recipient of multiple teaching awards, he is committed to giving his students mirrors and windows: rigorous, culturally competent curricula that affirm their identities while opening doors to future STEM opportunities. With a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Southern Methodist University and degrees in the biological and chemical sciences from the University of Montana, Cedric continues to seek out new ways to grow professionally and deepen his work with students.

This year, Cedric extended that work well beyond his classroom. As a member of E4E-MA, he testified in support of the Right to Read Act and the So All Students Thrive legislation, and met directly with state legislators on Advocacy Day to advance these bills. That same commitment to shaping policy shows up in his role on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Teacher and Principal Advisory Cabinet, where he helps connect daily instructional practice with state-level decisions, and in his work as a CURATE Panel Facilitator and EdReports Review Panel Facilitator, ensuring students across the state have access to high-quality, standards-aligned materials.

What sets Cedric apart is the breadth of his commitment. He works across curriculum reform, policy advocacy, and classroom instruction with equal care, and his contributions have earned recognition through the National Teacher Leadership Council and his ongoing membership in the Massachusetts Educator Collective for Change. Whether he is testifying at the State House, shaping standards-aligned materials, or mentoring colleagues, Cedric shows up for students at every level. He reflects the best of teacher leadership: principled, equity-driven, and grounded in what students actually need.

Susan is Minnesota’s 2026 Sydney Morris Activist of the Year, and for good reason. This year, her advocacy helped shape major conversations around literacy and educational equity across Minnesota. As a Teacher Action Team member, she helped lay the groundwork for future improvements to the READ Act and played a key role in the Minnesota Senate’s passage of SF 3699 – legislation aimed at strengthening protections for schools from ICE enforcement and reaffirming every child’s right to a free public education regardless of immigration status.

But what truly sets Susan apart is the way she brings others with her. Throughout the school year, she mobilized fellow educators to sign petitions, speak publicly, and advocate directly to decision-makers. Whether mentoring colleagues behind the scenes or speaking boldly on behalf of students and teachers, Susan consistently helped others recognize the power of their collective voice. Susan embodied the meaning of leadership and educator advocacy this school year.

Few educators demonstrate consistent, year-round advocacy the way Eli does, but this year he reached a new level. From helping collect educator feedback on social-emotional learning (SEL), advocating for the continued growth and improvement of NYC Reads and NYC Solves, or speaking out in support of stronger pathways for diverse educators, Eli has consistently shown up wherever students and educators need a voice. His advocacy contributed to conversations and commitments from city and state leaders that will have lasting impacts on schools and students across New York.

What makes Eli especially impactful is not just the breadth of his involvement, but the energy and leadership he brings into every space – whether through attending stakeholder meetings, speaking directly with policymakers, or helping launch E4E-New York’s new educator steering committee. And he has also helped grow the movement itself, encouraging other educators to get involved, sign on to advocacy efforts, and recognize the power of their voices. Eli represents the very best of educator leadership and inspires with his relentless commitment to building a more equitable future for students.

Few educators demonstrate consistent, year-round advocacy the way Eli does, but this year he reached a new level. From helping collect educator feedback on social-emotional learning (SEL), advocating for the continued growth and improvement of NYC Reads and NYC Solves, or speaking out in support of stronger pathways for diverse educators, Eli has consistently shown up wherever students and educators need a voice. His advocacy contributed to conversations and commitments from city and state leaders that will have lasting impacts on schools and students across New York.

What makes Eli especially impactful is not just the breadth of his involvement, but the energy and leadership he brings into every space – whether through attending stakeholder meetings, speaking directly with policymakers, or helping launch E4E-New York’s new educator steering committee. And he has also helped grow the movement itself, encouraging other educators to get involved, sign on to advocacy efforts, and recognize the power of their voices. Eli represents the very best of educator leadership and inspires with his relentless commitment to building a more equitable future for students.