The Urban Assembly and Congresswomen Bonnie Watson Coleman and Yvette D. Clarke Host Inaugural International SEL Day Briefing

NEW YORK, March 12, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Join the Urban Assembly and Congresswomen Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ) and Yvette Clarke (NY) at a Congressional Briefing on March 27th, the inaugural International SEL Day. A panel of experts, community leaders, policy makers, and students will convene to discuss the significance of social-emotional learning in schools and communities. The Congressional Briefing will be held on March 27th at 11:30 am at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC.

Dr. Maurice Elias of the Social Emotional Character Development Lab at Rutgers University will join Kristen Hopkins of Dangers of the Minds, Heather Rieman of The Education Trust, and Ross Wiener of the Aspen Institute to discuss the ways in which social-emotional learning improves academic and professional outcomes, positively impacts behavior and social and emotional development and growth, and provides young people with the tools to be socially and economically mobile. Urban Assembly students Ariel Fernandez and Annaistasia Morris will give testimony on how social-emotional learning has helped them in school, at home, and in their communities.

Congresswoman Clarke has been a long-standing supporter of social-emotional learning, especially for students.

"Social emotional learning plays such a vital role in building communities. SEL competencies develop throughout one's lifespan, and they shape how we show up at work, in school, and in everyday life," says Congresswoman Clarke. "I believe in the power of SEL to empower young people to develop positive relationships, demonstrate empathy, and make responsible decisions."

A champion of education and advancing outcomes for young women, Congresswoman Watson Coleman asserts, "We live in a world where issues like online bullying, hate and bigotry, and disregard for the humanity of others in our communities have become commonplace, and it's holding us back. SEL provides tools for empathy, the skillset to direct emotions, and the capacity to find ways to collaborate — giving us a chance to come back together rather than be torn farther apart. It's critically important for our schools, our businesses, and the fabric of our American life."

Organized by the Urban Assembly and SEL4US, International SEL Day seeks to bring awareness to the ways in which communities can become stronger through social-emotional learning.

David Adams, Director of Social-Emotional Learning with the Urban Assembly, says, "As we look forward to 2020 and beyond, our future is bright. School systems across the country have embraced social-emotional learning, civics, and a renewed commitment to restoring the social contract between Americans. Those who have committed themselves to this work represent the vanguard who seek a higher purpose of education, one that prepares those who can build physical bridges as well as those who create the desire among our citizens for those bridges to be built."

Urban Assembly CEO Kristin Kearns Jordan, shares, "It is a fundamental responsibility of schools to support students' social-emotional development. It is by using these skills that students will learn to persist through challenges, navigate college and career, and re-center our country around the value of mutual respect."

The International SEL Day Congressional Briefing will be held on March 27th from 11:30am - 1pm at the 2168 Rayburn House Office Building (Gold Room), 45 Independence Avenue SW in Washington DC. Attendees should register at bit.ly/SELDayBriefing. The panel will be livestreamed on Twitter @UrbanAssembly for those not able to attend in person.

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About The Urban Assembly:

With a mission of advancing students' social and economic mobility by improving education, the Urban Assembly (UA) supports a network of 23 small, high-performing career-themed NYC schools. The UA provides school support in key areas to advance student growth: Academics (math and literacy), Leadership, College Access, Career Readiness, and Social-Emotional Development - as well as Postsecondary Success support in college and career for UA alumni. The UA engages hundreds of public, private and non-profit sector partners to increase educational opportunities and close the opportunity gap.

SOURCE Urban Assembly