Teaching the History of Racist Policy and Resistance in Rochester: A Case Study in Antiracist Curriculum

Description

To support equity and justice in our communities, we must do more than respond to the trauma our clients carry—we must understand the systems that caused it, and actively work to change them. This course equips behavioral health professionals with the historical knowledge, tools, and educational strategies needed to support and collaborate with schools in developing antiracist curricula that reveal, resist, and repair systemic injustice.

For clinicians who partner with schools, serve youth, or advise educational institutions, understanding how racism is embedded in housing, education, and policy is essential. This course invites you to engage deeply with Rochester’s local history as a national case study—revealing how redlining, school segregation, and racial covenants were not accidents of the past, but deliberate forces shaping the inequities we see today.

Led by Kesha James, MS.Ed, LMFT, and Shane Wiegand, co-leads of the Antiracist Curriculum Project, this course is rooted in both scholarship and lived practice. Kesha brings expertise in racial equity and systems transformation as a therapist and consultant; Shane is a widely recognized educator and community historian. Together, they have guided schools and districts through the process of creating rigorous, justice-centered educational content.

Their approach combines inquiry-based learning, primary source analysis, and restorative practice frameworks. Rather than offering abstract theory, they present practical steps for identifying and dismantling racist narratives in curriculum, while elevating stories of resistance and resilience that often go untold.

Topics include the history and consequences of redlining, exclusionary zoning, racial deed restrictions, and segregated schooling in Monroe County. You’ll also learn how educators have responded through civic action, and how to center the voices of people of color in curriculum through careful use of historical documents and storytelling.

Key Takeaways:

• Build antiracist curriculum strategies: Learn how educators and consultants create school-based units that expose injustice and promote equity.

• Understand systemic racism through history: Use Rochester’s past to illuminate how racist policies shaped neighborhoods and schools across the nation.

• Elevate stories of resistance: Discover and apply primary sources that amplify the voices and agency of people of color in your community.

Why this course?

• For clinicians who consult or collaborate with schools: This course empowers you to speak knowledgeably about structural racism and support systemic change in educational settings.

• Taught by seasoned curriculum leaders: Kesha James and Shane Wiegand bring deep experience in building antiracist curriculum that transforms how students, teachers, and communities engage with history.

• Offered by a mission-driven organization: Telehealth Certification Institute equips professionals with education that promotes justice, wellness, and high-quality care for all.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the steps to establishing anti-racism curricula for a school district.

• Explain redlining and racist policies that shaped the history of major cities throughout NY and across the country through a case study of Rochester.

• Find and share primary sources that highlight the agency of people of color in our communities.

Clinicians are not just healers—they are allies in reshaping the systems that impact their clients.

Enroll today to build your capacity as an informed advocate and educational partner in the pursuit of racial justice.

Format and Access

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. It consists of video instructions and a course evaluation.

Course Details

Availability: 

From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.

Who Should Attend: 

This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching Methods: 

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

How to Attend: 

Course access and completion instructions.

Instructors and Disclosures

Instructors

About Kesha James, MS.Ed, LMFT

Kesha James is an educational leader, consultant, licensed marriage and family therapist and co lead of the Antiracist Curriculum Project hosted by the PathStone Corporation who values authenticity, growth and justice. She provides individuals and organizations with opportunities to amplify their communication, connection and confidence so they can make an influential impact on the world. 

Fueled by a core belief that every person deserves dignity and to be regarded as fully human, Kesha partners with schools, agencies and organizations to address the issues of systemic racism and provides support in attaining more equitable communities.  

About Shane Wiegand

Shane Wiegand is a fourth-grade teacher at the Rush-Henrietta Central School District, Co-Lead of the Antiracist Curriculum Project hosted by the PathStone Corporation, a board member at City Roots Community Land Trust and Connected Communities, and an adjunct faculty member of the URMC School of Medicine and Dentistry. For his work with PathStone, he was named as one of Rochester Business Journal's Forty Under 40 in 2021. He and his wife live in the Beechwood neighborhood of Rochester.

Disclosure Statement: 

The instructor for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.

CE Hours

0 CE hours – This course does not offer CEs, just great content.

This is a non-interactive, self-study course.

Accommodations and Policies

Close Captioning is available for live webinars and recorded video presentations.

You can click on the following links to view our policies:

• Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
• Cancellation Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Support Options
• Disclosure Statement