The Greater New England Alliance of Black School Educators (GNEABSE) an affiliate of National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE) was officially chartered February 12, 2000 under the leadership of the late Lou Irvin. With Mr. Irvin serving as the organization’s first president, GNEABSE began with 18 charter members from Connecticut and southern Massachusetts.

During that first year, two major undertakings were begun. The first was used as an “introduction to the education community”. Nationally known psychologist, Dr. Na’im Akbar of Mind Production & Associates, was the keynote speaker. Dr. Akbar addressed the research data that supports the need for Connecticut school districts to actively seek teaching and administrative candidates from diverse backgrounds.

The second was a conference sponsored jointly with the Connecticut State Department of Education with the purpose to help minority teachers in the state gain a better understanding of the many facets of school and community life.

Since that time, GNEABSE has sponsored conferences, offering workshops dealing with current educational issues affecting students, staff, administrators and parents. Some of our keynote speakers have been Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Georgetown University sociology professor, New York /times contributing opinion writer and author of “Tears We Cannot Stop”; Erik Cork, creator of the literacy workshop, Rap, Rhythm and Rhymes Rebuilding the Writing Foundation and Cork’s Coast-to-Coast Classroom Full Day Student Writing Assembly Extravaganza; the late Dr. Barbara Sizemore; Uyi Osunde, principal Windsor High School and Stacey Watson Williams, GNEABSE member and STEM Lab Coordinator and STEM Education Specialist at East Conn.

The primary goals of the Greater New England Alliance of Black School Educators (GNEABSE) are to promote and to facilitate the education of all students, Black students in particular; to establish a coalition of Black educators and others directly or indirectly involved in the educational process; to create a forum for the exchange of ideas and strategies; to improve educational opportunities; to identify and to develop Black professionals who will assume leadership positions in education and to influence public policy concerning education of Black people.

GNEABSE awarded its first scholarships to two aspiring college students at a reception at the Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, CT in 2004. The organization held its bi-annual retreat at the Heritage House in Southbury, CT to review its goals and objectives and to plan future initiatives. The membership is comprised of individuals representing numerous educational fields including resource education center representatives such as CREC, present and former superintendents, elementary, middle, high school and higher education educators, public and private school personnel, administrators and parents.