Adrienne
van der Valk


Adrienne van der Valk began her career in social work, advocating for homeless and runaway youth and survivors of sexual violence. Her graduate studies led her to political science and journalism, and she has been using her editorial skills in a variety of social justice settings ever since. She served as deputy director for Teaching Tolerance for many years before moving on to become the communications director for the Center for Genetics and Society. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Grinnell College and master’s degrees in political science and magazine journalism from the University of Oregon.

Articles by Adrienne

From Birmingham to Parkland: Celebrate the Power of Young Voices

The young activists who emerged from the Parkland, Florida, school shooting offer educators a tremendous opportunity to celebrate the power of youth activism—past and present.

Teaching Hard History

Four innovative educators discuss how they teach about our country's painful past. Plus, get a sneak preview of our new resources for teaching about American slavery.

When It Comes to Holocaust Awareness, We Need to Raise the Bar

The events of this week have made it clear: It’s time to bring genocide and Holocaust awareness lessons back into the spotlight.

New Law Makes Lunchrooms Shame-Free Zones

New Mexico is leading the way in making school cafeterias more welcoming and equitable places.

Teach This: When Is a Repeal Really a Repeal?

Today, the North Carolina legislature debates what’s being called a repeal of the controversial “bathroom bill.” But is it really a repeal? Explore this question with your students.
x
A map of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi with overlaid images of key state symbols and of people in community

Learning for Justice in the South

When it comes to investing in racial justice in education, we believe that the South is the best place to start. If you’re an educator, parent or caregiver, or community member living and working in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana or Mississippi, we’ll mail you a free introductory package of our resources when you join our community and subscribe to our magazine.

Learn More