Shomari Jones is the Director of Equity and Strategic Engagement at Bellevue School District. He leads staff in thoughtful exploration of institutionalized racism and its impact on student learning and mentors students to raise their social awareness and help them feel more connected and engaged in the district and their communities, which has resulted in a community-wide conversation, bringing to light racial and socio-economic inequities. He serves as a powerful advocate for and witness to the experiences of students of color to help district leaders identify, confront, disrupt, and dismantle structures that limit the potential of those students. He developed several student empowerment initiatives like Students Organized Against Racism (SOAR), Breaking Out Of the Margins (BOOM), and Sistahs Having Outstanding Uniqueness Together (SHOUT), as well as parent advocacy groups like the Parent Alliance for Black Scholars (PABS). In 2019, Shomari was recognized as a “Leader to Learn From” by Education Week. He has served as the Chief Operating Officer at the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, a not-for-profit organization with 82 years of activism and community experience in the heart of Seattle’s most diverse neighborhood, the Central District. Shomari also volunteers at the Seattle University Center for Social Transformation and Leadership and the Bellevue Police Chief Diversity Committee. He holds a Bachelors in Science in Mathematics from Tuskegee University and has a daughter in college.