Trajectory of Hope

Trajectory of Hope is an entrepreneurial venture that is seeking to disrupt the school to prison pipeline through awakening educators to their implicit bias. We plan to do this through a developing curriculum of workshops for a school staff, in addition to creating an app to support the school staff

Trajectory of Hope aims to cause educators to recognize their implicit bias of Black males; eliminate factors that contribute to disproportionate referrals to the office, suspensions and expulsions from school for Black males and for school staff to operate with an awareness of the contributing factors that criminalize Black males. We would like school staff to operate in spite of their personal and implicit bias when engaging Black males; with hopes that their awareness will support the implementation of school wide programs and thus yield higher efficacy for overall school discipline outcomes. 

While educators develop their awareness of their implicit bias, they will in turn support the increase presence of Black males in the classroom. Statistically Black males are suspended and expelled at higher rates then they are enrolled, therefore missing out on instructional time and not developing the necessary skills to prepare them to compete with others in the 21st century workforce. 

If our solution is scaled it will change the world because of the grave impact implicit bias has in so many sectors. Trajectory of Hope can be modified and scaled to be implemented in child welfare agencies, policing agencies, medical facilities, etc. All of these agencies interact with youth and at times interfere with involvement or the possibly of entering the workplace. 

Educators are not trained to identify and address personal and implicit bias that they possess related to thier up bringing and societal influences. Therefore, educators biases are influencing and impacting how they address and engage Black males. We believe that this has a causal relationship with Black males discipline outcomes and thus results in the increasing likelihood of the criminalization of Black males. 

Trajectory of Hope's theory of change aligns with behaviorism. We believe that in order to change adults behavior there needs to be ongoing exposure (workshops) and feedback. For example, using reinforcement(feedback) to support behavior change can be seen as, educators attending a workshop on implicit bias, then utilizing the application to reinforce their ongoing learning. Overtime educators become aware of their bias which indirectly improves disciplinary outcomes for Black males and allows them to have increase access to instruction. 

Trajectory of Hope’s targeted impact group is young Black males. Black male youth in American society are currently marginalized, ostracized and evaluated falsely due to the negative portrayals in media.  With the successful implementation of Trajectory of Hope Black male youth will experience the education system with a fresh and clean slate and have increase opportunities of engagement in the classroom. 

Track suspension/expulsion data - Black male youth suspension/expulsion rates decrease

Pre and Post Assessment Data along with narratives of educators experience - Increased awareness of bias

Traditionally, professional development/workshops in the education sector addressing implicit bias are in person, use PowerPoints, handouts and are over the course of 1-3 days. Trajectory of Hope will provide cohort styled continuous support with an understanding that it takes time for behavior to change. We are committed to utilizing and enhancing existing platforms to support behavior change on school campuses initially in the United States but ultimately the globe. Trajectory of Hope is developing a Social-emotional based learning curriculum platform. Our novelty strives to address the root of the problem verses solo confounding factors that have a lesser impact. 

Educators have expressed frustration with the delivery of workshops and the lack of ongoing support. They have also expressed the need for opportunity to work through real-life situations and have protocols to follow when addressing a challenge. With our web-based and application based platforms we are meeting the needs of today’s educator. After providing an initial workshop, Trajectory of Hope’s tools will be continuously accessible to educators through the use of their phones, tablets, or computers. The web-based and application-based platform would be responsive in supporting in real-time. 

Both the web-based and application based platform would be free for the educators. There would be a low subscription cost to access on-going support paid by the institutions, grants and donations. 

Currently, financial sustainability is feasible due to full-time and part-time employment for us, the co-founders. However, as we grow we are prepared to scale back on hours devoted to current employers. 

Since we are addressing a longstanding emotional challenge,we believe that human emotions is a huge limiting factor. Since there is no universal emotional development tool; we will be supporting educators at difference levels of emotional intelligence. Their emotional intelligence will directly impact how they will respond to addressing their implicit bias and the pace of reaching awareness.

Trajectory of Hope seeks to become a Solver because we are at a pinnacle phase in our venture and need support to launch from research to pilot. We are a people-centered ventured that desires to respond to the global challenge that plagues many families across the globe.  

Harvard Innovation Lab.

DECA, Leading for Equity, The African American Male Achievement, The Black Male Institute