Filiz Efe McKinney is a Turkish American documentary filmmaker who typically wears the producer, director, and editor hats. She runs Brave Sprout, a film production house that is committed to crafting compelling educational films that drive organizational and cultural change. Since 2016, Filiz’s work has specifically focused on supporting anti-bias, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives with the University of Washington, City of Seattle, and Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County. She directed Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years (2021), a feature documentary that shifts the focus away from the talking heads of experts and on to the voices of teachers who place diversity and equity at the heart of what they do. Her upcoming documentary, Sounds Like Home, focuses on how accent bias affects individuals and society more broadly. Filiz’s approach to filmmaking is to connect with the audience on an emotional level to deepen understanding, and create films that serve as a springboard to broaden discussion within communities. She also serves on the boards of KUOW Puget Sound Public Radio and Northwest Film Forum to help create a more equitable and vibrant future in Greater Seattle. A multidisciplinary artist, Filiz holds a Master of Communication in Digital Media, a Master of Arts in Communication Strategies and Public Relations, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Cinematography.
Joyce Jackson is a teacher at the Epiphany Early Learning Preschool in Seattle, Washington. She has been working in the early childhood education field for over 30 years. She says, “I really enjoy working with young children. Our children’s first years are their most impressive! Having such an important role in the early education of our future is very, very rewarding. Last but not least, working with children gives me a warm fuzzy feeling on the inside and that’s always a good thing!” Joyce Jackson has done local presentations and has been a featured teacher in Exchange Magazine. She is also featured in the film, Reflecting On Anti-Bias Education in Action: The Early Years. She is a wife, a mother of three, and a grandmother of twelve.
Nadia Jaboneta lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband and 3 children. She is a pedagogical leader at Pacific Primary preschool in San Francisco, California. She has 22 years experience in Early Childhood Education teaching young children, training teachers, consulting and facilitating workshops. She is passionate about social justice and is proud to have immigrant parents from Lima, Peru. Nadia attended San Francisco State University for both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. She has written numerous articles for the magazine Teaching Young Children, focused on the anti-bias education practices she uses in her classroom. She also is the author of two books: You Can’t Celebrate That: Navigating the Deep Waters of Social Justice Education and Children’s Lively Minds: Schema Theory Made Visible.
Veronica Reynoso is Mentor Teacher at Hilltop Children’s Center in Seattle, Washington. She is a first generation Mexican-American, born and raised in Chicago. She has also taught at Velma Thomas Preschool in Chicago and the Epiphany Early Learning Preschool in Seattle. Life experience and her experiences at Epiphany Early Learning helped shape her strong commitment to anti-bias and anti-racist education with young children. She has been published in Learning Together with Young Children: A Curriculum Framework for Reflective Teachers and in Exchange Magazine. She is also featured in the film Reflecting On Anti-Bias Education in Action: The Early Years.
Brian Silveira, Lead Teacher/Program Coordinator, has worked at Pacific Primary for 25 years and is still thriving and growing in his commitment to serving young children and their families. Brian worked in community-based and public preschools before landing in his dream job at Pacific Primary. His experiences in those diverse schools has informed his philosophy and life mission to make the world a safe and just place for all children. He has been published in Teaching Young Children magazine and has been recognized by several national interest forums for his work supporting men in ECE, Peace Educators and the LGBT community. Brian believes that anti-bias work has transformed him professionally and personally and is forever grateful for the work of colleagues and mentors who have helped him in his journey for a safe, equitable and joyous world for ALL children.