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National SEED Project

Website:

www.nationalseedproject.org
Location:

Wellesley, MA
Type:

DEI Education Training
Founded:

1979
Founders:

Peggy McIntosh

Emily Style

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National SEED Project (full name National Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity Project for Inclusive Curriculum) trains teachers and others to instruct colleagues and peers on how to incorporate themes and practices related to equity, diversity, and privilege in the classroom. Through grant money from left-leaning foundations, the SEED Project has grown from regional small seminars to training in school districts in almost every state. 1

Founded by Peggy McIntosh, one of the originators of the critical race theory-inspired concept of “white privilege” in 1987, 2 National SEED Project has trained 2900 teachers, parents, and community leaders from 45 states and 15 countries as SEED leaders 3 and participated in The Privilege Institute’s critical race theory-inspired “White Privilege Conference.” 4 5

In 2011, SEED received a $2.92 million grant from the left-of-center W.K. Kellogg Foundation to double the number of its teacher trainees and launch a SEED program for school principals. 6

History

The National SEED Project grew from left-progressive faculty conferences held from 1979 through 1985 at Wellesley College. 7 Critical race theory-inspired author Peggy McIntosh formed National SEED Project as its own organization in 1987. 8 9 McIntosh would co-direct National SEED Project for 25 years 10 and called for a radical redesigning of social systems in the U.S. to address “white advantage” and “obliviousness about male advantage.” 11

Early Foundations and Teaching Women’s Studies

The SEED Project began in 1979 when Peggy McIntosh held faculty development seminars for college professors at the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women (now Wellesley Centers for Women) for the purpose of integrating women’s studies into the overall college curriculum. 12 By 1982, McIntosh began teaching high school instructors on how to integrate women’s studies in middle and high school curricula. 13 In 1983, McIntosh published a working paper on “Interactive Phases of Curricular and Personal Re-Vision: A Feminist Perspective” based on her prior seminars. 14

The next year, during a seminar for high school teachers in New Jersey, McIntosh met Emily Style, the author of Multicultural Education and Me: The Philosophy of the Process, Putting Product in its Place, which advocated “making textbooks of our lives.” 15 These writings advocated having instructors teach multiculturalism based on their own life experiences. 16 After a third seminar for teachers in Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, in 1985, McIntosh and Style co-led another seminar for teachers in New Jersey that combined their ideas forming a basis for further programs. 17

Creating the Teach-to-Teach Model and White Privilege

In 1986, McIntosh received a grant to form a new program for a one-week summer teaching workshop that would train secondary school teachers to teach others in their states about how to integrate women’s studies into middle and high school curriculum. 18 Teachers from 12 states attended this first summer workshop and returned to their respective states to further the women’s studies and curriculum message. 19 Minnesota teacher Cathy Nelson and California teacher Judy Logan attended these early programs and begin association with this group. 20

In 1988, McIntosh published a paper on white and male privilege and Style published “Curriculum as Window and Mirror” that served as part of the justification for Minnesota to passing a rule requiring multiculturalism and a gender fair curriculum. 21 These writings formed the foundation for the SEED Project’s teachings on white privilege, creating diversity, the revision of curriculum, equity, and systems of privilege and oppression. 22

Growth and National Presence

Through the 1990s and 2000s, the SEED Project expanded to Minnesota, California, New Jersey, and the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states. 23 Each state “SEED” organization largely operated separately until 2011-2012, when McIntosh received a $2.92 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to create and expand nationally. 24 This has included multiple week-long seminars training facilitators around the country, the introduction of training school administrators, and a new national leaders week program. 25

Activities

Since its founding, National SEED Project has trained more than 2,900 facilitators in 45 states that have educated more than 30,000 teachers on multiculturalism, equity, and diversity. It claims to have reached more than 3 million students through these facilitators. 26 The SEED Project instructs leaders who then train teachers and community groups locally and in their region. 27 SEED Project facilitators engage in discussions about social justice with dialogue about experiences through “acknowledging systems of power, oppression, and privilege.” 28

National SEED Project operates several programs to advance the critical race theory-influenced concepts of “educational equity and diversity” 29 and has participated in the Privilege Institute’s critical race theory-inspired “White Privilege Conference.” 30 31

The Project also trains young activists, teachers, and administrators in diversity programs to prepare participants to “be more aware of their experiences with privilege and oppression and to listen more effectively to others.” 32

National SEED Project operates a seven-day New Leaders Week, which is a program that focuses on intersecting identities and acknowledging systems of power, oppression, and privilege 33 where participants with prior diversity training are taught to apply it in their communities. 34 The organization also operates year-long SEED seminars for New Leaders participants. 35 These programs take place so that teachers in the future can try to transform curriculums with creative flexibility on issues of gender, race, and class relations. 36

In 2007, the left-of-center Schott Foundation for Public Education published a report on peer-led professional development for equity and diversity based on SEED Project findings. 37

Funding

Early work by McIntosh was made possible through an initial grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. 38 The first faculty development seminars in the 1980s that expanded the organization’s reach to middle and high school teachers was funded by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.  39 Further expansion into California and other funding was provided in 1999-2001 by the Lucent Technologies Foundation. 40 In the 1990s and 2000s, the St. Paul Foundation provided funding to establish a Minnesota chapter, provide additional programs, and conduct studies on white privilege. 41

In 2011, a $2.92 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation doubled the size of training programs and the National SEED Project launched. 42 Funding is now provided from local school systems, grant money, and private donations. 43 As of 2022, fees for either a 12-week virtual class or one week in-person training are $5500 per person for private schools and $3500 per person for public school participants. 44 These programs are devoted to equity, inclusiveness, diversity, and multiculturalism. 45 The SEED Project also sponsors retreats to reconnect prior participants with SEED training through art-based activities at places such as Cape Cod, Massachusetts. 46 These weekend retreats cost $1500 a person. 47

Leadership

Peggy McIntosh is the founder of the National SEED project and was a former associate director of Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College. 48 McIntosh directs the Wellesley Centers for Women’s Gender, Race, and Inclusive Education Project which provides workshops on privilege systems and diversifying workplaces, curricula, and teaching methods and has housed the National SEED Project since its founding. 49 50 McIntosh also has a series of published “White Privilege Papers.” 51

Emily Style was a co-founder of the National SEED project and co-director from 1987 until 2016. 52 She is the author of books such as Multicultural Education and Me: The Philosophy and the Process, Putting Product in its Place, In Our Own Hands: Diversity Literacy, and Social, Emotional, and Political Learning. 53

Emmy Howe, Gail Cruise-Roberson, and Jondou Chase Chen are National SEED Project’s co-directors. 54 Howe has facilitated the critical race theory-inspired “Sacred Conversations on Race” questionnaire through the United Church of Christ for several years. 55 She is a founding member of Welcoming Schools, a project of the left-of-center Human Rights Campaign, 56 and has co-led “Gender as a Journey” workshops about intersectional relationships between gender, race, social class, and sexual identities. 57

References

  1. “History.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/history; “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  2. Rothman, Joshua. “The Origins of ‘Privilege’.” The New Yorker. May 14, 2014. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-origins-of-privilege.
  3. “About SEED.” The National SEED Project. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.nationalseedproject.org/about-us/about-seed.
  4. “See SEED at the White Privilege Conference.” National SEED Project. March 15, 2019. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://nationalseedproject.org/itemid-fix/entry/see-seed-at-the-white-privilege-conference-1.
  5. “Wade in the Water.” The Privilege Institute. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.theprivilegeinstitute.com/wpc23charlotte.
  6.  “National SEED Project.” Wellesley Centers for Women. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.wcwonline.org/Active-Projects/seed-project-on-inclusive-curriculum.
  7. “History.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/history; “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  8. Peggy McIntosh’s White Privilege Papers.” National SEED Project. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/white-privilege.
  9. “About SEED.” The National SEED Project. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.nationalseedproject.org/about-us/about-seed.
  10. “About SEED.” The National SEED Project. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.nationalseedproject.org/about-us/about-seed.
  11. McIntosh, Peggy. “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” National SEED Project. 1989. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://nationalseedproject.org/Key-SEED-Texts/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-knapsack.
  12. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  13. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  14.  “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  15. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  16. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  17. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  18. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  19. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  20. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  21. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  22. “History.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/history.
  23. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  24.  Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  25.  Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  26. “History.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/history; “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  27. “About.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/about-seed.
  28. “About.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/about-seed.
  29. McIntosh, Peggy. “Some Notes for Facilitators on Presenting My White Privilege Papers. Wellesley Centers for Women. 2010. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://nationalseedproject.org/images/documents/peggy/Peggy_McIntosh_Notes_for_Facilitators.pdf.
  30.  “See SEED at the White Privilege Conference.” National SEED Project. March 15, 2019. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://nationalseedproject.org/itemid-fix/entry/see-seed-at-the-white-privilege-conference-1.
  31. “Wade in the Water.” The Privilege Institute. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.theprivilegeinstitute.com/wpc23charlotte.
  32.  “About SEED.” The National SEED Project. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.nationalseedproject.org/about-us/about-seed.
  33. “About SEED.” The National SEED Project. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.nationalseedproject.org/about-us/about-seed.
  34. “About New Leaders Week.” National SEED Project. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.nationalseedproject.org/be-a-part/new-leaders-week.
  35. “National SEED Project.” Facebook. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/NationalSeedProject/?business_id=10152592499697447.
  36. Peggy McIntosh and Emily Style. “The National SEED Project on Inclusive Curriculum: Developing Teachers as Sources of Systemic Inquiry and Transformation.” Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism, and Practice. Vol. 1 No. 2. 1997. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1021&context=jppp
  37. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline?highlight=WzE5OTRd.
  38. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  39. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  40. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  41. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  42. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  43.  “History.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/history.
  44. “Be a Part.” National Seed Project. Accessed January 3, 2022. https://www.nationalseedproject.org/Table/be-a-part/.
  45. “Local SEED Seminars.” National Seed Project. Accessed January 3, 2022. https://www.nationalseedproject.org/be-a-part/local-seed-seminars.
  46. “Reseed.” National Seed Project. Accessed January 3, 2022. https://www.nationalseedproject.org/be-a-part/reseed-revisit-recharge-renew.
  47. National Seed Project. Accessed January 3, 2022. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfInSrG9yZ7_jxwj48G_ah-43tmzCREYtZY7lnwHvjHAtTvCg/viewform.
  48. “Peggy McIntosh.” National Seed Project. Accessed January 3, 2022. https://nationalseedproject.org/SEED-Directors-and-Year-Round-Staff/peggy-mcintosh.
  49. “About SEED.” The National SEED Project. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.nationalseedproject.org/about-us/about-seed.
  50. “Peggy McIntosh.” National Seed Project. Accessed January 3, 2022. https://nationalseedproject.org/SEED-Directors-and-Year-Round-Staff/peggy-mcintosh; Wellesley Centers for Women. www.wcwonline.org. Accessed January 3, 2022. https://www.wcwonline.org/Active-Researchers/peggy-mcintosh-phd.
  51. “White Privilege Papers.” National Seed Project. Accessed January 3, 2022. https://nationalseedproject.org/Key-SEED-Texts/peggy-mcintosh-s-white-privilege-papers.
  52. “Emily Style.” National Seed Project. Accessed January 3, 2022. https://nationalseedproject.org/SEED-Directors-and-Year-Round-Staff/emily-style.
  53. “Timeline.” National SEED Project. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://nationalseedproject.org/about-us/timeline.
  54. “About SEED.” The National SEED Project. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.nationalseedproject.org/about-us/about-seed.
  55.    “Congregational Self-Assessment Form.” United Church of Christ. Accessed January 23, 2022. https://www.ucc.org/what-we-do/justice-local-church-ministries/justice/washington-dc-office/washington-dc/sacred-conversation_congregational/.
  56. “Emmy Howe.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 23, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmy-howe-77311349/.
  57. “Gender as a Journey.” Facebook. February 27, 2020. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/events/475279653415372/.
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National SEED Project

106 Central Street
Wellesley, MA