Helping people and communities understand that what makes us different makes us great.
About
Elijah’s warmth, sense of humor, and confidence make potentially difficult conversations welcoming, and he creates an atmosphere that encourages questions, new ideas, and “aha” moments.
- Sarah Borgnis-Tobin, Head of Outreach & Adult Programs
Henry Carter Hull Library, Clinton, C
[He] is patient, understanding and willing to engage in dialogue with those who have very basic knowledge of the Black experience in America.
- Dana Henry, active community member
About Inclusive Education LLC
Founded by Elijah Manning, Inclusive Education LLC works with communities to have productive conversations about racism awareness. Bringing his own unique experience, Elijah helps facilitate the difficult dialogues so we can work together so no one feels like they’re alone in this process. We all need a raised awareness level, let’s do it together.
About Elijah Manning, JEDI Consultant
Elijah Manning is a native of Old Saybrook CT. Elijah was raised in a mixed family which gave him a different perspective on how to view ethnicity and cultures. Growing up he experienced many differences between people in the community. Based on his family’s generational history in town, most of his experiences were positive, however, even with his long family history, he was not shielded from incidents of racial discrimination. He would go on to pursue acting in college and beyond. Being biracial, as he progressed, he was hyper-aware about how he looked different. “What are you?” had been a constant question. Knowing he was seen as a non-white individual taught him to embrace his differences. While he did have run-ins with racism, he never let it slow down his desire to not conform to other peoples’ ideas of who he is. He has decided to use his experiences and knowledge coupled with empathy and understanding, to not only make a change in the town in which he was born and raised, but, also work to help other similar communities to find ways to learn and grow. He believes that the only true way to break down barriers between us is to spend time having conversations and learning about one another. When you’re ready, so is he.
Contact:
Elijah Manning, JEDI Consultant
inclusive_educationllc@yahoo.com
What people are saying…
Having Elijah speak gave us just what we were looking for, from a person who grew up right here on the shoreline. His perspective and first hand experience helps to capture what some don’t know. Together we can all grow and learn from each other.
- Abby Roccapriore, Clinton, CT PTA
Elijah Manning was an extremely informative and engaging speaker that we were fortunate to have present to our summer staff on the topic of Implicit Bias. [He excelled] in facilitating small group discussions afterwards to help individuals further grasp the concepts. In these situations, he was patient, understanding, and thought-provoking. We look forward to more opportunities to collaborate with and learn from Elijah Manning.
- Kath Davies, Associate Executive Director, Camp Hazen YMCA
Elijah has been a welcomed advocate in what would otherwise be considered a resistant town. [He] is patient, understanding and willing to engage in dialogue with those who have very basic knowledge of the Black experience in America. Elijah is an asset , especially in white districts and communities. I consider him to be an exceptional component of progress.
- Dana Henry, active community member
I am so pleased to have met Elijah and for the opportunities I have had to collaborate with him on multiple programs at the library where I work. Having such a knowledgeable, approachable individual to guide the discussion at programs like, “What Is Implicit Bias?” and “What is Cultural Humility?” allowed us to connect with our patrons and engage in deeply impactful conversation. Elijah’s warmth, sense of humor, and confidence make potentially difficult conversations welcoming, and he creates an atmosphere that encourages questions, new ideas, and “aha” moments. I look forward to continuing to work with Elijah to bring genuine connection, education, and growth to our communities.
- Sarah Borgnis-Tobin, Head of Outreach & Adult Programs
Henry Carter Hull Library, Clinton, CT
Anonymous Feedback from Workshop Surveys
"I would love to see this rolled out to my entire school!"
- Anonymous
"This speaker was amazing, so engaging and made such a safe and comfortable environment to explore hard topics and reflect. I cannot say enough good things about this training and especially Elijah."
- Anonymous
"I want to have our entire staff get this training and get creative in how we can have the kids do this in advisory!"
- Anonymous
"[A key takeaway from this workshop was] how to continue to grow and develop and expand our knowledge of DEI. How to better manage micro-aggressions and continue to advocate for equity for all students!"
- Anonymous