Overview

Agency is about acting rather than being acted upon – fully participating as an equal and contributing member of a community that shares a common goal or purpose. Agency is the capability to make choices and take an active role in one’s own life path.

Belonging means having a meaningful voice and the opportunity to participate in the design of political, social, and cultural structures that shape one’s life — the right to both contribute and make demands upon society and political institutions. Our schools have often functioned as though belonging is conditional and achievement is the evidence one is worthy of belonging. This has not served anyone well.