California Teachers Collaborative
In response to the growing rise of antisemitism, hate, and genocide denial within California school communities, the California Teachers Collaborative was established as a first-of-its-kind statewide network dedicated to strengthening Holocaust and genocide education across the state.
The Collaborative brings together educators, genocide survivors, scholars, and community leaders to support teachers with accurate, standards-based curriculum, professional development, and direct classroom engagement. Its goal is to ensure that teachers feel confident, prepared, and supported when teaching these complex and essential histories.
Avenues for Change: Holocaust and Genocide Education is proud to be a founding member of the California Teachers Collaborative. Within this role, our work focuses on educating teachers throughout California on Holocaust education, genocide studies, and antisemitism prevention. This includes extensive curriculum development, classroom resources aligned with California state standards, and direct instruction with educators.
As part of this work, we actively participate in statewide professional learning opportunities, including teaching each summer at the USC Summer Symposium, where educators from across California come together to deepen their understanding, share best practices, and build lasting connections. These experiences are not only impactful but allow for meaningful collaboration with educators who are committed to creating inclusive, informed, and compassionate learning environments.
The California Teachers Collaborative is made up of leading advocacy and educational organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Holocaust Museum LA, Facing History and Ourselves, The Genocide Education Project, Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation, Cambodian Genocide Resource Group, Central Valley Holocaust Educators’ Network (CVHEN), International Migration Sport and Education Corporation (IMSEC), and others. Together, these organizations represent a powerful collective committed to combating hate through education.
All curriculum developed through the Collaborative is freely accessible, classroom-ready, and designed to meet state standards, making it easy for educators to integrate into their existing lesson plans.
Featured Curriculum: Bosnia and Herzegovina Genocide
As part of our curriculum development work with the California Teachers Collaborative, we contributed to the creation of a comprehensive educational unit focused on the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This curriculum provides educators with historical context, survivor perspectives, and guided lessons to support meaningful classroom discussions around contemporary genocide and human rights.
