History UnErased's mission is putting LGBTQ history in its rightful place — the classroom.
Our mission is the next frontier in K-12 education. We do not focus on advocacy but on pragmatic, scalable solutions that address an educational gap.
Our approach emphasizes solutions over ideology, encourages unity through understanding, and accelerates change at the grassroots level.
Reach and Impact
The idea to found History UnErased began in one classroom in 2014. To date, we have trained K-12 educators in nearly 3,000 schools in 17 states (and growing) who are now teaching our curriculum, reaching mainstream classrooms and impacting approximately 3,000,000 students annually.
Theory of Change
We believe restoring history, civics, and social studies as an LGBTQ-inclusive critical core discipline will improve civic participation and create classrooms, communities, and a country where all Americans are seen as equal citizens — advancing liberty and the ideals of American democracy.
What Students Are Learning and How We Support Teachers
Our Intersections & Connections LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum is a primary source-based, contextualized approach to history, civics, and social studies education. Students engage with relatable content as they approach their learning, whether it be race, gender, ethnicity, and/or nationality. This ensures dignity and equitable representation for all students in the story of "We the People." And our unique, whole-school partnership model ensures educators are well-supported in perpetuity.
Students Are at the Center of Everything We Do
Our curriculum broadens students' understanding of US history and helps them connect to the topics surrounding them in today's world. This is a powerful method to advance the ideals of American democracy, as students' learning takes root and spreads into their friendships, school culture, and a more welcoming, engaged society.
"This is just history! It happened. We have a right to learn about this." - Andre, Student
Teachers Are Critical to Our Mission
Classroom teachers impact students' lives, school culture, and the community at large in many ways. And in their classrooms, in addition to the content they teach, they are the arbiters of acceptance, belonging, and respect. We listen to what teachers need and incorporate their feedback into the ongoing refinement of our curriculum, which is critical to advancing our mission.
"Your curriculum is academically rigorous and inspiring and my students love it!" - Amber, Teacher
"Like History UnErased, we want to make sure that the students and educators who come after us are not just better off, but are better than us, better at understanding, better at empathy, better at creating a world where all people belong." - Tina L. Haefner, National Council for the Social Studies President
Example intro videos that bring primary sources to life and provide students a "hook" for our thematic units, case studies, and other types of academic content:
Our supporters are driving — and maximizing — impact!
Unrestricted operating funds support our safe, growth-engagement practices.*
"Lunch & Learn" sessions & donations provide scholarships** for K-12 schools and expand our reach.
Curriculum development grants allow us to add new "Best in Class" multimedia content and continue translating our curriculum into multiple languages.
Library of Congress
New York City Council
Acton Family Giving
Arcus Foundation
Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll)
New England Biolabs
Greater Lowell Community Foundation
JPMorgan Chase Bank
Bright Horizons
Richard & Nancy Donahue Foundation
Eastern Bank
Theodore Edson Parker Foundation
Saab Family Foundation
NASDAQ
Wipfli
Tito's
Yahoo!
Gannett
The Boston Foundation
Greater Lowell Health Alliance
TPS Eastern Region
*Safe, growth-engagement practices: why and how we ensure safety for our partner schools: Given the current cultural climate regarding LGBTQ-inclusive history education in many regions of the country, History UnErased does not market, advertise, or share any names of partner schools and districts (except New York City Public Schools because the New York City Council funds History UnErased's work there and it is public record). Our organization relies solely on word-of-mouth promotion and we must travel to state and local conferences and events interested in history, civics, and social studies education to present sessions and engage with educators and decision-makers.
**Why scholarships are vital: Given that History, Civics, and Social Studies were removed as a critical core discipline in 2001 (and therefore not tested as a matriculation requirement) there is little, or no, budgets for supplemental resources like ours. Corporate "Lunch & Learn" sessions and individual donors allow us to sustain an extremely low price point for schools and provide scholarships for districts. The partnership package is a one-time investment that provides teachers with the intentional training and ongoing support they need to integrate our comprehensive supplemental curriculum into their classrooms.
Thanks to this support, schools only pay a one-time investment of $2,500 for History Unerased's partnership program or $1,000 per school for a multi-school contract.
Our In-Kind supporters are opening doors, contributing their skills, and creating new opportunities to advance our mission!
Lowell National Historical Park
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Momentum Communications Group
American Repertory Theater
VaynerMedia
Boston University
University of Massachusetts
Middlesex Community College
Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll)
MassBio
New-York Historical Society
University of Michigan
Digitas
Bronx Library Center
Scholarly Editing
Clinton Global Initiative
Boston Spirit Magazine
Vision to Reality Coaching
Deb Fowler (she/her), Founder and Executive Director
Deb's path to the education profession began with her service in the United States Army as a Korean linguist, before the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. (Her "Fraudulent Entry" discharge story is featured in Vincent Cianni’s award-winning book Gays in the Military). After teaching English at a private academy in South Korea, she returned to the United States in 2004 and spent the next decade teaching new immigrant and refugee students at a large, urban, truly diverse high school. During that time, she produced two documentary films, Hard Truth, Levity, and Hope (2011) and Through Gay Eyes (2013) to promote awareness of students and families who are ignored, marginalized, or excluded within the public school system.
"I didn't have the opportunity to serve our country in uniform, but by being a boots-on-the-ground classroom teacher and leading History UnErased, I found a way to be of service to the ideals of American democracy."
Our successes, accomplishments, and professional affiliations speak volumes.
Since 2018, History UnErased has been partnered with the New York City Department of Education, the largest school district in the world, with ongoing funding from the New York City Council.
Partnerships and affiliations with esteemed national organizations and entities continue to grow, and include the Library of Congress, Clinton Global Initiative, National Council for the Social Studies, Organization of American Historians, National Park Service, Harvard Graduate School of Education and Colleges of Education across the country, and many historical societies.
Our partnerships with award-winning PBS filmmakers were grant-funded and they allowed us to create classroom materials for THE HEALER STONES OF KAPAEMAHU and to advise the editing of a classroom version of the Emmy-nominated documentary CURED and create complementing instructional resources.
History UnErased's team members were the LGBTQ History Content Advisors for the most recent revision of the MA History and Social Sciences Curriculum Framework, and we have been a thought leader and partner with several states as they enacted policies mandating LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, including Illinois, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
WE BELIEVE in "cathedral thinking" and that our mission is a part of the bigger picture of sustaining and advancing American democracy for rising generations.
Our team of experts weave their unique experience into History UnErased's curriculum content, professional learning services, and behind-the-scenes operations.
Kathleen
Kathleen Barker (she/her) is a library and information specialist and public historian with over 20 years of experience as a museum and library educator. She is our program director and lead professional learning facilitator, as well as developing and hosting our UnErasing LGBTQ History and Identities "Deep Dives and Backstories" podcast episodes. Kathleen also provides training on diversifying classroom collections and school libraries and has co-authored some of History UnErased's thematic units and case studies.
Dinah
Dinah Mack (she/her) is our youth equity program director, professional learning facilitator, and produces our UnErasing LGBTQ History and Identities "Deep Dives and Backstories" podcast episodes. She is a former, veteran middle school Social Studies educator and has Master's degrees in both Education and Cultural Anthropology. Dinah is the author of two books and has worked as a freelance curriculum writer, technology integrationist, and K-12 teaching coach.
Basel
Basel Touchan, M.D. (he/him) is a professional learning facilitator and content developer. Holding an M.D. from Aleppo University, Syria, he combines his healthcare and educational expertise to propel DEIB initiatives in both education and public health. He also serves on the Board of the ACLU of Kentucky and holds a position as Commissioner on the Mayor’s International Affairs Advisory Commission. His research and writings have been showcased in the Journal of Endocrinology, the Washington Blade, and more.
Eric
J Eric Fisher (he/they) is a professional learning facilitator, teaching coach, and content developer. He has a Master’s degree in Educational Theater and English Education with a focus on theater for social justice and community-engaged dialogue. Eric is a former, veteran kindergarten to middle school educator for the New York City Department of Education, and also a research activist and ethnographic performance-maker. His out-of-school time work folds in learners of all ages, from age three and up.
Jocardo
Jocardo Ralston (he/him) is a professional learning facilitator, teaching coach, and content developer. He is a veteran special education educator, working with students within restrictive classroom environments. He is in the second year of his doctoral studies in the Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education Ph.D. program at the Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania, and his research delves into the intersections of Queer identity, BIPOC identity, and restrictive special education placements for students identified with behavioral difficulties.
Danny
Danny Roberts (he/him) is our operations manager and professional learning facilitator. He studied foreign Language Education and French at the University of Georgia, and soon after graduation he found himself on one of the earlier seasons of MTV's "Real World" (New Orleans) and became one of a few groundbreakers OUT on national television. His season drew attention to the controversial "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the US military due to his on-screen relationship with a covert US Army captain. From there, he began LGBTQ advocacy work and then technology startup talent recruiting.
Triana
Triana Wilson (she/her) is a professional learning facilitator and specialist in LGBTQ inclusion in multicultural, multilingual classrooms and learning environments. She is a former, veteran high school educator serving new immigrant and refugee students and connects LGBTQ cultural competency with public health policy and services.
Janaya
Janaya Little (she/her) is a professional learning facilitator. She is in the second year of her doctoral studies in the Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education Ph.D. program at the Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania, and has taught elementary-level students and middle school English and History in Tennessee and Massachusetts.
Mor
Mor Erlich (he/him/Mor) is our video content creator and animator. His visual design, 2D animation, and motion graphics are woven into the primary source materials to bring our Intersections & Connections curriculum to life. Mor is the visionary and creator of the Sez Me web series, a multidisciplinary educational program to facilitate conversations about gender and identity with people of all ages. Mor was a referral specialist for the LGBT Center in New York City and has worked with homeless LGBTQ youth at the Ali Forney Center. Currently, Mor balances his work with History UnErased with his work as a Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) coach.
Leslie Anne
Leslie Anne Frye-Thomas (she/her) is a professional learning facilitator. She has extensive experience as a Creative Consultant, Senior Copywriter, and manager of multi-platform content creation. Leslie has a Bachelor of Arts in Screenwriting and was the Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library National Education Program Manager and consultant. Leslie balances her work as Creative Director and Senior Copywriter for Reel Stories Creative with her work with History UnErased.
Becca
Becca Veth (she/her) is a multi-faceted contributor and assistant to our team. She holds Master's degrees in both Licensed Professional Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy and is an advisor and co-facilitator for our customized training for school counselors and social workers. Becca also manages monthly reporting to various offices within the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) in support of our ongoing contractual work, as well as managing communications with NYC DOE educators and leadership teams.
Timmy
Fatima (Timmy) Al Muntafik (they/them) is an ambassador for History UnErased. They are an accomplished musician and taught elementary and secondary-level Arabic Language and Musical Arts courses in Baghdad, Iraq, before moving to the United States in 2015. Before taking the role of Admissions Counselor for Diversity at Middlesex Community College, Timmy was a professional learning facilitator for History UnErased.
Aliza
Aliza Kapel (she/her) is a professional learning facilitator. Her expertise is in high school-level history curriculum development and she is a veteran, former middle school and high school social studies educator in the Bronx. Aliza holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Washington State University and a Master's degree in Social Studies Secondary Education from Lehman College.
Lydia
Lydia Howrilka (she/her) is a professional learning facilitator and coordinator of special programming for New York City educators. Lydia is an accomplished veteran, former classroom educator and Library professional, and currently serves as a dedicated Teen Specialist at the New York Public Library, where she passionately engages with and supports the intellectual growth of youth.
Warren
Dr. Warren Blumenfeld (they/them) is a researcher, content developer, and guest speaker. They were a member of the Gay Liberation Front in Washington, DC in the early 1970s and their activism propelled them into academia. They have taught a variety of College of Education courses at Colgate, Iowa State University, and now at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Warren is a prolific writer and is the author of "The What, The So What, and The Now What of Social Justice Education" and co-editor of "Readings for Diversity and Social Justice."
Hadiel
Hadiel Mohamed (she/her) is an advisor to our leadership team and professional learning facilitator. Within both roles, she provides equity-oriented guidance drawing upon her specialization in cross-cultural dialogue and liberatory education. She has a Master’s degree in Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management and is focused on transforming systems and mindsets so that minoritized people can live a life of authenticity void of harm.
Tif
Tiferet (Tif) Ani (she/they=shey) is a professional learning facilitator. Shey is a former veteran middle school and high school social studies educator, then the Social Studies Content Specialist for Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. Tif is currently a Doctoral Student at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.
Allegra
Allegra Kogan (she/her) is a professional learning facilitator. She is a former middle school English Language Arts teacher in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she was one of a few OUT educators. Allegra holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies from Davidson College, and a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from Winthrop University.
Behind the Scenes Talent
Jayson
Jayson Caluag (he/him) is our graphic designer and brand specialist. He is one of the first members of our team and has created hundreds of unique designs to capture the essence of every component, and time period, of our Intersections & Connections curriculum. Prior to joining History UnErased, Jayson was a Senior Graphic Artist for Halcyon Digital Media Design, Inc.
Marilyn
Marilyn Valiente (she/her) is a multi-faceted contributor and assistant to our leadership team. She is our lead generation specialist, researcher, and communications and networking strategist. She is one of the first members of our team and her skills and expertise continue to expand History UnErased's professional affiliations and connections with potential K-12 schools and districts as contracted partners.
Johan
Johan Hoyos (he/him) is our web architect and manager of the digital curriculum platform which educators tell us is "light years ahead of anything else out there." He is one of the first members of our team and has woven years of feedback into the features and functionality of our curriculum platform to provide the most intuitive, high-quality experience for teachers and students alike. Johan is also meeting the needs of staff with streamlined and efficient tools to manage school accounts and communications with partner schools.
Jamie Coker-Robertson (she/her), Interim Board Chair
Jamie is an accomplished strategic communications and public relations expert with a distinguished 23-year career specializing in social justice campaigns, entertainment, and the LGBTQ space. Her extensive experience spans diverse industries, including non-profit, LGBTQ advocacy, women’s issues, film campaigns, alternative health, and more. She has spearheaded campaigns for national non-profits, ONE Archives - the largest LGBTQ archive in the world, a Forbes 30 Under 30 fashion-tech company, Oscar-winning films, NYT best-selling books, and an international film festival. Her success lies in orchestrating high-profile media and communications campaigns that have significantly influenced social causes, cultural movements, and organizational growth.
In May of 2015, Jamie became History UnErased's first Board Chair when she was at ONE Archives. She is stepping back into the role to support the organization through a transition to new leadership.
Thank you to our outgoing Board Chair, Bryan Nadeau, for your service to History UnErased's mission. We are looking forward to announcing our new Board Members soon!