Rialto Unified’s Unity Summit Gathers 400+ to Heal, Empower, & Lead with Compassion Ahead of 2025/26 School Year
4 min read
RUSD student Taylen Cooper, a junior, leading an engaged audience with a message of building bridges of compassion and forging a better humanity–before receiving a standing ovation.
In a powerful step toward healing and equity, more than 400 students, educators, parents, and community leaders gathered on July 25 at Wilmer Amina Carter High School for the Rialto Unified School District’s inaugural Unity Summit—a transformational half-day event created to foster compassion, build bridges, and equip attendees with tools to support inclusive, student-centered learning environments.
Held from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM, the summit marked a significant moment for the district, which is preparing to open its 2025-26 school year in a couple of weeks, following a year of significant challenges and reflection.
“Saying unity is one thing,” said RUSD Interim Superintendent Dr. Judy D. White, who brought the summit to life. “But knowing how to unify—that takes learning, commitment, and courage. Today, we chose to come together and build a path forward with the skills to do so.”
Dr. White opened the event with a powerful moment saying, “There is no greater bridge for success than a community who has united for the purpose of unity and stands for a standard of morality and kindness to all, while abandoning excuses that every race has to stick to people who look like them.”
She then followed that with a collective affirmation, inviting attendees to whisper the words I choose unity to themselves, then say it louder, and finally declare it in unison. The theater swelled with energy and purpose—setting a tone of solidarity that carried through the day.
The program, emceed and led by Deputy Superintendent Dr. Rhea McIver Gibbs, featured student performances, spotlight speakers, and remarks from RUSD leaders and local dignitaries. McIver Gibbs welcomed attendees with a message on “building community bridges and connecting every voice.”
Participants later engaged in rounds of breakout sessions focused on cultural responsiveness, equity in education, mental health, student voice, and inclusive practices. Sessions included:
- Every Voice Matters: Demonstrating Restorative Circles to Transform School Culture
- Rules of Engagement: Challenging Norms That Shape How We Teach, Learn, Relate
- Building Resilience and Cultivating Student Voice
- Bridging the Gap: Inclusive Education Where Every Voice Matters
- Busting Myths About Equity in Education: From Misunderstanding to Meaningful Practice
- What’s In Your Cup? presented by the Young Women’s Empowerment Foundation
“These were more than workshops—they were spaces to reflect, grow, and listen,” said RUSD Spokesperson Syeda Jafri. “To see over 400 people show up in late July, during vacation season, is a clear sign of how deeply this message of unity resonates.”
“This summit is a renewal of our commitment to students, families, and the community,” said RUSD Board President Dr. Stephanie Lewis. “We’re recharged and focused on what matters most—our students, their education, and the importance of working together.”
Throughout the day, participants emphasized the need for intentional action. Dr. White encouraged attendees to recognize that unity is a skill that must be practiced. “Hate is taught. Discrimination is taught. So we must be just as diligent in teaching love, empathy, and healing,” she said. “When you are not whole, you can’t help the whole group be unified. We tend to gravitate toward what’s familiar—but with leadership and intention, we can become the glue that brings people together.”
As the summit concluded with student speaker Taylen Cooper with a message of “building bridges of compassion and building a better humanity,” a sense of shared purpose lingered in the air.
“Public education only works when we come together,” Dr. Lewis said. “And today, we did.”
