MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale
Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition

Learn from the land. Listen to community. Rethink what teaching can be.

The 2026 Yale and Slavery Teachers Institute application is now open.

We invite K-12 teachers all of disciplines to join us for our 2026 summer institute on Indigenous New England. Through a series of workshops, land-based learning experiences and conversations with community partners, participants will be able to think about the ways in which Indigenous knowledge, histories and lifeways can impact teaching practice. The goal of the summer will be for teachers to work collaboratively to create an interdisciplinary unit that incorporates the institute's sessions.   

Looking Ahead: YSTI 2026 Schedule

Participants must be prepared to fully engage in all phases of the Institute. The program includes three components:

Meet & Greet Dinner — March 2026 

Before the virtual launch sessions, participants will be invited to an in-person dinner in March 2026. During this gathering, teachers will meet session leaders and YSTI interns, engage in community building, and receive materials for the upcoming virtual sessions.

Virtual Launch Sessions — April- May 2026 

Teachers will participate in four virtual sessions prior to the summer. These sessions provide shared concepts, foundational materials, and space to build community across the cohort. Sessions will take place throughout April and the first week of May on Thursday’s at 5:00-6:30 pm.

Summer Program Timeline - July 2026

  • Week One — Land, Community, and Place-Based Learning 
    The Institute begins at Yale before traveling to Mashantucket Pequot and Eastern Pequot Tribal Nations before heading to Rhode Island, and Aquinnah, MA. Participants will visit tribal communities, speak with partners, and engage in land-based learning experiences.

  • Week Two — Pedagogy and Interdisciplinary Practice at Yale 
    The cohort returns to campus to explore pedagogical tools and instructional approaches. Educators will engage in interdisciplinary workshops, small-group reflection, and a subject-dependent day for discipline-specific collaboration. Participants will also work on crafting an interdisciplinary unit proposal. 

  • A detailed schedule will be shared with accepted participants ONLY.

Collaborative Interdisciplinary Project — 2026–2027 Academic Year

Participants work collaboratively in small groups throughout the 2026–2027 academic year. The expectation includes:

  • Monthly small-group check-ins (60–75 minutes), scheduled by each group based on what works best for teachers.

  • Three full-cohort virtual meetings (October 2026, January 2027, March 2027) to share progress, receive guidance, and troubleshoot challenges.

  • Optional office hours with Institute staff and partners for additional support.

  • A collaborative interdisciplinary project developed gradually over the year, focused on how the institute’s themes and approaches might live in educational environments.

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions
Request to host a YSTI information session at your school
Apply for YSTI 2026
YSTI 2026 Virtual Open House Registration (DEC. 18)
YSTI 26 Internship Application (Coming Soon)

YSTI Application Information

Who Should Apply?

We welcome K–12 teachers from all subject areas, including:

  • STEM (science, technology, engineering, math)

  • Humanities and social studies

  • English language arts

  • World languages

  • Visual and performing arts

  • Special education and intervention

  • Library/media, instructional coaches, and related educators

Educators do not need prior experience with Indigenous Studies. Application evaluation will prioritize educators that value openness and willingness to collaborate across disciplines.

We are committed to equitable access and broad participation across disciplines. STEM teachers, social studies and humanities teachers, arts educators, language teachers, and specialists are all welcome. Educators who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color, and teachers who serve diverse or underrepresented student populations, are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application 

To apply for the institute, teachers are asked to provide the following: 

  • Biographical information, background 

  • Letter of Recommendation 

  • Resume/CV 

If you have any questions about the application process, please email Tamara Michel (tamara.michel@yale.edu).

Ready to Apply?

Timeline

  • Applications Open: December 2nd, 2025

  • Applications Close: February 8th, 2026

  • Notifications: March 2nd, 2026

  • Cohort Meet & Greet: Mid March 2026  

Compensation and Support

Participants will receive a $2,500.00 honorarium for their participation in summer institute and a $1,000.00 honorarium upon completion of the curriculum showcase in April 2027.

The program will cover travel, meals, and accommodations during all scheduled institute activities, including overnight site visits.

A child care honorarium will be available to support participants who need assistance with caregiving costs during the program. 

YSTI Planning Committee Members

This institute has been crafted by our exceptional planning committee, including scholars, community members and educators throughout the region. 

  • Stephen Armstrong - Social Studies Consultant, Connecticut State Department of Education

  • Akeia de Barros Gomes - Director, Center for Black History at the Newport Historical Society;  Visiting Scholar and Adjunct Lecturer, Brown University’s Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice

  • Christine DeLucia - Associate Professor of History,  Williams College

  • Linford Fisher - Associate Professor of History and the Interim Faculty Director, Center for Digital Scholarship at Brown University

  • Natasha Gambrell - Middle School Educator

  • Rebecca Gomez - Director of Education for Mashantucket Pequot Museum

  • Sandy Grande - UCONN Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) faculty

  • Jennifer Heikkila Díaz - Steering Committee Member, Anti Racist Teaching and Learning Collective

  • Darlene Kascak - Teacher Educator, Institute of American Indian Studies

  • Silvermoon LaRose - Assistant Director, Tomaquag Museum

  • Jason Mancini - Director of CT Humanities

  • Matthew Makomenaw - Director of Native American Cultural Center (NACC), Yale University

  • Chrystal Mars Baker - Education Manager, Tomaquag Museum

  • Hope McGrath - Sterling Professor of History and Director, Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition at Yale University; lead author, Yale and Slavery:  A History (Yale University Press, 2024)

  • Clan Mother Shoran Piper - Clan Mother for Golden Hill Pauguesset,  Author,  Healer

  • endawnis Spears - Co-Director of Upstander Academy, Tribal Community Member in Residence at Brown University Native American and Indigenous Studies Initiative

  • Joanna Steinberg - Director of Learning and Engagement, New Haven Museum

  • Charles Warner, Jr. - Community Engagement Program Manager, Yale University Beinecke Library

GLC Staff

  • Daisha Brabham - Director of Education and Public Outreach, Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition

  • David Blight - Sterling Professor of History and Director, Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition; lead author, Yale and Slavery: A History (Yale University Press, 2024)

  • Michelle Zacks - Associate Director, Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition

  • Tamara Michel - YSTI Program Coordinator, Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition