STF leaders and teachers inspire and help each other overcome adversity at the 2026 Winter Leadership Workshop. Photos by Patricia Williams
February 7, 2026: The STF community came together to reflect, learn, and build momentum for the months ahead at the 2026 Winter Leadership Workshop.
Participants connected in breakout groups, shared stories, and drafted language for their SBRRs related to issues including gender-affirming practices, discipline practices, educational censorship, privacy concerns, immigration safety, environmental sustainability, and school lunches.
To help them navigate these discussions, Nicholas E. Stewart, Executive Director of the Justice Education Project (JEP), opened the workshop focusing on the power of collective action in youth-led justice work. He encouraged students to “rally other people like yourselves to get involved with justice-oriented initiatives…and have hope, know things can change, and never give up.”
Workshop attendees also heard from former STF Teacher Advisor Sandra Martin, who reminded students that their work matters and described the STF community as a beacon of hope in challenging times. She asked a simple but powerful question: Which characteristic is the best predictor of success and high achievement? Her answer was: “Grit. People with grit maintain motivation despite failure, adversity, or boredom and can manage the fear of failure…People who have grit treat failures as opportunities to learn rather than reasons to quit.”
STF Co-Founder, Nancy Nazarian Medina, closed with a powerful message: “We are in a community of people that have shared values and a belief that every person has basic human rights no matter where they come from. In human rights work, we cannot lose hope.”
Scroll to see sphotos of some of their events:
Watch the full 2026 Winter Leadership Workshop (Click to watch, 1:20:15)
