With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Henry J. Turner is a high school principal that is most proud of the collaborative community he works within to empower students to fight hate and bigotry in their school. Pointing to his unwavering commitment to equity and a student-centered culture, Henry was named 2020 K–12 Principal of the Year by the industry news site K–12 Dive.

A national speaker, Henry shares his experience as an innovative instructional leader, passionate advocate, and committed antiracist. Henry works with educators, leaders, and communities on how to create a culture that commits to diversity, equity, and inclusion, empowers students' voices, and addresses economic and racial disparities.

Henry is an instructor at the Educator Leadership Institute (ELI). He serves on the University of Massachusetts Commonwealth Honors College Advisory Board and the Massachusetts School Administrators’ Association board. He received his doctorate in education from Boston College, a master’s in education from Framingham State College and an undergraduate degree in history from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. 

He has a biweekly newsletter, Lessons on Social Justice Leadership. His upcoming book, Change the Narrative: How to foster an antiracist culture in your school, is co-written with DEI expert Kathy Lopes. 

Examples of General Consulting Offerings:

  • Antiracist Leadership
  • Change Leadership
  • Building Family networks
  • Managing Resistance to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives
  • Fostering an Antiracist Culture
  • Train the Trainer on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives
  • Development of Antiracist Policymaking 
  • Getting Started on DEI work
  • …And More

Sample Workshops

(Note: Topics can be tailored to meet the needs your needs)

Change the Narrative: Fostering an Antiracist Culture

High-profile police killings of Black people, the explosion of anti-Asian hate incidents during the COVID-19 pandemic, and rising anti-immigrant sentiments have all contributed to the creation of a politically divided and volatile country in recent years. How can educators begin to address these issues and find new, more socially just ways to move forward together?  This multi-part workshop will help educators to understand what systemic racism looks like in schools, understand their own racial identity, and develop a plan to address racism in their school. 

How to Build a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team

This workshop will help schools or districts to build a DEI team, create a vision and strategic plan.  This workshop is accessible for any combination of student, educator, family, and community member DEI teams. 

Getting to Work: What is Antiracism and How it Helps All Students 

Also called “Why DEI Work Matters and How it Helps All Students 

We can only discuss solutions to address racial disparities and inequities in schools when we agree on the problem. This foundational workshop provides context to what racism and antiracism are and what they look like in schools.  Definitions of terms such as racism, antiracism, equity, intersectionality, and culturally responsive instruction are introduced.  People will also walk away with strategies that they can incorporate into their practice.  This workshop can be tailored for educators, students, and families.

Strategic Planning for Equity in Your Schools

This workshop helps school and district leaders as well as DEI Committees, to develop a strategic plan to address inequity in your school.  Participants will engage in a range of activities to identify the targeted problems, understand research-based strategies to address these problems, and develop a comprehensive strategic plan.  Support throughout plan implementation will help leaders to troubleshoot and remain committed to this work.

Empower:  Building Student Leader

Empowered students have connected students and connected students excel in school.  Learn how to help students develop the skills to become global leaders by leaning into their passion to address systemic social problems in society.  Learn about how you can integrate this work in the classroom and honor this project and problem-based learning on a student transcript. Topics such as micro-credentialing and transcript Seals will help your students get a leg up as they plan for their future while also working to solve the most complex societal problems, such as racism, poverty, and climate change.