This model has totally changed how I do things in my school…especially the way I use power more consciously. For me, it’s so important to do no harm.  And while I understand my role as a Latino leader in my school – I am learning from the PDA, the model, and from consultation with The Sum how my power and my privilege across many sociocultural differences can be used with more awareness, effectiveness, and care in my relationships to our school secretary, our custodian, the teachers, parents and, of course, the students.

-Guillermo Medina, School Principal, Columbine Elementary, Boulder Valley School District, Boulder, Colorado

The Training I took from The Sum was the most important learning and training I have ever experienced in my life.  It was completely transformative.

-Laura Yaussi, 1st-grade teacher, Cottonwood Plains Elementary, Loveland, Colorado.

Rather than some work of this nature that uses shame and blame to address issues of race, gender, etc., Elliott and his team’s approach honors perceptions of both self and others. Before we can dismantle unjust systems and institutions, we must understand ourselves. This work does that.

–Susan Sherman, Executive Director, Shenandoah National Park Trust, Charlottesville, Virginia

Taking the PDA was a great learning experience for me. I knew going in that I had biases. This survey helped me understand not only what these biases are, but how I could work with and learn from them in order to be more compassionate and empathetic toward others and myself. I also learned about my strengths. The consultation with Elliott was so therapeutic. I was able to look inside myself and reflect on my results in order to understand where my thoughts about others were coming from and then begin my work towards shifting these perceptions. I am deeply grateful for this experience.

-Jeanette Scotti, 5th grade, Columbine Elementary, Boulder, Colorado.