**REQUIREMENTS & RECOMMENDATIONS:  

 

1. **Winning Influencers must prove with data how they raised awareness about ITCA and motivated peers to act as described in the contest guidelines.
 

2. Learn as much as you can about ITCA at www.tocaimn.com/legislation and sign-up to join the Coalition at www.tocaimn.com/join-act to receive legislative updates about ITCA
 

3. **Awareness needs to be raised regarding two things:

• Youth and families need to know that legislation passed in 2016 which states that all districts must have plans for “improving students' equitable access to effective and more diverse teachers” who “reflect the diversity of students in their schools.”  

• The 2021 Increase Teachers of Color Act (ITCA) is a package of comprehensive bills that address the most significant systemic barriers to increasing the percentage of TOCAIT in districts throughout Minnesota (see www.tocaimn.com/legislation)
   

4. Role model the actions you want others to take.
 

5. **Use the hashtag #ITCA2021. You may include your own hashtags but posts must include #ITCA2021.
 

6. Tag legislators in your posts when it feels appropriate. When using social media as a tool, it’s important to remember that the end goal is making contact with legislators about the Increase Teachers of Color Act.
 

7. **Call to action. Each post must contain a call-to-action whether that be tagging a friend who should get involved, leaving a comment, asking to share your post, or encouraging folks to make a call, etc.  
 

8. **Keep track of actions taken by those who receive your messages. If someone makes a phone call, sends an email, organizes a focus group (or more!) because of your actions, we need to see some proof of that in order to track impact and results. Please track reactions/shares/comments of your posts as well as actions others take so that we may see what impact your work had. We will ask you to share these items with us at the close of the competition. Here is a tracker that you can make a copy of to use for your own tracking.
 

9. Attend an optional Q&A session for contestants and feel a sense of being part of a team taking collective action to make a difference.  Next sessions To Be Announced.
 

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Have other ideas? Let us know what you’re thinking! Email us at info@tocaimn.com, and we’ll let you know if your idea would count for the contest.

 

SCORING will take place at the close of the contest in order to allow judges to review participation and action taken as a full package. Participants will be scored on documented outcomes related to raising awareness (30%) and action (50%) taken by people you influence.  Please note that evaluation of efforts will include consideration of the degree of personal connection to the purpose of the competition (20%) in terms of racial identity and your statement of why you want to participate in the competition.

 

People without social media can still win an award in the contest without extensive use of social media by doing old-fashioned organizing and sending emails.

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AWARD NOTIFICATION: It will take us approximately two weeks at the close of the contest to tally all points in order to announce winners by early April.

 

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FAQ'S
 

• What if I have questions?  Whom do I contact?
  A: Email info@tocaimn.com with subject line:  Competition Question
   

• How old does someone have to be to participate?
  A: Youth participants have to be in grades 6-12.
   

• For parents or guardians who want to join the contest, what are allowable ages of their children?
  A: Parents or guardians must have one or more child in their care who is enrolled in preK-Grade 12.
   

• Must I only use social media?
  A:  No.  Old-fashioned, in-person contact can also be documented.
   

• Can white students and white parents enter the competition?
  A:  White youth can because all students can benefit from having more teachers of color, but only parents or guardians who are of color or American Indian may enter the competition.

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