Nathaniel Rouse, Director of Equity, Race & Cultural Diversity at Barrington 220 School District, focuses on the positive impact that diversity, equity and inclusion can have in schools and educational communities. Nathaniel L. Rouse is an educational visionary that strategically leverages a rare combination of scholarship and unprecedented, fire-tested experiences addressing systemic inhibitors to achievement. After serving as Principal at Oak Park and River Forest High School from 2008-2019, he is currently serving as the first ever Director of Equity, Race, & Cultural Diversity Initiatives at Barrington Community School District 220. Nate has a proven track record of challenging the status quo to successfully lead and transform educational systems to attain equitable outcomes for all. OPRF was the high school featured on the 2018 Starz Docuseries America to Me; which focused on the achievement disparities of students of color in an affluent suburban school district. In his 26th year in education, he is dedicated to transformational leadership, service, and action that eradicates the systemic inhibitors in schools that create uneven outcomes for students based upon race and ability. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx