Each year, the Yale SOM Education Leadership Conference gathers over 750 education experts, practitioners, and leaders to discuss innovations in K-12 education reform. The theme of this year’s conference, Education as Empowerment, asks participants to explore the role of educational institutions and leaders in promoting economic empowerment, racial equity, and social mobility. Through panels, small group sessions, and keynotes, the conference will examine the often varying strategies districts, schools, and policy-makers have used to harness the power of students, families and communities. Speakers will discuss the complex relationships between schools and social movements, the relationship between education and life-outcomes, as well as innovative solutions designed to create lasting social change through education.