Bridges, Not Burnout: Hope and Belonging in a Crumbling World

with Sabine Denise Jacques, M.Ed. and Safire DeJong, Ed.D.

In this heart-centered keynote, we’ll explore how educators can sustain hope, care, and connection in systems that feel like they’re breaking. Through storytelling and reflective practice, we’ll offer four courageous anchors—hope, connection, cultures of care, and bridge-building—that support belonging and renewal in challenging times.

Sabine Denise Jacques, M.Ed. – Joy Justice & Equity Specialist

Sabine Denise Jacques, M.Ed. is a first-generation Haitian-American theater practitioner, Fulbright Scholar, and Joy, Justice, and Equity Specialist who works at the intersection of healing, justice, and systemic change in education. With deep roots in both classroom practice, community advocacy, and devised theater practice, Sabine Denise brings fierce compassion, cultural fluency, and a commitment to co-creating spaces where all learners—and educators—can thrive. She partners with schools and colleges across Massachusetts to build equity-centered cultures through story, relationship, and transformative dialogue. Sabine Denise currently serves on the Joy & Justice in Schools team at the Collaborative for Educational Services.

Safire DeJong, Ed.D. – Co-Director, Joy & Justice in Schools Program

Dr. Safire DeJong is an educational consultant, facilitator, and scholar who supports pK–12 and higher education communities in building cultures of belonging, healing, and transformation. She currently serves as Co-Director of the Joy & Justice in Schools Program at the Collaborative for Educational Services, where she works with educators to foster liberatory learning environments rooted in equity, care, and connection. Drawing on the legacies of Dr. Barbara Love, Dr. Ximena Zúñiga, and the Othering & Belonging Institute, Safire blends story, strategy, and soul to support educators navigating burnout, backlash, and structural change. Learn more at www.collaborative.org.