Oakland parents, students ready to be “Loud and Great” as new FIA Leaders
Before joining FIA and becoming a youth leader, Mia N., a senior at ARISE High School, never considered herself a “vocal activist.” Yet here she was, stepping out of her comfort zone, as she spoke to dozens of FIA family and youth leaders — parents and students representing charter schools throughout Oakland — at the recent graduation celebration for the 2021 FIA Winter Leadership Institute.
Over the course of four weeks, these family and youth leaders engaged together in sessions focused on issues both current and historic in the Oakland public education system; how power works and how to move an issue forward; holding Action-Research meetings; launching research campaigns.
They talked about the low A-G completion rates for African American and Latino students in Oakland public schools that have not Dumped the D, and a new proposed enrollment system from the OUSD board intended to divide charter and district schools and families, while also making it harder for families to find quality schools for their children.
With their newly acquired knowledge, these leaders are engaging OUSD school board directors in a series of research meetings to build relationships and power.
Armed with this information and data about how charter schools perform compared with district schools, and their history in Oakland, Mia told the other leaders that she was ready to “spring into action” and “build up better solutions for students and future generations to come,“ she said.
“I would like to acknowledge and congratulate the powerful parents and powerful students who took the time out of their days to join a movement that will help create change,” Mia said in her speech. “I look forward to seeing big changes made together!”
Another leader ready to be taking action is Michelle Thompson, a parent leader from Aspire Berkley Maynard Academy. Thompson shared that FIA leaders have noticed how fired up she is, and have encouraged her to be “loud and great.”
“My fellow Winter 2021 leaders, we have come to the end of this training and they say all things must come to an end,” Thompson told the group.
“But what is great for us, we are just getting started. We have been given the tools to push forward to make a change for our scholars who deserve the best quality education.”
Join Mia, Michelle and other FIA leaders at the Car Caravan this Wed 2/24 at 2:30pm at La Escuelita 314 East 10th St to fight for quality schools like ERES to stay open and to keep access to school choice information.
