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Series of Wins: Securing Safety and Sanctuary in Schools

Year round and beyond election season, youth leaders are making noise. From Long Beach to the Bay, our organizing is rewriting what’s possible in education and in our communities when we fight back together. Because of youth leadership — and your continued support —we’ve scored wins across regions and statewide.

At CFJ, we know malicious federal laws and threats must be confronted with bold, unapologetic state and local policies and action – that’s why we’re showing up and out across the state. We stand against the culture of fear fueled by the Supreme Court’s decision to allow ICE to use discriminatory criteria to detain Californians and the amplified, egregious ICE raids and military presence in our cities. CFJ youth are responding by leaning deeper into their collective power.

This fall, Oakland secured a stronger commitment from the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) Board of Directors to declare OUSD schools as sanctuaries for all students, families, and educators–one that reaffirms the district’s commitment to protecting immigrant students and families, and names that policing should not have a place in our schools. CFJ youth leaders in Oakland, in solidarity with Black Organizing Project (BOP), showed out at a district board meeting in September to demand for protections and accountability from the officials by:

• Amending OUSD’s Sanctuary Resolution to affirm that ICE presence and access in OUSD schools is prohibited, create discrimination protections regardless of immigration status or gender identity/sexual orientation, and require annual staff training on sanctuary protection policies for the district.
• Reaffirming the George Floyd Resolution (passed in 2020) and OUSD’s commitment to police-free schools. This moment of increased surveillance on immigrant folks is not new, it echoes the long-standing over-surveillance, policing, and criminalization of communities of color in this country—particularly for Black students and families. This decision re-affirms a commitment that schools should be spaces of safety, inclusion, and empowerment for Oakland Black and Brown youth.
• Committing to a shared collaboration with CFJ, BOP, and other community-led organizations to implement OUSD’s sanctuary status expansion to include protections for ALL students – Black and Brown, undocumented, immigrant, LGBTQ+ – in all school sites.

We have a growing wave of youth-powered victories across the state for racial justice and student voice in schools and community. In Long Beach, CFJ youth have been hard at work securing wins with the local community all year:

• In early September, CFJ youth leaders mobilized with the Our Budget Our Future coalition to demand key investments in the city budget, including a $2.2M for the Long Beach Justice Fund, $2M towards the continued success of the Tenant Right to Counsel program, and $400K in implementation maintenance for Measure A funds for affordable housing solutions.
• In May, CFJ youth leaders and ÓRALE partnered with parents and community members to strengthen LBUSD’s sanctuary policies. The Long Beach school board unanimously voted to prohibit district staff from assisting or coordinating with immigration and law enforcement agencies like ICE and bar them from entering schools without a warrant.

These wins aren’t symbolic—they’re real protections that shift power and reshape lives.

So we ask: if you believe in youth leadership, racial equity in education, and people-powered change — will you invest in CFJ today?

💥 Donate now to help amplify youth voice → be a supporter today.

We don’t just want your dollars — we want you in this movement with us. Share this newsletter, spread the word, and get involved.
Keep an eye out for campaign updates and events from our Oakland and Long Beach youth this December!