Posts by Hannah Esqueda
68 Years Later: Let’s Fight to Fulfill the Promise of Brown v Board
We Have A Historic Opportunity to Create Racially Just, Relationship Centered Schools It’s been 68 years since 13 Black families won their lawsuit to desegregate America’s public schools and secured the right to equal education for students of color. And yet, we know the fight against structural racism in our schools and communities is far…
Read More ...CFJ’s Funding Agenda Prioritized in Latest State Budget!
This past Friday, Governor Newsom released his plans for the 2022-23 May Budget Revision. This offers a sneak peak of what and how the state is likely to prioritize funding next year. Overall we’re pleased with Governor Newsom and state leaders for increasing investments in schools. This is the second year California has seen historic…
Read More ...3 Powerful Moments from CFJ’s Statewide Leadership Retreat
What inspires you to invest in your future? This past weekend, we were inspired by the more than 30 youth who joined us for our annual Statewide Leadership Retreat (SLR). For two days, we got to build with our newest members and youth organizers from across the state! Together we learned about the fight for…
Read More ...Why We Organize For Relationship-Centered, Community Schools
By Asher Ki, CFJ Organizer, Fresno Dear Community, it’s time for something new. A lot of the problems that we’ve been hearing about schools during Covid – learning disparities between Black students and white peers, the need for mental health resources, students feeling unsafe and needing relationships – existed before Covid, this pandemic has just…
Read More ...California Community Schools Framework
(Above: Art by Brandie Bowen for the California Partnership for the Future of Learning, Reimagine and Rebuild Arts Showcase) Since the fall, we’ve spent a lot of time discussing community schools and how we believe they are the key to transforming our public education system. California has set aside $3 BILLION in funding for community…
Read More ...Public Schools Are the Heart of Our Communities
Above Image: CFJ Youth Leaders hanging out pre-pandemic at Fremont High School in Oakland. Love is in the air, and we’re celebrating by taking a moment to appreciate one of the major relationships in our life – the CA public school system! That’s right, decades into our relationship, CFJ remains enamored with public schools and…
Read More ...Transformational Community Schools Are Critical to Addressing Long-standing Racial Injustice
You’ve probably heard the good news by now, CA has committed $3 BILLION to the creation and support of Community Schools. This is a huge victory made possible by numerous grassroots organizers, youth leaders and adult allies! But now we need to focus on the details of how that funding will be used. Many folks…
Read More ...How to Celebrate Joyful, Loving and Radical Black Futures in our Schools
Are you ready to discuss bold Black Futures this month, because we are! We’re ready to imagine and build towards a future where Black students, parents and communities are honored for their power, uplifted and centered in the public school system. This February and throughout the year, CFJ is examining what joyful, loving and radical…
Read More ...New Case Study Shows the Power of Student Voice to Transform Our Schools
We’re excited to share key findings from a case study released by the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools showcasing the lasting impact student voice engagement has in our schools. The new report “Nothing About Us Without Us” examines the last decade of CFJ’s work organizing with student leaders in the East Side Union…
Read More ...