It’s on us to ensure students feel safe, supported & capable of thriving
Where do you feel safe? Where do you feel seen as a person — someone worthy of investment and support from others? For many students and communities of color in California, there are no easy answers to these questions. We know Black, Latinx, Native, Asian, Pacific Islander, immigrant and refugee, low-income, LGBQ, Trans and Gender…
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Teacher Appreciations: More than just a week in May
Recent teacher strikes in communities throughout California have sparked a public conversation this year on how we value teachers, and the answer is simply: not enough. Teachers are the backbone of our public school system, working long hours for inadequate pay all while receiving few resources and limited professional development. This is especially true for…
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CFJ Fresno Open House Celebrates Community, Art, and Relationship Building in Schools!
Earlier this month, Californians for Justice celebrated community, art, and student voice as part of Art Hop in Downtown Fresno. The event doubled as an open house for our new offices within Common Space and allowed our youth leaders the chance to engage community members in relationship building and conversations about the importance of racial…
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Working to Build Relationships Not Walls in Fresno Unified
Over the last few years student leaders from Californians for Justice have had the privilege of working closely with Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson and the school board to develop Relationship Centered Schools within the district. This work is a reflection of our school leaders and elected officials recognizing the value of student voice, relationship…
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Check Us Out: CFJ Youth Leading School Safety Conversations Locally & Nationwide
Californians for Justice is working across three levels of government to improve school climate, school safety, and student and family engagement. Building Relationships in Long Beach On November 30th, CFJ hosted a series of teacher luncheons in partnership with Long Beach Unified School District. Youth leaders and staff learned more about what Relationship Centered Schools…
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How Relationship-building on Campus Leads to Stronger Schools in LBC
It has been a whirlwind few weeks at Californians for Justice as youth leaders and staff presented on Relationship Centered Schools work to teachers at Cabrillo and Lakewood high schools. The luncheons included an overview of the work in the district so far as well as interactive questions, relationship building and delicious food. Over 60…
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Students Lead The Way For Relationship Centered Schools
Every single student deserves to feel welcomed, cared for, and supported to succeed in school. Unfortunately, every single day a student of color will wake up, go to school, sit in class, walk the halls for an entire school year without being able to identify a single caring adult at school. Student leaders have set…
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Students Believe The Local Control Funding Formula Is Working – Zhihao Guo
The Institute for Educational Leadership held their National Family and Community Engagement Conference this past weekend. The conference brought 1700 participants from across the country to engage in conversation about family and community on a deeper level. Our Californians for Justice student leader Zhihao Guo participated as the only student leader on the Bay Area…
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Local budget wins move districts closer to Relationship Centered Schools
For four years, CFJ student leaders have been working with parents and community leaders to make the promise of equity real in the Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) – school districts’ annual budget and goals. This year, CFJ leaders have harnessed the power of the LCAP to uplift student voice and transform their education…
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