State Budget Agreement Reached — Wins for Education & Racial Equity
As the 2019-2020 school year wraps up, we are seeing students graduating virtually because of COVID-19 and taking to the streets in support of the movement for Black lives. We are seeing Black youth are on the frontlines leading the way and organizing for change. This moment of crisis calls on us to double down…
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George Floyd & Black Liberation #BlackLivesMatter
Statement From CFJ Leadership & Staff: Black Lives Matter. George Floyd’s life mattered. Breonna Taylor’s life mattered. Tony McDade, Nina Pop and Ahmaud Arbery’s lives all mattered. Not just because they were stolen at the hands of police and white supremacists, but because they were human beings, pieces of our communities and valuable voices we…
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A new year and a new office in San Jose!
More than 15 years ago we moved to our office on Las Plumas Avenue. Since then we haven’t stopped fighting for justice and building youth power in Eastside San Jose. Luckily over the years our work, staff and base has grown leading us to search for a new home. We didn’t have to look far…
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The Magic of 2019: Top 4 CFJ Highlights
Public schools are the heart of our communities. That’s the core belief that led us through the good, the bad and the everyday moments of 2019. From lessons learned to shared victories, we couldn’t have done it without our students, staff and community leading together to build a brighter future for California. To celebrate that…
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Text Thread W/ Deshae Lee: Featuring the Students of CFJ
This week, we spoke with Deshae Lee, a student activist in Fresno, CA. Deshae joined Californians For Justice 1 year ago as an incoming high school senior, and is already a central leader within our organization. Every week Deshae is in our Fresno office, setting up meetings with school officials, preparing to speak on behalf…
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Celebrating 5 Years of The Incredible Journey of The Student Voice Campaign
A legacy in the making turns 5 today— the Student Voice Campaign. Five years ago, the Student Voice Campaign transformed the perception and role of students as “essential” stakeholders in local decision-making processes in California’s public schools giving a voice to 4.5 million students. Today Californians for Justice celebrates an incredible historic victory in the…
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Youth Are Ready For A Radically New Future
Above: CFJ’s Angel Palencia and Nhada Ahmed kick off the State of the Youth event in San Jose last month. Young people are leading and taking action on a national and global scale, challenging systems of power that endanger their ability to thrive and live with dignity. In California, we have the 5th largest economy…
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From the Archives: Lupe Navarro & How Students Can “Reach New Heights”
Above: Lupe Navarro (back row, third from left) with her fellow statewide student leaders in Californians for Justice. Last year, Lupe Navarro stood before the East Side Union High School District Board of Trustees and called on decision-makers to continue their commitment to East San Jose’s students and families. Her public comments came at a…
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Why we need Integration for Liberation
Last month student leaders, elected officials, researchers, educators and community organizers from California and beyond gathered in San Jose to discuss “Integration for Liberation.” While our conversation was rooted in our schools, we quickly saw that transformation and liberation must also ripple out to our communities. Schools today in New York and California are more…
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