Black Lives Matter Long Beach Statement on Violence in Long Beach Unified School District
The following statement was released this week by Black Lives Matter Long Beach in response to the shooting of 18-year-old Manuela (Mona) Rodriquez by an armed LBUSD School Safety Officer on 9/27/21. Californians for Justice is proud to co-sign this statement and will continue working towards police-free schools in our districts in solidarity with community…
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CFJ Youth Leaders Secure Major Wins in Long Beach & Fresno Unified
We’re so excited to share even more incredible wins from our youth organizers! Our student leaders won major initiatives and secured millions in funding for new policies in Fresno and Long Beach Unified. Fresno Expanding Ethnic Studies & Paying Students for Expertise and Labor That’s right! This summer and fall, Fresno Unified will expand the…
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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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Next Step in Diversity Training: Teachers Learn to Face Their Unconscious Biases
(As published in EdWeek, by Sarah Schwartz on May 14, 2019) Diversity training asks teachers to understand students’ different backgrounds. Implicit-bias training goes further, and asks teachers to look at themselves Teachers—and their implicit biases—can directly impact the opportunities afforded to students of color. Teachers make the first decisions about behavioral consequences that lead to referrals…
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Next Step in Diversity Training: Teachers Learn to Face Their Unconscious Biases
(As published in EdWeek, by Sarah Schwartz on May 14, 2019) Diversity training asks teachers to understand students’ different backgrounds. Implicit-bias training goes further, and asks teachers to look at themselves Teachers—and their implicit biases—can directly impact the opportunities afforded to students of color. Teachers make the first decisions about behavioral consequences that lead to referrals…
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CFJ Youth Leading Together with LBUSD to Interrupt Bias in the Classroom
This weekend CFJ youth leaders and staff led a powerful bias training for Long Beach Unified School District teachers and administrators. The session was a unique twist to traditional trainings that center conversations on adults rather than students. CFJ youth leaders led the space and trained LBUSD staff participants on the ways implicit biases show…
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Time for Radical Revision of what Public Education Can Look Like for Black Students & Families
Black History Month offers an important time to examine issues of racial justice in communities and our education system. When public education was dreamed up by its founders, Horace Mann and Thomas Jefferson, neither person envisioned Black students attending integrated schools. That much is evident when we look at the history of schooling in America…
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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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Say Their Names: Nia Wilson, Frederick Taft
Our hearts and minds are heavy with the news of the latest series of violent attacks against Black women and men in our communities. On July 21, Frederick Taft was gunned down at a family reunion in Long Beach. The next day, Nia and Latifa Wilson were viciously attacked by a white supremacist in Oakland.…
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