It’s Time to Acknowledge That This Is the New Normal

To call the last few weeks hard, unprecedented and surreal feels trite. We are facing a pandemic unlike any in the last century and it…

A Letter From Brightbeam in Response to Coronavirus

Dear Friends and Fellow Activists, Our brightbeam team cares about your safety and ours.  Like you, we are closely watching the national news and government…

Our Kids Can No Longer Wait for Educational Justice, And They Shouldn’t Have To

I wanna talk about three things: movements, public education and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words foreshadowing what would be an ongoing and urgent fight.…

Lakisha Young Talks About How Oakland Is Tackling the Reading Crisis

Lakisha Young is the executive director of The Oakland REACH. Her work began through witnessing the disparities faced by Black and Brown students, including members…

If You’re Really Fighting for Educational Justice, You Need to Check Your Privilege

Earlier this week I was tagged in a tweet published by Carol Burris. It looked to be an attempt to negatively blast or shame my…

Welcome Back to Charter School Advocacy, Cory Booker!

One evening last summer, I arrived home later than usual, after a happy-hour chat with a good friend about the speech that had just been…

As the U.S. Department of Education Turns 40, the Real Battleground for Kids Lies in the States

This week marks the 40th anniversary of President Jimmy Carter signing the legislation that authorized him to create the U.S. Department of Education (ED). In…

Your Voice Matters. Your Students Need You. Speak Up.

I had a classroom with three walls when I first started teaching. A bookshelf separated my classroom from the neighboring one. My students ranged from…

Teachers, If You Want a Say in What Happens at Your School, You Have to Speak Out

Welcome to a new school year! Amidst the busyness of planning and preparing, remember to take a step back and reflect on how you want…