A California Charter School Gave Me a Lifeline. Don’t Take That Away From Other Students.

If charter schools had been an option when I was young, I believe my mom would have been wise to choose them for me, given…

Free College Is Cool But When Will Presidential Candidates Start Talking About K-12

I was a first-generation college student who considered dropping out my freshman year because I couldn’t pass math.  As an honor student who attended high…

How Barron Gunnings Is Shifting the Narrative for Black Male Students

Barron Gunnings is a thoughtful, passionate young man currently entering his third year at the College of Wooster. He’s someone who “never felt the need…

There’s a Difference Between a ‘Good’ School and Choosing Whiteness and Wealth

It’s nearly summer, and while for most that means the end of a school year, for many it also means transition. Preschoolers transition to kindergarten,…

When It Comes to College Graduation and Finding a Job, Mentors Make a Difference

I am living proof of the OneGoal motto: “College graduation. Period.” I’m a recent graduate of Southern Illinois University (SIU) of Carbondale where I studied…

I’m Tired of My Community Not Having Access to the Schools We Deserve

My little brother is a 10-year-old who loves to create slime, play video games and make friends. He’s growing up in a time where a…

What Every First-Gen Student Needs to Know About Attending a Predominately White Institution

Dear first-generation, low-income, immigrant high school seniors, You’re about to accomplish a major milestone. Not only have you made your parents proud, but you have…

I’m Headed to Stanford on a Full-Tuition Scholarship and I Have My Public Charter School to Thank for That

“Education is the way out of poverty and into a better life.” For years, my family harped on this mantra in hopes of providing me…

I Didn’t Think I’d Ever Be Able to Afford College, But Now I Have a Full Ride to Brown

Growing up in Houston, I knew I was capable enough for college. I earned straight A’s in high school and possessed an insatiable drive to…

Nina Wallace Dishes on What It’s Like to Attend Howard and the Lack of Representation of Women of Color in STEM

You aren’t always able to choose family, but even if I were able, I would have still chosen my cousins. My cousin, Nina Wallace, represents…