May 25, 2021 marks the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death. His North Carolina family wants this day to be commemorated as a Day of Enlightenment, the day the world came together for a common purpose and opened the world’s eyes to the plight of many Black Americans.
WHAT WE ARE DOING:
Sonia Mathew is an FXW Parent and a Program Officer for the Democracy Program at the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. In this role, she oversees the youth civic engagement strategy and manages the Democracy Schools Initiative to strengthen the state’s civic education system. Sonia shares this blog about an event the McCormick Foundation recently hosted recently for AAPI Heritage. The blog includes a rich list of AAPI-focused resources as well as a link to the recording of the webinar pictured above. Sonia led the panel of AAPI champions in an exploration of current events and opportunities for informed action to support the AAPI community and beyond, responding to participant questions throughout.
Family SEED Seminars – Adult caregivers of FXW students (formerly Parent SEED)
SEED is a peer-led professional development program that promotes change through self-reflection and interpersonal dialogue and builds capacity for a more equitable curriculum, campuses, and communities. A SEED seminar involves participants in a series of monthly two-hour seminars during the academic year. Participants explore their own education in relation to race, gender, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual identity, abilities, and age, and how these factors currently impact their school community. Family SEED 2021-22 will be led by Erin Horne, Director of Education/Principal, and Andrew Miller, OSP Campus School Psychologist. Erin is the parent of two alums and a 5th grader and Andrew is the parent of a high school freshman. For more information, click here. To complete a survey with your interest, click here. Please know participants are limited to 20. A lottery will be utilized if registrants exceed available slots.
WHAT WE ARE WATCHING:
Asian Americans is a five-hour film series that chronicles the contributions, and challenges of Asian Americans, the fastest-growing ethnic group in America. Personal histories and new academic research casts a fresh lens on U.S. history and the role Asian Americans have played in it.
https://www.pbs.org/show/asian-americans/
FXW Parent and CPS Librarian Humu Issifu appeared in a recent WTTW news segment about how an expansion to Illinois’ state income credit would help working class families have a bit more financial support. Click to watch here.
Poverty and unemployment are growing worse in Illinois. If you are interested, here’s one way you can help. Sign the bill Making the Earned Income Credit Work for Working Illinoisans.
WHAT WE ARE READING:
Amid the pandemic, Asian Pacific Islander American people continue to experience racism, violence and harassment. We also recognize the value in celebrating their rich heritage and culture by learning more about the history makers—past and present—who our students are learning about on a daily basis.
These resources and those below can help you teach the historical precedents for this moment, introduce ways for students to recognize and speak up against coronavirus racism, and start conversations with even the youngest learners about recognizing and acting to address injustice.
A wonderful selection of children’s and YA multicultural and social justice books for children:
As a school with a social justice mission, FXW is committed to Do More with respect to improving the overall quality of community life, educational experience, and circumstances for our Community of Color and marginalized groups here and beyond our four walls. If you have resources to share with the FXW community about equity and justice, please click here.