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![]() ![]() I am both proud to say we are now in Black History Month, and disheartened to know that in our world, it is quite clear that the forces that try to diminish Black voices and heritage have been emboldened. The past year has been wrought with pain for all of us, but especially African Americans. It is in remembering, acknowledging and lifting up our distinct and beautiful contributions that we begin to tap into our humanity and strength as Americans. So this month I celebrate our heritage, but also acknowledge all the recent history that has been made – much of it enormously challenging – which is so important for our healing. ![]() The past year also saw incredible history being made in the name of racial justice. The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, just like the killing of Oscar Grant here in Oakland, speak volumes about the brutality perpetrated against Black men and women over centuries of systemic racism, which continues to this day. ![]() For the first time in a long time, it seemed the entire country was paying attention as we unearthed centuries of mistreatment and neglect, and that our value as a people who helped build this nation was finally being properly honored. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.” The United States of America wouldn’t be what it is today without those of us whose ancestors came from Africa. Here in OUSD, my staff and I are working with great intention to ensure we are an anti-racist school district. Of course, we can’t do that work alone. Internally, I have to give thanks to our Office of Equity, and its African American Female Excellence and African American Male Achievement programs, and all of our amazing, dedicated staff. I also want to thank all of our partner organizations, including Kingmakers of Oakland, the Black Organizing Project, the State of Black Education, and the Oakland NAACP for supporting our Black students and all people of color in Oakland. Throughout our history, when African Americans have succeeded, there have been others intent on knocking us down. Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma is a tragically perfect example from 100 years ago this spring. It was where a white mob destroyed what was at the time, the wealthiest Black community in the country, killing dozens of people and burning 35 square blocks of the neighborhood to the ground. It was an outrageous moment in American history that many people knew little about specifically because of the whitewashing of our history, until the movement this past year brought so many tragic parts of our past to light. It was one more part of the history of Black success and economic empowerment sabotaged by racist forces in our country. Earlier this month, we saw something that in some ways was quite similar to Tulsa. It was the storming of our nation’s capitol by a mostly white supremacist mob, causing damage and death, in an effort to overturn an election that hinged on the votes of African Americans. It was one more sign of the ugliness of this nation’s underlying problems that we still must overcome. ![]() ![]() Fortunately, this powerful movement gained a lot of steam over the last year both locally and nationally. Here in OUSD, the African American Female Excellence and African American Male Achievement programs in our Office of Equity facilitated the power of our students’ voices in the battle for racial and economic justice and the NAACP fostered our students’ futures through scholarships, support for them to continue their education at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and advocacy for all of Oakland to use the power of their vote. Additional advocacy continues here in February as the District celebrates Black History Month with numerous events. ![]() Under normal circumstances, this message would be all about honoring the accomplishments, heritage and history of African Americans. But this is no normal year. This year, it’s time for a call to action. We have so much to be proud of, so much to celebrate, so much to bring us joy. But when there is still so much injustice, so much of it caused by others intentionally, I can’t help but think it’s time to re-energize ourselves for the history that we all still need to make, as we collectively work towards a more perfect union. Never forget that in lifting up the most marginalized among us, we all rise. ![]() In community, ![]() Superintendent |
What do you think?