This article was originally published by FIA Oakland.
Dwayne Aikens Jr. is Oakland to the core. He grew up here and went to school across The Town: Cox, Elmhurst, Howard, Castlemont, Oakland Tech. After graduating from Xavier University, a Historically Black College in Louisiana, he returned to Oakland and for the past 19 years has worked in education, including launching a nonprofit organization that works with Oakland youth, WELO (We Lead Ours), where he works as executive director.
When Dwayne looks at the state of Oakland public schools, he does so as an insider who knows what it’s like to attend school here. When he talks about Oakland students, he speaks from experience of being one himself.
That’s why he’s running for the Oakland school board, District 3 position: to use his experience and community connections to benefit students.
“Those of us who are the new elders in the community, we have to trust our gut, we have to roll up our sleeves, and try to do the work from a good and meaningful place,” Dwayne said. “Try to bring about change and leave some of that divisiveness out the door, build healthy relationships and model that for our kids.”
He remembers what it was like to graduate from high school, get to college, and feel unprepared. He wants better for this generation of Oakland students.
As someone who is deeply connected to Oakland youth, he sees far too many of them checking out of school. He remembers what it was like to attend schools that were fun and engaging, where “school spirit was through the roof.” Though he admits he “doesn’t want to take things backwards because school has changed” he thinks many schools are not “fun, academic learning places” where students want to be.
“Chronic absenteeism is high,” he said. “Kids are putting up these defense mechanisms. They’re scared to participate in the learning system.”
Dwayne is pursuing a Doctorate in Leadership Development and Curriculum Instruction and recently completed his dissertation. His research was around reimagining elementary school for African American boys, especially those in the fourth and fifth grades.
He sees that time as a critical time for their development – when a young person starts getting sent to the principal’s office or labeled as a “bad kid” for misbehavior. That can send them on a negative trajectory for the rest of their schooling. He thinks literacy can be a great disruptor.
“I can totally remember in the fourth grade not being able to read on the level that I was supposed to read on, so I would always get into fights,” he said. “Getting poetry skills and being on stage in the fifth grade, getting stronger in my spelling skills, that led me to develop more confidence.”
He sees himself in the youth he works with every day with WELO. This summer, many of the counselors at the WELO summer camp were former campers.
“They’re shadowing me and they’re also mentoring the young campers who are new to the program,” he said. “That’s when you really get to see the work manifest. Our motto is ‘right direction.’ We always want to get the young people thinking about being the positive change in their community. And daring to be different.”
He feels a similar call to be a positive change for West Oakland, which is why he’s running for school board.
“Our city is in a crisis, socially, emotionally. It’s time for beacons of hope to step up to the plate and get our hands dirty,” he said. “We know we have got to do this work. And so now let’s dive on in, and do the work.”