Charles Cole III

The State of the [Black Education] Union

Ladies, gentlemen, and fellow citizens, the state of the Black Education Union is not strong. The nameless and faceless “system” is still failing Black students. To be clear, they are failing nearly every major subgroup, but especially Black students, and add on poverty, or a disability, or any other subgroup, and the numbers get worse in regards to literacy and numeracy.

We need Black Youth Development in Oakland now more than ever

I moved to Oakland when I was about 10 years old. It was a struggle. I lived in multiple homeless shelters and I did not have much hope for what I could be and do. Programs like those featured on the BYD website were a haven for me and tons of other Black kids who grew up in similar circumstances.

Bigger Than Bathrooms: Making Schools Safe for EVERY Student

A guest post from Ash Whipple, an Oakland student and one of Oakland’s Energy Converters. I’m sure when you’re out in public, or at work, all you worry about when going to the bathroom is if it’s clean or not. Nobody likes public bathrooms, they’re dirty, and you never know who you’re going to come across…

#MyBlackHistory: My Parents Decided to Go Back to College 30 Years Later. Here’s How My Story Inspired Them.

Here is a great guest post from North Oakland’s own Charles Cole III. Check out the story about his parents and why he works for better education for boys like himself. Recently, the story of my parents, Renate and Charles Cole, went viral after I tweeted on social media: “My parents went back to college…