Los Angeles student groups to protest racism and other right-wing hate

A busy week will be upon us. As most of you know, CEJ's campaign-turned-movement for the Schools LA Students Deserve has really grown in the last few years. Many of our chapters (we have 14 now!!) are called Students Deserve and our students, parents and teachers often call us Students Deserve now, although we are still Coalition for Educational Justice as well (CEJ). We have chapters as far west as Venice HS, as far east as Garfield HS, in Hollywood, Koreatown, Silver Lake, North Hollywood and South LA. We're seeing our dream of organizing across our huge city come to life!!

We wanted to share an exciting event  that our students have planned on their own with some support from our two new paid Students Deserve organizers, Maricela (full-time student and parent organizer) and Alfredo (part-time, supports the student organizing piece).

We're very excited to announce:

• Weds, January 18th: Students United Against Hate, United for the Communities LA Students Deserve 
Event- MacArthur Park 4:30pm
 (PDF Flyer attached below) We want a safe space for students by students as we challenge Trump, his politics, his followers, the systems of oppression that have allowed him to exist, and the damage that he wants to do to us.
  
  
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  There will be music, art, spoken word and a panel discussion. Our students are AWESOME. Please come to MacArthur Park on Wednesday after school if you are available!! We know that UTLA Chapter Chairs have Area Meetings that afternoon. 

We also will be involved on Thursday: January 19th: UTLA/ROS LA Morning Action. You probably know about the action taking place at schools. Students Deserve students want to support whatever this looks like at your campus to show that we won’t let Trump mess with schools and our communities.

Stay involved. Stay strong. Stay united. We will not be bullied by the incoming president and his right-wing cabinet nominees. WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN!

See you on Wednesday standing strong at MacArthur Park and Thursday standing strong at our schools!!

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Los Angeles student groups to protest racism and other right-wing hate

In memory of Benjamin Reyes, a champion of Adult Education and Public Education

¡Benjamin Reyes Presenté!

In memory of Benjamin Reyes, a champion of #AdultEd and Public Education. #LAUSD #RIP pic.twitter.com/W37VPknxWL

— Robert D. Skeels (@rdsathene) September 26, 2014

In memory of Benjamin Reyes, a champion of Adult Education and Public Education

K12NN: Photo Gallery: Schools Los Angeles Students Deserve Rally 8-May-2014

Photo Gallery: Schools Los Angeles Students Deserve Rally 8-May-2014 http://t.co/BCtZbbtUMf @K12NN #LAUSD pic.twitter.com/UVDAopN5At

— RDSkeels4Schoolboard (@RDSkeels4LAUSD) June 7, 2014

K12NN: Photo Gallery: Schools Los Angeles Students Deserve Rally 8-May-2014

Students. Tired of corporate reformers making choices about YOUR education? Fight back!

Students. Tired of corporate reformers making choices about YOUR education? Fight back! #LAUSD @empowerED_2014 https://t.co/JeZf20QopZ

— Robert D. Skeels (@rdsathene) March 19, 2014

REGISTER HERE: http://empowerED2014.com

"If you had the power to change the education system, what would you do?"

Here's your chance.

On March 29, at the University of Southern California, through the EmpowerED: Los Angeles Student Power 2014 conference, YOU will be given the opportunity to answer that question AND learn how you can make that answer a reality.

Students all over the country are tired of feeling powerless when it comes to decisions that affect their education. That's why they're standing up and fighting back against things like high stakes testing, school closings, and budget cuts. At EmpowerED 2014, you will:

• Have a chance to hear the powerful stories of high school student activists from all over the US who've made history in their communities.
• Engage in a unique opportunity where your vision for education will be featured in "Collective Voice: The Wisdom of Young People on Education," a national exhibition in Washington DC in 2015.
• Participate in interactive workshops where you'll have the chance to share your ideas on education and learn how YOU can make that vision come true through the Student Power Movement.
• Be a part of the first ever youth-led event that engages students in a local community in a conversation about their education.

EmpowerED's Featured Speakers:

• Israel Munoz, Chicago Students Union
• Tre Murphy, Alliance for Educational Justice
• Sekai Edwards, Portland Student Union
• Cauldierre McKay, Providence Student Union
• Kristin Towkaniuk, Newark Students Union
• Kate Barnes, Portland Student Union
• Zoe Marie Foster-La Du, Portland Student Union
• Mariam Khan, San Jose Youth Commission

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This event is now open to USC students and other college students in the LA area. There are only a few spots left, so please register today to reserve your spot!

For those who cannot make the event, it will be livestreamed by Vincent Precht and Jamelle Anthony Nelson on schoolhouselive.org. Stay tuned for more info!

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EmpowerED is hosted by USC Program Board, Academic Culture Assembly, EdMonth, and Students United for Public Education.

Students. Tired of corporate reformers making choices about YOUR education? Fight back!

Teacher help needed: Hannah Nguyen of Students United for Public Education recruiting students for EmpowerED 2014

We need help Los Angeles students and teachers!

Some of you may already be familiar with Hannah Nguyen. She is the USC student who gained national attention when she called Michelle Rhee out at Rhee's own event. Hannah was recently one of the student panelist at Diane Ravitch's Network for Public Education (NPE) event in Austin. She is in integral part of the national leadership of Students United for Public Education (SUPE), of which I am a member. I can't speak highly enough about her, and SUPE is an authentic student voice against corporate education reform and advocates for the genuine progressive reforms.

Hannah is currently going to schools and personally recruiting students for the EmpowerED 2014 conference here in Los Angeles at the end of this month (Saturday, March 29, 2014). Rather than go into the details about this exciting local conference by students and for students, I'm including the link to the event website which has all the details.

http://empowered2014.com

They are doing a lot of outreach, here is what Hannah sent me recently:

I was wondering if you could connect me with teachers around LA who might be willing to share this event with their students? or allow me to come make a brief 5 minute presentation about the conference to their students?

This is an excellent opportunity to give students real agency in their own education. It is also an opportunity for Los Angeles teachers to help their students become "EmpowerED." Please help by notifying your own students about the conference, or better still, allowing Hannah to come and pitch to your students.

I will be volunteering at the conference. Either contact Hannah directly, or you can also contact me.

http://empowered2014.com

I'm #UCLA Class of 2014, I'm @supenational, I #ResistTFA & I'm attending EmpowerED 2014! @UCLA http://t.co/O19SOWQfk1 pic.twitter.com/PUGxy7VJTO

— Robert D. Skeels (@rdsathene) March 14, 2014

The real "Students First" is run by STUDENTS and hosts EmpowerED events! @supenational #LAUSD http://t.co/F95pQRV0EO pic.twitter.com/KLySljL2x5

— Robert D. Skeels (@rdsathene) March 14, 2014

Teacher help needed: Hannah Nguyen of Students United for Public Education recruiting students for EmpowerED 2014

EmpowerED 2014 – Elevating Student Power in Los Angeles

Hannah Nguyen article on GenYNot about the conference

Official Conference Website

EmpowerED 2014 – Elevating Student Power in Los Angeles

Help Student Organizers Travel to LA for EmpowerED 2014 Conference!

On March 29th, student organizers from all over the country will converge upon Los Angeles to share their stories with the LA student community at a youth-led conference called 
EmpowerED: Los Angeles Student Power 2014. 

Pitch in to help get them here!

>>>http://www.gofundme.com/6mnms8<<<

-----EVENT INFO-----
Students all over the country, from Portland to Providence, are tired of feeling powerless when it comes to decisions that affect their education. That’s why some of them are coming together, forming student unions, and fighting back against threats to their educational rights. From massive walk-outs and sit-ins to creative street theater and zombie walks, these students are demanding that their voices be heard. Just earlier this year, as you may have heard, the Portland Student Union held three days of action, including walkouts, speak outs, and a school board rally, to support their teachers and fight for the "Schools Portland Students Deserve." And just last week, the students of the Providence Student Union organized "Operation: Guinea Pig" to protest high-stakes testing.

In an effort to connect various student unions in the country and to provide a safe and inviting space for students in my local community to learn about the student power movement and share their ideas on education, I have been working on organizing a youth empowerment conference called EmpowerED: Los Angeles Student Power 2014.

EmpowerED 2014, will be the first event ever to engage a student community in a conversation about their education. It is a conference designed for students by students and will be a great first step towards a more coordinated national student union.

On March 29th at the University of Southern California, high school students of Los Angeles will have the rare opportunity to
listen to the powerful stories of high school student organizers, who will be coming to LA from Chicago, Newark, Portland, Providence, and Baltimore to share incredible stories of how they have elevated student voice and fought for educational justice in their communities.

Beyond hearing from these student speakers and panelists, the students in attendance will then have the chance to work with student organizers in workshops to build organizing skills, share their ideas for education, and collaborate on developing a student power movement in their Los Angeles. EmpowerED 2014 will be a perfect starting point to a larger movement for student power that will continue beyond the conference and ideally lead to an education system that values student voice. For more info, you can take a look at the conference website (excuse the incompleteness, it is still under construction!)

-----FINANCIAL SUMMARY-----
The reason I am setting up a fundraising page is to raise money to cover the transportation costs of the speakers who will be presenting at the conference. As they are all in either high school or college with very little means to travel to LA, I would really appreciate it if each one of you could pitch in just a small amount to go towards their round trip plane tickets to LA. I will be providing them transportation to and from the LAX airport and a place to stay.

Below are the estimates for each student's plane ticket. Leftover funds will go towards other conference logistics such as food for the conference, equipment for workshops, or even another speaker if possible.

Student Speakers:
- Israel Munoz (Chicago Students Union): $500
- Tre Murphy (Alliance for Educational Justice): $500
- Kristin Towkaniuk (Newark Students Union): $500
- Cauldierre McKay (Providence Student Union): $500
- Ian Jackson (Portland Student Union): $425
- Sekai Edwards (Portland Student Union): $425
- Mariam Khan (San Jose Youth Commission): $150

IF YOU CAN'T DONATE AT THIS TIME, PLEASE SHARE THIS PAGE WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

Thank you so much :)

Love and solidarity,

Hannah Nguyen
Co-National Organizer for Students United for Public Education

Help Student Organizers Travel to LA for EmpowerED 2014 Conference!