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Advocacy ~ Integration ~ New York
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Dear Friends:
We hope this letter finds you well. We are excited to share updates on our work pushing for school integration here in New York City- and beyond. We have seen significant movement both at the local and state levels here in New York, and, with your support, we are continuing our push for change.
Although the Trump administration will likely not be a partner in these efforts, (see the press release from the National Coalition on School Diversity regarding the cancellation of the Opening Doors, Expanding Opportunities grant program), the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) offers a number of provisions states can use to promote racially and socioeconomically integrated schools. Recent planning discussions among integration advocates from around the country confirmed that state and local advocacy will continue to be critical.
According to recent reporting, members of the New York State Board of Regents intend to incorporate integration into state planning under ESSA. New York Appleseed took the lead in coordinating our partners in the city through the Alliance for School integration and Desegregation, and across the state to push the New York State Board of Regents to prioritize school integration at their upcoming meeting.
Lastly, New York City education officials have been quietly working on a school diversity plan for the city. We are hopeful the department will engage in a robust public feedback process for any diversity plans.
We thank you for your support.
Best,
The New York Appleseed Team
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Updates and Announcements
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ASID - New York City Alliance for School Integration and Desegregation
New York Appleseed provides support and facilitation to the Alliance for School Integration and Desegregation (ASID). At recent meetings, ASID members met representatives from the Center for Public Research and Leadership (CPRL) to offer feedback on their recommended Policy Statement in Support of Socioeconomic and Racial Diversity for the State, worked on the ASID mission statements and elected a steering committee. In April, ASID members attended the Panel for Educational Policy meeting to request public engagement in DOE diversity planning. Read more.
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IntegrateNYC4me Diversity Council Meeting
New York Appleseed is privileged to work with IntegrateNYC4me in supporting the student-led Diversity Council. The goal of the sixth Diversity Council meeting was to create action projects that each of its four committees can prioritize in the upcoming months. Councilmembers Brad Lander and Ritchie Torres, along with DOE officials, joined the students to develop those action projects. On May 20th, IntegrateNYC4me will host a Youth 4 Integration Symposium where the students can showcase their work and facilitate larger conversations with targeted audiences. RSVP here.
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Laundry City at the Harlem School Summit
New York Appleseed partner Epic Theatre Ensemble's Epic NEXT delivered another powerful performance of Laundry City at the Harlem School Summit this weekend. They set the stage for a day or workshops, planning, and parent empowerment - all focused on highlighting Harlem Schools. New York Appleseed was proud to be sponsor of the summit.
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New York Appleseed, IntegrateNYC4me, and Epic Next at AERA.
This month New York Appleseed and IntegrateNYC4me will be attending the American Educational Research Association (AERA) conference to present a performance of Laundry City, followed by a panel discussion facilitated by New York Appleseed’s Matt Gonzales. If you will be in San Antonio for the conference, please attend our session! Click for more info.
Also, please consider supporting our campaign to raise funds for students’ travel expenses! Click for more info.
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Bring Laundry City to your local school or community space.
Contact Matt Gonzales to set up a performance. Here is a short clip of a recent performance.
Upcoming Performance:
May 30th - 7pm at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church (corner of Montague and Clinton streets in Brooklyn Heights near most subway lines): In partnership with St. Ann & The Holy Trinity and the Century Foundation, New York Appleseed will be presenting Laundry City followed by a dialogue facilitated by the actors and a reception. Performance is Free and open to the public. Please join us!
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Join ASID, the New York City Alliance for School Integration and Desegregation!
Our next meeting will be April 25th from 4-6pm. Please contact Matt Gonzales for more information and join our Facebook Group: ASID-NYC
Join the mailing list here: Join ASID
Please sign up for ASID's Google group IntegrateNYCNow, a place for us to share information, resources, and events. This can be a great opportunity for us to coordinate efforts online.
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Click "subscribe to this group";
3. Enter your e-mail address (you can use any e-mail address; doesn't have to be gmail).
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The Benefits of Diversity
Thanks to our pro bono artist Abigail Arguilla, we are excited to share our postcards explaining the benefits of diverse schools.
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Keep an eye out for our monthly newsletter, subscribe to it, and share it with your friends. Have a great month!
The New York Appleseed Team
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New York Appleseed is part of a nonprofit network of 17 public interest justice centers in the U.S. and Mexico, Appleseed is dedicated to building a society in which opportunities are genuine, access to justice is universal and equal, and government advances the public interest.
Learn More About Us
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