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ORGANIZATIONS on the
West Coast
Seattle Young Peoples Project SYPP operates several student-led projects in Seattle,
Washington, that focus on social
justice and youth empowerment. One program called Youth
Undoing Institutional Racism is currently working on
several social justice in school issues, including getting military
recruiters out of schools and rehiring union busdrivers who were laid off.
In the past they have successfully challenged racist school mascots
and got Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States"
approved by the school district for use in high school
history classes.
Student Activist Alliance
Created to empower students in Portland, Oregon and the surrounding
counties. Following massive budget cuts that threatened to ruin the
district the SAA staged a district-wide student walkout, getting
coverage across the country.
 Youth Together
A community-based response to increased
inter-racial conflicts and violence in our school communities. At six
high schools in Oakland, Berkeley, and Richmond, California, they work
with students to develop leadership to lead and organize school change
campaigns that promote multiracial unity, educational justice, and
youth empowerment.
Californians for Justice
Education Fund Involving youth and communities across
California through grassroots outreach, students, parents, and
community members become engaged in the political process—they learn
about the issues and how they can get involved.
CFJ engages youth through
student-led high school teams, summer leadership academies, student
“know your rights” trainings, and skill building in media and policy
work.
Inner City Struggle
Coordinates several student-led groups that work
in Los Angeles high schools focusing on social justice in education.
One group, Youth Organizing Committees, works to develop the
leadership of youth in East Los Angeles high schools and local housing
projects. Another group called United Students, operates high
school campus-based clubs that organize to ensure Educational Justice
for all students.
Youth Making a Change
Since 1999 YMAC has waged a determined
campaign to carve a decision-making role for students in the San
Francisco, California, public schools. YMAC victories include a second student
delegate seat to the school board elected by the general student body,
the creation of school-based health clinics in all seven of the
district's major high schools, and a district policy that restricts
police interaction with students on school campuses.
REAL HARD
We bring together youth from
across Oakland, California, in a year-round leadership training program to learn
organizing skills and develop campaigns to achieve educational justice
in Oakland public schools. Current campaigns
focus on school suspension policies, teacher quality, and the recent
state takeover of the Oakland public schools.
 South Central Youth Empowered through
Action SC-YEA, located in Los Angeles,
California, is
developing the next generation of activists capable of leading their
peers and impacting public policy in their schools and community.
SC-YEA chapters on high school campuses act as a voice for South LA
students. They recently launched a campaign to hold schools
accountable for A-G course requirements (the course sequence required
for entrance into the University of California).
Sisters in
Action for Power An
inter-generational, multi-racial, community-based organization in
Portland, Oregon. We build and strengthen the leadership development and
organizing skills of low income women and girls of color.
They have worked with the Portland Public School District to establish
and implement a district-wide system for tracking and reporting sexual
harassment. Another campaign pressured Portland¹s TriMet mass transit
system to give free bus rides to and from school to low-income
students. Sisters also helped spur TriMet to establish a Citizens
Advisory Committee of Transportation Equity.
Institute for Community Leadership
A nonviolence leadership program in
Kent, Washington that uses poetry to empower students as school change
agents.
TOOLS
for the West Coast
In the Student
Organizing Library
Articles, books, videos, and
plans to teach and share student-led community organizing on education reform
and school improvement. Look for...
Student Activism Success Stories
Collection of stories about student-led organizing from across
the United States focusing on students changing schools.
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