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Same way you can't watch for, I mean it's a movie and somewhere you like to, you know, like it's a statement, it's a body of work.

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So the sweat equity in it is very, very different, but the muscle to answer your question, muscle of dedication is the same.

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Blindspotting talks about police brutality and has gun violence and everything inside of it along with

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Oakland and you know the East Bay having more gun violence and like school shooting, you know in the news and headlines and stuff like that

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I want to ask what was your experience with police brutality?

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You know growing up in gun violence growing up and how it's changed or stayed the same over the years. I was raised to dislike, please

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Um, because my parents were radicals, like, from here, you know.

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I think, um, waving aside in my personal run is with the police.

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I think, um, watching the way a lot of my friends were darker, were harassed by police,

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was enough in itself.

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I didn't like the police presence in my schools.

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I didn't like that there was always a cop nearby, and I didn't feel like that cop was

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ever for us, but for like catching us.

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And so that created a very contentious relationship on a personal level with those people,

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Berkeley High is across the street from the police station.

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If you break a window or you get into a fight, maybe it's security, but it might be the cops.

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And then we're talking about getting people into a cycle of a prison industrial complex

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because now you're giving people records as Juno.

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So off top, I think, the idea of just getting to a point of my life

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where I could have a nuanced understanding of police

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took a lot of personal work, meeting police officers,

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meeting, we tried to do our best in the movie to not just make

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like a spooky cop.

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But we hired Ethan Emberry, who's like a legacy actor.

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who is one line in the whole movie to give that

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cop his humanity.

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Don't get them off, don't not off the hook at all.

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But to have him play a human,

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because it just makes it more complicated.

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And life is more complicated,

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and it's just, it's an oversimplification when you go like,

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those people over there are bad,

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and these people over here are good,

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it just, it isn't, the world isn't like that.

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I think, I think separate from that,

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conversation about guns and I feel like what was what looking back what was terrifying

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for me is how young I was the first time I was around guns and like had one and friends

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who had and when I was 20 one of my good friends was shot in the heart by a friend of hers

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was there to help her, and just killed her at a party.

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And while I had people get hurt or killed before that in,

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like, this was like, this had nothing to do with nothing.

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This was like a black woman who was at an Ivy League school,

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which was back for the summer.

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And for me, that was the switch.

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I was like, oh, no, this is like, I don't want to be around.

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I don't want to participate in this, I don't want to really be around in a street like that anymore.

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I don't like this is sadistic and not serving us as a community at all.

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And as much as like you kind of want to be with when you're growing up and like escalate with everybody,

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you know, fifth funeral's tough, tenth one's, you get cold, you get a real cold and you're not crying anymore.

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And for me, I think the big problem was like, I was starting to get real numb and that to me was like, oh, no, this is going to, this is going to scar me for life, and so I had to start actively practicing empathy, like really making sure that I was feeling all the feelings I wanted to have and art was a big mechanism for me to do that, because it was so much permission about being able to express who you are fully, especially as men.

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And so I think for both of those threats of violence in our upper brains, I think what

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that ends up happening is like, if and when you leave the Bayer you stay here and you become an adult,

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it becomes a part of you are like, I don't know, for lack of a better word, you're in trauma.

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Like, we grew up in a violent place, like these high schools are violent, you know?

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like fighting to, to just fend off people's like assaults, verbal or physical.

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And at some point in your adulthood, you're going to have to contend with the violence bigger, small that you experience as a young person, whether it's from police, whether it's from people you know, or it's from, you know, the presence of weapons that should have never been there to begin with.

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But I, I don't know that there's a clean answer for like, how to contend with it, because the reality is that you shouldn't have to.

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And it's just one of those things that like, I meet people later, I've met people later in my life and he's never had to deal with anything.

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And I was like, oh cool, you know, but again, like all things that we can construe as negative

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and they are, it has developed my muscle for empathy for other people who also have dealt

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with that.

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And then when it asks to write something or I want to write something about it, I try to do it

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with a certain level of delicacy because I know that it's not simple.

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You know, I know, even though some of my closest friends I grew up with are still kind of

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caught in a toxic masculinity shit, like they can't let it go.

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But I know they're like hurt little boys that are scared and I've been scared, their whole

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life so much that they became hardened and tough and like, and now they make that joke you

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were talking about earlier, because they don't want to get it, so they make that joke.

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I think as you get older, you recognize the sickness of what violence of any kind does to

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people in how it affects them in different ways.

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I think as we get into our like 20s and 30s and 40s, you start to see it in people in

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the way that it's matured and who they are and it helps you kind of engage with them

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in a way that is healthier.

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But to our point where it's not going to earlier when the cameras were off about like, how

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to not be reactive to people, and a lot of it is that it's like recognizing what the thing

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is that's happening.

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You know, now if somebody runs up on me at a gas station

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when I'm in town, and they don't know who I am,

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they just mad about some, we not having this.

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I'm giving them all the excuses to de-escalate.

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My pride is done.

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I've already been, I've did my time.

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I'm not serving that time anymore.

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I don't have nothing to prove to anybody.

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I'll be soft.

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I'm good.

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I got people to get home to.

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I got stuff to do.

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I got a life to live.

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And I think a lot of those things for me, with gun violence, has been that, and with police, it's about trying to be a part of any, you know, community solutions that de-escalates the aggressors of art and people, you know.

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The other corruption here.

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No, me and my mom were having a talk about this the other day when there was a school shooting in the news.

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And my mom was always asking me like are you afraid to go to school or like what's your opinion on it?

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It's like and while I do feel for the people who are affected in the in the school shootings like for those who have died and for those who have lost their children

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It really does hurt me

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But at the same time I just kind of like put it or like the chalkboard as like another one and I just go about my day, you know

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So it's that it's that like push and pull of like how much do I want to feel and like what should I be feeling that I feel like is

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is very difficult sometimes.

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And then what are you supposed to do with that?

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Like, you still gotta go to class, which is nuts.

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But unfortunately, when we're in a circumstance

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where things are regular, we have to suddenly still

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try to live life through those things.

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And you'll be unpacking that forever, bro.

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I certainly will be.

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I think it's awful, but it's also shaped to where I am,

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and I like where I am.

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And I like that I get to think about it and go, OK,

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how to disaffect my folk, what do I want to do with that analysis, what do I want to do with who that has made me?

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And what do I want to put my energy in the future and if you're so called to like do something about making that better?

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Great, then you have a personal reason to do it.

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Thank you.

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Thank you for joining us.

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We'd like to thank our host, Richie Nunes, La Segunda, KDOL, youth beat, and of course, Rafael Casal, and see you next time.

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I think we all kind of have this false narrative of a super hard credit super bad

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It's only bad when you don't understand it. Media and money helps me focus a lot on budgeting, especially for filming, equipment, and for future projects I want to do.

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It's not very commonly talked about on like what you should do, how to invest in credit, and I appreciate how they're having like a big awareness, especially since we're younger, to teach us when we're ready when we're older.

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The attention behind the media and money conference was to provide resources to our students

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and normally aren't accessible to them.

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At youth beat, educate, empower, and employ, and essentially, during the summer, they're getting

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educated.

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This conference is empowered.

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This is really a day for them to explore, to learn about their pathways that they can take,

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because high school's the time to try things out.

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The other piece is just a lot more practical of how they can prepare for any job and how

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they can be successful.

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So they need to know how to carry themselves confidently, how to tell a story from themselves in a job interview.

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We have a lot of talented students here that if given the right resources,

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given the right tools, they could be the next Ryan Hooler. It was just beautiful to see someone that

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young being so hungry and determined. This is a great community surrounding youth. The confidence is key.

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I think we kind of both taught each other that today and one of my students that I had with me

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to have the confidence in what I've done or what he's done.

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By trade, I'm a financial planner.

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It's my role was really to educate them

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to give them the foundational information

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that I wish every kid would receive.

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You know, opportunities like this, this conference, particularly,

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is it's important to use not just an Oakland, but everywhere.

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There's all these financial parts of life that we need to explore.

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And that's a lot of what I explored in my sessions today.

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In our community, especially, there's not a lot of programs

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that teach you about finances.

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A lot of us are still figuring it out now.

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I think it's extremely important for the youth

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to get a head start on managing money well

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and knowing how to operate media

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because we're moving into the digital world

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where everything is media.

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So media and money coverage is definitely with your firm

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for the future, because my money handle is fields

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are not that good right now.

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And there are definitely, excuse me, how do you handle my money

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and where do you handle my money?

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Yeah, I think it helps us sort of future

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of like, you students to like,

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to go to get to this certain level that they want to be at.

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And like have a overall good structure of finance

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for like when they grow up.

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We got over 100 folks here that are attending today,

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helping get this event going.

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We have approximately 71 students that's comprised

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of our alumni plus some of our students

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who attend their curriculum program.

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We have about 22 volunteers, 18 staff members,

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some more, the better.

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The more individuals that we have

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volunteering, the more career exploration opportunities

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we can offer, the more interviews we can do, the more students we can invite.

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Ideally, this becomes an Oakland thing that we can have available to the community.

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And in order to do that, it's going to take a village.

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Hi, I'm Shalanda Tilman and I'm the principal at Madison Park Academy Prime Minister.

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I grew up in Oakland, born and raised. I've been an educator for 13 years, nine years at

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first as a teacher and now as a principal.

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So I had some amazing, amazing educational experiences throughout Oakland Unified School District

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and it built my character and it made me resilient and it's a big part of who I am today.

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We have a safe, fun, welcome and tight knit community environment here at NPA.

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Families are a big part of our environment, our community, and our decision-making.

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At NCA, we offer opportunities beyond the classroom.

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We have academic support and tutoring,

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support, full pantry, a digital arts prep, a brand new beautiful library,

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a community, and team building activities, and filters for every classroom.

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World up at a time where my parents can always provide a strong educational foundation.

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I grew up with wonderful teachers, throughout Oakland, who showed me love, who showed me

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structure and of the least in myself. Specifically, I started for free with Ms. Brure at

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Golden Gate Elementary. She recognized that I was brilliant, that I was different, but I

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so happy. I see you overall, yes, my world model and still my world model to this

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thing. This shows up and the work that I do, every single day.

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Office is life changing, and it's something that they keep as a part of them for not just the days and the weeks after the program, but for years to come.

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To feel really happy, I get to yell at a lot of new faces and make some meaning friends.

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I think all fast is important to build confidence.

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one. Second is to really explore their gifts. Many things that they wouldn't normally try,

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they would have tried them. And this may be stuff that students were initially not exposed to,

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but through OFS this gives them the opportunity to have new interest. I can see the growth in the

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kids so strong and then when they come back to school all the language that they use to express all these

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different creative modalities. It's just so beautiful.

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There are a lot of us here at OVAC, a lot of family.

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One of my jobs is for them to provide a safe environment to use that energy up.

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So basically a place again to where they can come out, have a lot of fun, make new friends.

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Such a gift to be able to do drama, dance, singing, modeling, circus, physical education,

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and choir, so there's a lot going on here at 0-5.

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You have a lot of opportunities to be yourself

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and you never get bored

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because it's always like, it's more stuff to do.

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One, two, three, five!

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There are so many things I love about 0-5.

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I love that it's intergenerational.

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I love that kids are coming from different schools

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and getting a chance to meet each other.

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I love the joy.

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There's so much joy here.

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The children that are here, they really want to be here.

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The teachers are also for me really nice and they always hope you whenever anything is still hard.

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I like seeing the old fast because it feels like I'm a part of a community.

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Everybody here, all the teachers and students all friendly.

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It's rare that a parent can have value, experience, artistic expression, and not have to pay a dime for it.

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I

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felt great to be honored up on stage today to see my large community and my friends come all together to celebrate us being scholars

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It's just so amazing and standing up there with the lights on us and just reflecting on how much work we did this year was incredible

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And if you are here today to celebrate our African American scholars

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Make some noise.

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Welcome to the Oscar right 25th annual African American academic excellence awards.

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I think it's important that there are cheap and risky recognized so that they continue to achieve.

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And it lets us know that we're doing something right.

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With our black young men is very important to reiterate that we have a chance and that there is promise for us.

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and that somebody else has done it and they can too.

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I like to experience my culture and like over on my ethnic background.

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He's my cultural, so it's always good to get recognized for things that you do positively.

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I'm really proud of making it this far, you know, continuing my B.P.A.

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B.P.A. B.P.A.

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So yeah, it feels really good to keep it up, and keep doing good at school.

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So stay today, it felt great, I feel honored.

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It's a good feeling, I feel like, you know,

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I feel like, you know, I worked for it.

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It's just a really good feeling I do not know how to explain.

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It makes it good for our community, sorry.

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We are gathered here to recognize our African-American students who have earned a place on the honor roll.

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Tonight is a celebration of excellence, perseverance, and promise.

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Let's listen to each other, it's not about you, it's not about me, it's about our children.

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I think it honors Oscar's legacy A because he did something, and because he did something, this has happened.

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We had the benefit of being here when he was still alive, but having this maintained after he's gone showcases that education is primary,

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and he instilled the message that education for African-American children of Oakland is number one goal.

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This is beautiful to have and this will keep his memory living on.

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He's going to live on and all of these children. This is keeping him alive.

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West Oakland is an integral and valued part of the city with a long and rich history.

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It includes the city's oldest school, Prescott Elementary,

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and the historic school of Champions, what climates high and numerous others.

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We're underneath one of these solar cannabis.

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It's really fulfilling our promise to the community around creating a sustainable future for our kids.

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From early childhood investments to elementary to middle and then to high school,

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this is a coordinated effort to be able to ensure complete investment in the full pathway for our students in West Auckland.

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My favorite part is like the loose lights.

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There's three now. It used to be like one or two.

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It is more colorful.

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Now they can see like who we are like dover.

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The windows have been an issue here since I've been here for the last 10 years.

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You see students appreciate it.

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It doesn't feel as hot. There's an obvious difference in the heat.

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Now that we've finally got blinds, that's been helpful too to be able to block out some of the sun.

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And then visually it's impacting students because it looks nice.

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The windows look good. It looks new.

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It feels like it's bringing more like a good energy.

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What was missing was of just kids motivated to even want to come outside to play.

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So Martin Luther King Jr. students, the impact of the new YAR shows that everybody cares about them.

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There's just like kind of more joyful play. Having things to do and nice facilities to do it with is a huge difference.

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Our investment at McClimans is transformational. I'm still excited to be delivering a project at McClimans that honors the legacy of

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incredible people who have been students and community members and staff at McClimans.

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We're launching a nearly $100 million investment in West Oakland and specifically McClimans.

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It started with the naming of the gym and honoring the legacy of Bill Russell,

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but now it'll be a full modernization of the school that will be breaking ground this spring.

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So we're really excited about that project because it's a cornerstone in the West Oakland community.

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I'm excited because I'm a local kid. I grew up here. I went to Lopiet Elementary. I went to

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Low Middle School and then came here my 9th and 10th grade year. So coming back to the neighborhood and

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giving back just coming back home, you know, to where I was raised, no one in the community, no one's people. I was excited.

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When you get a new house or a new bicycle, it just does something for you and motivates you. And so having

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a new place to come to, this is new smell is a newness about it. And then people want to take care of it.

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These projects ultimately create safe, welcoming, and high-quality learning environments that also strengthen schools as neighborhood anchors and serve the community beyond the school day.

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Different people come in and I get painted different colors. I get cleaned, I get new furniture, but I stay in the same spot in the city.

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If you use up the moon to make macaroni and cheese, the stars will come together to make a new moon.

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I felt that it was fun. I usually just read our school, reading is fun. I got a lot of good books in the library.

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To see our students excited about it is incredible. Oh, this is an exciting moment for me personally. I know reading is everything.

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And to have the whole city focus on reading, a coalition of people coming together at every level from birth to adult,

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making the connection to reading with your health, with your body, with joy.

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I'm here today to really announce that Oakland is a reading town in the spot.

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Are young people deserve to be able to be literate and to be able to read and write

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it's their future and we have a duty and responsibility to partner with the school district.

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So this is a citywide effort.

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So I like events like this, so we can come and get free books, I think books should be accessible.

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Being the community and celebrated education, literacy, get some books, and just continue this

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beautiful vibe of the Oakland Unified School District.

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I'm a former reading teacher, so that's why I'm excited to be here.

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I love books.

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Like the mayor said, I don't think there's a reading town.

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Starting with the two students who read their poems, it's the energy just built from there.

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and we're not only getting in talking to the students

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and looking at them being excited about their writing,

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looking at here and all our vendors

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and knowing those kids and adults are gonna

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go home and read tonight.

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It's a very exciting look that momentum is great.

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Our school district and our school partners

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are gonna be encouraging and incentivizing

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tracking reading minutes, incentivizing reading

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for 20 minutes a day in school but also at home.

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And so they're really gonna be working on ways

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that we can actually log reading.

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We built, we designed open as a reading town

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because we knew that there's a lot of competing stuff

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for our attention, our phones, our lives.

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And so we know that one of the things we can do

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to get reading right is we can read more.

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So excited to be here today

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and our third annual lit fast.

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This is number 20 for families to come

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and celebrate their students reading and writing.

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And we have the Oakland Public Library

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giving away books.

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We have eat, learn, play, giving away back hacks.

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And we have food for families to come

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because we know they're gonna be here from four to six.

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and we all need to eat at yummy meals.

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I think every year we have tweaked it

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to really figure out the perfect combination

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of showcasing student writing,

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getting kids up on a stage

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where they can really be heard.

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This event is all about our kids.

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I think that the most important question

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is whether the kids feel celebrated today

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and feel the pride of Oakland that is in this space

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and know that what they read and what they write

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and how they grow matters to everybody who's here

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and to this whole city.

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We are the TCN Panthers, and I am so excited I'm here.

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Hi, I'm Lacey Lefkowitz, and I am a proud principal at Think College now.

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Our community was actually formed by families.

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Families who wanted to see their students and their families in college now.

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We have both art and science lab.

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Students can also spend time each week in the library, each month in the garden,

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And each week with our partner heroes where they have PE spaces, parents at

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the college now can expect a lot of different opportunities to engage.

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First, we have our three signature events.

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We have our literacy night where we celebrate our love of learning and our love of

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reading.

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Our second signature event is our unity night where we celebrate all of the wonderful

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cultures that come together.

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And number three is our Black Excellence Night where we further celebrate our

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community. We hope that you will all join us in our

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think college now community. You will be joining a legacy of

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families who have come together both to found this school and to continue

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to work to make sure that all of our students can be successful in

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college careers and beyond.

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I learned about the problems of the

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and reconstruction, and I learned how the community solved it.

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The engineer was John August then there was about a lot of laborers working on this.

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I felt the Golden Gate Bridge. I learned all of the different parts of the bridge.

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Incaples, cables, the roadway, and the towers, the wallets, edinburg, wildlife crossing on the 101 freeway in LA.

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It's only for wildlife and no humans can go on it. It has plants on the top so the animals can find stuff for their family.

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With larger projects, sometimes it can be hard for students to see that end goal because it can feel so far away and there's all of these tedious steps that they feel like they're doing to get to this like long term thing.

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So this was like our cumulative project our ELA module and the focus was informational text so students were learning research skills and how to look at different sources and kind of synthesize information and put it together.

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That said, I still was one of the best materials to build with because it's a used-to-home.

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But Burpland Bridge was the first steel suspension bridge in the world,

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and one of the longest steel suspension bridges at the time,

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standing at 6,016 feet.

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It was kind of scary, but since I did it with my team, it was like, wasn't that scary?

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They're nervous, it feels hard, but it's something special about doing a hard thing.

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It connects to their competence and realizing that they could do it.

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I learned that British take a long time to do, they help the community a lot and they help people cross over to their destinations.

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I never knew that inside, inside of the Brooklyn Bridge there's like, I think so a room, a museum, I'm pretty sure.

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It was like the most shop shop thing to me, because I never heard of it.

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But I think what is the most special time is it was this week, because it was really like the grind time,

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when they started to realize okay we're super close to our finish line and now we're gonna

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really like lock in as the kids would say how I built the bridge it was like at first my

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dad was like kind of building the sticks wrong kind of but we fixed it up I used a little

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cockable sticks and cardboard for the streets I think it when you accomplish anything big in life

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it makes it like when you come across other challenges those challenges don't seem as hard at

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I can take one step to accomplish in that.

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This is a lot to me because back then,

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that you felt like I was going to start it,

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like it could be on this slavery and what the hard times.

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And if you're here today,

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it's kind of writing and telling me that 100 year anniversary

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of not just human, everything's been happening.

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This event is important to me because our dancing,

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Few of the big audiences is just like for fun, but they have an inspired man for it.

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We need more programs like this, not just in February. The young people really get excited about being able to showcase their hard work,

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and I think it gives them a bigger sense of purpose.

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I get to express how I feel through dancing, and I get to tell them what my culture is.

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It was important to find out what makes young people even want to move.

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Words are really powerful because those words turn in the movement.

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You know, movement turns into bigger movement and then movement turns in the chain.

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The expanded learning arts programs and initiative that comes out of central office.

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And our goal is to provide our students with high quality arts instruction from Oakland

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based professional teaching artists. West Oak and Middle School has an a very good job. I

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feel that I feel like making sure we have that connection, especially through music and

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through dance. This collaboration is important and it reminds me a lot of hip hop. Hip

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hop is a collaboration. It's a collaboration of music, DJs, dancers, B boys, taggers, you know,

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spray painters. Dame, creating that track and then kind of like bringing Mari at one to the

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and like you know what can we do and the kids kind of like feel right into it.

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majority of the kids here do music and dance as well so it's not a hard

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transition for them to do that. But I think that that showed a positive

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collaboration which also passed down to them.

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Always learn something working with young people in general because they have a lot

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of creative ideas. They may not always have the technical abilities but the

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lens that they use to see the world is always something in the future and

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hopeful. Before I started the program I don't have much confidence because I

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to get bullied. But now I have my confidence. It's actually fun to run a new thing.

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I hope you learn that I'm good at making the beach.

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It's so cool. How good I can be at something wonderful in my mind.

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Students have an opportunity to learn how to conceptualize their ideas.

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They learn the tools of the train, whatever it is.

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I love that I can express myself in movement. I can laugh with my friends. And I love that I can, like, do an active activity, like, almost every day. It makes me excited to come to the school.

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This is my first time dancing like I never dance football. It's really wonderful. It's to be here. I learned a many dances.

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The elementary dance teachers and the elementary music teachers and the elementary arts teachers. Each of those groups gets to meet every single week.

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We call it PD but it's really more of a professional learning community. The whole focus of it is that teachers are learning from each other.

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I remember when I first got this position, one of the things I was really worried about was being on an island and being by Masa.

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If then I met Emily, and it was a gang-changer, I think the mentorship has been great, not just from Emily, but also from the other teachers and then getting to see their work and how it can influence what I do with my students is really helpful.

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being of first time teacher was very intense and overwhelming. I don't know what this would be,

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but it's sort of like corraling energy rather than trying to like pull like they already have

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so much and I'm just giving it structure. I felt like my eyes didn't know how to see all of the things

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that were going on in the room and to process it to be able to make a decision and I probably

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would have cried if it wasn't for the group. I was kind of nervous, but I

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don't do with it. I was still nervous, but I just love all the choreography

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and all of them move me.

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Any arts is a challenge to make it fit into a school culture. We created a dance

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framework, we created a vision for dance education, and then as we started to

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have positions that opened up, we were able to convince the powers of

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to turn, initially, one of them into a dance physician,

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very went from one teacher to two teachers to what do we have now

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to offer something that are doing elementary dance across our schools.

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My favorite part about being in this position class is performing and saying like

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poems and I love when she teaches us and she makes us laugh a lot.

432
00:37:44,940 --> 00:37:52,540
Sometimes she has a special guest or we're doing something special, like when I was

433
00:37:52,540 --> 00:38:01,820
our performance. I love dancing because it makes me feel happy and it brings me a motion.

434
00:38:02,300 --> 00:38:07,280
My philosophy for dance is really about building the students and building their character

435
00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:12,140
outside of dance. Among the discipline of dance and how that discipline can translate into

436
00:38:12,140 --> 00:38:18,040
other areas in Hawaii. So it's about how we can build the most people through dance.

437
00:38:26,340 --> 00:38:32,260
But for this program my attendance was okay. I really just like doing internships this

438
00:38:32,260 --> 00:38:35,740
stuff so I just want to post it and I just want to sign up for it for fun.

439
00:38:36,020 --> 00:38:41,380
Well I'm just really proud I happen to be at Calsomon, the home of the nights. Education opens

440
00:38:41,380 --> 00:38:47,440
the door to everything. Schools bring those opportunities to students, students bring

441
00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:53,240
opportunity to the community. Since 2015 we've been doing one iteration or another of the

442
00:38:53,240 --> 00:38:57,620
day counts at 10 this town. I just started with maybe 20 winners per year and then we've

443
00:38:57,620 --> 00:39:02,240
increased it up year over year because we believe in the power of spreading awareness in this

444
00:39:02,240 --> 00:39:07,560
way. The celebration today is to honor a student, Wendell and who won $500 for having near

445
00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:14,100
perfect attendance. Monica's students is not too late. School goes out away through May. We do this

446
00:39:14,100 --> 00:39:18,020
every month. Coming to school that's the only way that you can be considered.

447
00:39:22,700 --> 00:39:23,220
You've been

448
00:39:25,180 --> 00:39:30,690
We just believe in awarding people for going and showing up when there's a position

449
00:39:30,690 --> 00:39:32,510
I'm up and doing what they're supposed to do.

450
00:39:32,650 --> 00:39:36,770
School can help me get through and pass my accomplishments.

451
00:39:37,410 --> 00:39:41,850
If they get me to a further point in life, I'm getting closer to my dreams every day.

452
00:39:42,170 --> 00:39:45,490
I just feel like Yoshiko to school did that in good y'all learning.

453
00:39:46,550 --> 00:39:48,690
And yeah, it's going to take y'all somewhere like...

454
00:40:02,610 --> 00:40:08,130
My advice is to use back for others and listen to a door.

455
00:40:08,450 --> 00:40:10,810
Don't crash out. Try your best not to procrastinate.

456
00:40:11,210 --> 00:40:14,750
Do as much as you can. Listen to your peers and be nice to everyone.

457
00:40:15,050 --> 00:40:17,970
Focus and learn and if you feel you mind it, you can do anything you want.

458
00:40:18,550 --> 00:40:22,390
Keep trying and never give up. Believe in yourself and be chill.

459
00:40:22,750 --> 00:40:26,050
Never give up and keep working. Be yourself and make decisions.

460
00:40:26,770 --> 00:40:29,530
Believe in yourself that you could do anything you want.

461
00:40:29,590 --> 00:40:31,490
Never give up and keep on trying.

462
00:40:31,490 --> 00:40:37,110
Be mindful to a lot of people always communicate with your teachers because I wouldn't have gone here

463
00:40:37,110 --> 00:40:42,110
If I didn't communicate to my teachers that I needed help always listen to your teacher

464
00:40:42,110 --> 00:40:50,350
Be kind to others and be nice to people find a good group of friends people that are positive be good and listen to the teachers

465
00:40:50,350 --> 00:40:54,710
Just enjoy the year make friends get along with everyone. You all year homework

466
00:40:54,710 --> 00:41:00,330
This school you're I'm looking forward to keep taking college classes making new friends and learning stuff

467
00:41:00,330 --> 00:41:03,670
for myself to be smarter, making new friends

468
00:41:04,270 --> 00:41:05,870
and maintaining good grades.

469
00:41:06,250 --> 00:41:09,130
I show up to 60, I show up to learn.

470
00:41:09,590 --> 00:41:12,530
I show up to roll, I show up to be my desk.

471
00:41:12,850 --> 00:41:13,870
I show up for my future.

472
00:41:14,270 --> 00:41:15,490
We got work

473
00:41:21,150 --> 00:41:22,690
to take, we got

474
00:41:26,210 --> 00:41:26,250
work to take.

475
00:41:26,310 --> 00:41:26,530
We got work to take, we got work to take.

476
00:41:32,130 --> 00:41:35,110
I think we all kind of have these false narratives of,

477
00:41:35,330 --> 00:41:37,430
like, it's super hard, it's super bad.

478
00:41:38,010 --> 00:41:40,830
But it's only bad when you don't understand it.

479
00:41:40,950 --> 00:41:44,090
Media and money helps me focus a lot on budgeting.

480
00:41:44,090 --> 00:41:48,510
especially for filming and equipment and for future projects I want to do.

481
00:41:48,730 --> 00:41:54,470
It's not very commonly talked about on what you should do, how to invest in credit,

482
00:41:54,770 --> 00:42:00,590
and I appreciate how they are having a big awareness especially since we're younger,

483
00:42:01,250 --> 00:42:04,310
to teach us when we're ready when we're older.

484
00:42:04,570 --> 00:42:12,170
The attention behind the media and money conference was to provide resources to our students

485
00:42:12,170 --> 00:42:14,430
that normally aren't accessible to them.

486
00:42:14,630 --> 00:42:16,670
At youth be educate and power and employ.

487
00:42:16,990 --> 00:42:18,550
Essentially during the summer,

488
00:42:18,630 --> 00:42:19,490
they're getting educated.

489
00:42:20,010 --> 00:42:21,870
This conference is empowered.

490
00:42:22,470 --> 00:42:24,010
This is really a day for them to explore,

491
00:42:24,070 --> 00:42:25,870
to learn about the prepared ways that they could take,

492
00:42:25,990 --> 00:42:27,810
because high schools of time to try things out.

493
00:42:27,870 --> 00:42:29,610
The other piece is just a lot more practical

494
00:42:29,610 --> 00:42:31,750
of how they can prepare for any job

495
00:42:31,750 --> 00:42:32,730
and how they can be successful.

496
00:42:33,250 --> 00:42:35,370
So they need to know how to carry themselves confidently,

497
00:42:35,590 --> 00:42:37,190
how to tell a story from themselves

498
00:42:37,190 --> 00:42:38,150
in a job interview.

499
00:42:38,470 --> 00:42:40,730
We have a lot of talented students here

500
00:42:40,730 --> 00:42:45,810
that if given the right resources of given the right tools, they could be the next Ryan

501
00:42:45,810 --> 00:42:46,150
Kooler.

502
00:42:46,290 --> 00:42:51,490
It was just beautiful to see someone that young being so hungry and determined.

503
00:42:51,890 --> 00:42:53,630
This is a great community surrounding you.

504
00:42:54,170 --> 00:42:55,350
The confidence is key.

505
00:42:55,530 --> 00:42:59,390
I think we kind of both taught each other that today and one of my students that I had with

506
00:42:59,390 --> 00:43:02,770
me just having the confidence in what I've done or what he's done.

507
00:43:02,970 --> 00:43:04,390
By trade, I'm a financial planner.

508
00:43:04,570 --> 00:43:09,910
My role was really to educate them to give them the foundational information that I wish

509
00:43:09,910 --> 00:43:11,950
every kid would receive.

510
00:43:12,190 --> 00:43:15,410
You know, opportunities like this, this conference, particularly is,

511
00:43:15,410 --> 00:43:17,830
it's important to use not just an Oakland, but everywhere.

512
00:43:18,030 --> 00:43:21,930
There's all these financial parts of life that we need to explore.

513
00:43:22,290 --> 00:43:24,730
And that's a lot of what I explore to my sessions today.

514
00:43:24,930 --> 00:43:29,290
In our community, especially, there's not a lot of programs that teach you about finances.

515
00:43:29,710 --> 00:43:31,230
A lot of us are still figuring it out now.

516
00:43:31,270 --> 00:43:36,050
I think it's extremely important for the youth to get a head start on managing money well

517
00:43:36,050 --> 00:43:39,650
and knowing how to operate media because we're moving into the digital world.

518
00:43:39,650 --> 00:43:41,730
or everything is medias.

519
00:43:41,730 --> 00:43:44,530
The media and many conferences is definitely with your parents,

520
00:43:44,810 --> 00:43:46,930
both future, because my money hit the Westfield

521
00:43:46,930 --> 00:43:48,330
are not that good right now.

522
00:43:48,470 --> 00:43:50,810
And there are definitely tissue in the head of my money

523
00:43:50,810 --> 00:43:52,250
and like, where to head of my money?

524
00:43:52,730 --> 00:43:54,630
Yeah, I think I have this sort of future of like,

525
00:43:54,630 --> 00:43:57,510
you students to like sort of my what path

526
00:43:57,510 --> 00:43:59,070
we need to go to get to this certain level

527
00:43:59,070 --> 00:44:00,090
that they want to be at.

528
00:44:00,370 --> 00:44:01,770
And like, have a overall good,

529
00:44:01,770 --> 00:44:03,810
like, structure of finance for like, when they grow up.

530
00:44:03,910 --> 00:44:06,290
We got over 100 folks here that are attending today,

531
00:44:06,450 --> 00:44:08,150
helping get this event, go in.

532
00:44:08,150 --> 00:44:14,010
We have approximately 71 students that's comprised of our alumni plus some of our students

533
00:44:14,010 --> 00:44:15,650
who attend their curriculum program.

534
00:44:16,010 --> 00:44:23,210
We have about 22 volunteers, 18 staff members, the more the better, the more individuals

535
00:44:23,210 --> 00:44:28,130
that we have volunteering, the more career exploration opportunities we can offer, the more

536
00:44:28,130 --> 00:44:30,950
interviews we can do, the more students we can invite.

537
00:44:31,490 --> 00:44:37,250
Ideally, this becomes an Oakland thing that we can have available to the community.

538
00:44:37,730 --> 00:44:40,410
And in order to do that, it's going to take a village.

539
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:05,880
15 years, nine years at MPA primary. First, as a teacher, and now as a principal.

540
00:45:06,620 --> 00:45:13,860
I had some amazing, amazing educational experiences throughout Oakland, Unified School District,

541
00:45:14,420 --> 00:45:19,260
and it built my character and it made me resilient, and it's a big part of who I am today.

542
00:45:19,560 --> 00:45:25,220
We have a safe, fun, welcome and tight knit community environment here at MPA.

543
00:45:25,220 --> 00:45:33,180
families are a big part of our environment, our community, and our decision-making, and in

544
00:45:33,180 --> 00:45:37,240
today we offer opportunities beyond the classroom.

545
00:45:37,940 --> 00:45:44,640
We have academic support and tutoring, support, full-pantry, a digital arts prep, a brand

546
00:45:44,640 --> 00:45:50,400
new beautiful library, a community, and team building activities, and still trips for

547
00:45:51,380 --> 00:45:57,380
We're all up at a time where my parents can always provide a strong educational foundation.

548
00:45:57,980 --> 00:46:06,240
I grew up with wonderful teachers throughout Oakland who showed me love, who showed me structure, and of the least in myself.

549
00:46:06,680 --> 00:46:11,240
Specifically, I started fourth grade with Ms. Brure at Golden Gate of America.

550
00:46:11,240 --> 00:46:17,980
She recognized that I was brilliant, that I was different, but I also had Lee.

551
00:46:18,240 --> 00:46:27,180
She was overall just my role model and still my role model could have said, and he shows up in the work that I do every single day.

552
00:46:34,240 --> 00:46:34,740
He's great.

553
00:46:36,100 --> 00:46:37,180
I'm going to teach him.

554
00:46:43,710 --> 00:46:47,550
We are the TCN Panthers, and I am so excited I'm here.

555
00:46:47,950 --> 00:46:52,250
Hi, I'm Lacey Loughwoods, and I am a proud principal at Think College now.

556
00:46:52,250 --> 00:47:01,110
Our community was actually formed by families, families who wanted to see their students and their families in college now.

557
00:47:01,170 --> 00:47:10,210
We have both art and a science lab. Students can also spend time each week in the library, each month in the garden,

558
00:47:10,830 --> 00:47:20,410
and each week with our partner heroes where they have PE spaces. Parents at the college now can expect a lot of different opportunities to engage.

559
00:47:20,410 --> 00:47:27,870
First, we have our three signature events, we have our literacy night, where we celebrate our love of learning and our love of reading.

560
00:47:28,410 --> 00:47:34,410
Our second signature event is our unity night, where we celebrate all of the wonderful cultures that come together.

561
00:47:35,010 --> 00:47:39,450
And number three is our Black Excellence Night, where we further celebrate our community.

562
00:47:39,890 --> 00:47:44,850
We hope that you all join us in our thank college now community.

563
00:47:44,850 --> 00:47:50,190
you will be joining a legacy of families who have come together, both to

564
00:47:50,190 --> 00:47:54,510
found this school and to continue to work to make sure that all of our

565
00:47:54,510 --> 00:47:59,290
students can be successful in college careers and beyond.

566
00:48:18,250 --> 00:48:21,830
I'm Dr. Lucinda Taylor, Principal of West Lake Middle School.

567
00:48:21,970 --> 00:48:27,350
I feel like my work is still important, changing the lives of black and brown kids in

568
00:48:27,350 --> 00:48:27,650
Oakland.

569
00:48:28,210 --> 00:48:32,870
We're here to make another impact in Oakland in a way that creates leaders

570
00:48:32,870 --> 00:48:38,410
at politicians, doctors, lawyers, the focus here at West Lake this year and in the years

571
00:48:38,410 --> 00:48:44,410
come will be to increase the literacy scores of our students and so we have a beautiful

572
00:48:44,410 --> 00:48:52,470
full service library with a librarian, a writer's room. West Lake also hosts a merit of athletic

573
00:48:52,470 --> 00:49:00,230
programs. We have sports like volleyball, track and field basketball, tennis, soccer for our students

574
00:49:00,230 --> 00:49:08,410
participate in during our sports program. All right, here at West Lake, West Lake also hosts

575
00:49:08,410 --> 00:49:14,870
a number of Vapa classes, which includes digital media. It includes banned. It includes art.

576
00:49:15,030 --> 00:49:21,290
It includes choir and a host of other opportunities for our students to engage in the arts

577
00:49:21,290 --> 00:49:28,190
in the way that makes them young and free and fresh. Some of the interest that our students have

578
00:49:28,190 --> 00:49:30,290
where they're very passionate are our clubs.

579
00:49:30,670 --> 00:49:33,090
And one of them is Robotics this year.

580
00:49:33,350 --> 00:49:36,430
Our students competed in the district wide challenge,

581
00:49:36,770 --> 00:49:38,670
but we have a variety of clubs,

582
00:49:39,090 --> 00:49:41,570
including cooking, barbershop.

583
00:49:41,790 --> 00:49:44,710
We actually have math and reading clubs

584
00:49:44,710 --> 00:49:50,530
and a host of LGBTQ and personalized clubs right here at West Lake.

585
00:49:50,650 --> 00:49:52,370
So with about 30 years in Oakland,

586
00:49:52,630 --> 00:49:54,790
I am here at West Lake to create conditions

587
00:49:54,790 --> 00:49:57,510
for our students to be excellent readers

588
00:49:57,510 --> 00:49:59,910
and writers, and be able to compete global.

589
00:50:00,140 --> 00:50:09,060
So our focus is creating conditions in the classrooms, hiring qualified teachers to match the energy of our students and make sure that they are prepared.

590
00:50:09,720 --> 00:50:16,800
Our attendance is up, our discipline is down, and that's all because we know that restorative justice works.

591
00:50:17,320 --> 00:50:22,040
And it's about surrounding them with people who care and actually love them.

592
00:50:28,480 --> 00:50:31,780
He's great in the whole city of Michigan.

593
00:50:36,940 --> 00:50:37,400
A

594
00:51:27,990 --> 00:51:32,590
Stokeland is an integral and valued part of the city with a long and rich history.

595
00:51:32,790 --> 00:51:36,210
It includes the city's oldest school, Prescott Elementary,

596
00:51:36,950 --> 00:51:41,430
and the historic school of Champions, Le Climins High, and numerous others.

597
00:51:41,850 --> 00:51:43,330
We're underneath one of his solar cannabis.

598
00:51:43,630 --> 00:51:49,030
It's really fulfilling our promise to the community around creating a sustainable future for our kids.

599
00:51:49,030 --> 00:51:53,950
from early childhood investments to elementary, to middle and then to high school.

600
00:51:54,110 --> 00:52:00,830
This is a coordinated effort to be able to ensure complete investment in the full pathway for our students in West Auckland.

601
00:52:01,210 --> 00:52:06,010
My favorite part is like the loose lights. There's three now. It used to be like only two.

602
00:52:06,150 --> 00:52:09,470
It is more colorful. Now they can see like who we are like, do we?

603
00:52:09,710 --> 00:52:13,770
The winners have been an issue here since I've been here for the last 10 years.

604
00:52:13,950 --> 00:52:19,010
You see students appreciate it. It doesn't feel as hot. There's an obvious difference in the heat.

605
00:52:19,010 --> 00:52:23,650
Now that we finally got blinds, that's been helpful too to be able to block out some of the

606
00:52:23,650 --> 00:52:28,270
sun. And then visually, it's impacting students because it looks nice. The windows look good,

607
00:52:28,270 --> 00:52:34,490
it looks new. It feels like it's bringing more like a good energy. What was missing was a of just

608
00:52:34,490 --> 00:52:39,010
kids motivated to even want to come outside to play. So Martin Luther King Jr. students,

609
00:52:39,810 --> 00:52:48,990
the impact of the new yarr shows that everybody cares about them. There's just like kind of

610
00:52:48,990 --> 00:52:51,950
facilities to do it with is a huge difference.

611
00:52:52,390 --> 00:52:55,330
Our investment at McClimans is transformational.

612
00:52:55,630 --> 00:53:02,050
I'm so excited to be delivering a project at McClimans that honors the legacy of incredible people

613
00:53:02,050 --> 00:53:06,450
who have been students and community members and staff at McClimans.

614
00:53:06,550 --> 00:53:12,110
We're launching a nearly $100 million investment in West Oakland and specifically McClimans.

615
00:53:12,170 --> 00:53:16,510
It started with the naming of the gym and honoring the legacy of Bill Russell,

616
00:53:16,510 --> 00:53:21,090
But now it'll be a full modernization of the school that will be breaking around the spring

617
00:53:21,090 --> 00:53:25,990
So we're really excited about that project because it's a cornerstone in the West Oakland community

618
00:53:25,990 --> 00:53:29,830
I'm excited because I'm a local kid. I grew up here. I went to

619
00:53:30,590 --> 00:53:35,650
Lafayette elementary. I went to low middle school and then came here about my ninth and 10th grade year

620
00:53:35,650 --> 00:53:40,390
So coming back to the neighborhood and given back just just coming back home

621
00:53:40,390 --> 00:53:44,910
You know to where I was raised no one the community knowing people was I was excited when you get a new house

622
00:53:44,910 --> 00:53:49,510
on new bicycle, which has just done something for you and motivates you and so

623
00:53:49,510 --> 00:53:54,350
having a new place to come to, it says new smell is a newness about it and

624
00:53:54,350 --> 00:53:58,530
people want to take care of it. These projects ultimately create safe,

625
00:53:58,910 --> 00:54:03,270
welcoming and high quality learning environments that also strengthen schools

626
00:54:03,270 --> 00:54:08,010
as neighborhood anchors and serve the community beyond the school day.

627
00:54:33,350 --> 00:54:37,770
Different people come in and I get painted different colors. I get

628
00:54:37,770 --> 00:54:42,650
I get cleaned, I get new furniture, but I stay in the same spot in the city.

629
00:54:43,030 --> 00:54:50,050
If you use up the moon to make macaroni and cheese, the stars will come together to make a new moon.

630
00:54:50,270 --> 00:54:51,630
I felt that it was fun.

631
00:54:52,070 --> 00:54:54,830
I usually just read at school, reading is fun.

632
00:54:54,910 --> 00:54:58,670
I got a lot of good books in the library.

633
00:54:59,050 --> 00:54:59,970
To see our students exist.

634
00:55:00,000 --> 00:55:21,380
Excited about it is incredible. Oh, this is an exciting moment for me personally. I know reading is everything and to have the whole city focused on reading, a coalition of people coming together at every level from birth to adults, making the connection to reading with your health, with your body, with joy.

635
00:55:21,380 --> 00:55:26,700
I'm here today to really announce that Oakland is a reading town and the spot are young people.

636
00:55:26,980 --> 00:55:32,920
Our young people deserve to be able to be able to be literate and to be able to read and write.

637
00:55:33,260 --> 00:55:37,880
It's their future and we have a duty and responsibility to partner with the still district.

638
00:55:38,220 --> 00:55:39,740
So this is a citywide effort.

639
00:55:39,860 --> 00:55:40,780
It looks like Spencer.

640
00:55:41,180 --> 00:55:44,280
I like events like this so we can come and get free books.

641
00:55:44,280 --> 00:55:45,800
I think books should be accessible.

642
00:55:45,800 --> 00:55:52,560
being the community and celebrating education, literacy, get some bugs and just

643
00:55:52,560 --> 00:55:56,640
continue this beautiful vibe of the Oakland Unified School District.

644
00:55:56,960 --> 00:56:00,560
I'm a former reading teacher. So that's why I'm excited to be here. I love books,

645
00:56:01,460 --> 00:56:05,240
like the Mayor Staddleton is a reading town. Starting with the two students who read

646
00:56:05,240 --> 00:56:09,700
their poems, it's the energy just felt from there. Going in and talking to the students and

647
00:56:09,700 --> 00:56:14,240
looking at them being excited about their writing, looking at here are our vendors and knowing

648
00:56:14,240 --> 00:56:19,180
kids and adults are going to go home and read tonight. It's a very exciting look that momentum is great.

649
00:56:19,460 --> 00:56:23,640
Our school district and our school partners are going to be encouraging and incentivizing

650
00:56:23,640 --> 00:56:30,320
tracking reading minutes and incentivizing reading for 20 minutes a day in school but also at home.

651
00:56:30,540 --> 00:56:36,180
And so they're really going to be working on ways that we can actually log reading. We built. We

652
00:56:36,180 --> 00:56:40,980
designed open as a reading town because we knew that there's a lot of competing stuff for our

653
00:56:40,980 --> 00:56:46,360
our phones, our lives, and so we know that one of the things we can do to get reading

654
00:56:46,360 --> 00:56:51,300
right is we can read more. So excited to be here today in our third annual live fast.

655
00:56:51,340 --> 00:56:55,260
This is number 20 for families to come and celebrate their students reading and writing.

656
00:56:55,620 --> 00:56:59,680
And we have the Oakland Public Library giving away books. We have eat, learn, play,

657
00:56:59,880 --> 00:57:04,480
giving away backpack. And we have food for families to come because we know they're

658
00:57:04,480 --> 00:57:08,600
going to be here from four to six. And we all need to eat at yummy meal. I think every year

659
00:57:08,600 --> 00:57:15,020
we have tweaked it to really figure out the perfect combination of showcasing student writing,

660
00:57:15,380 --> 00:57:17,840
getting kids up on a stage where they can really be heard.

661
00:57:18,080 --> 00:57:22,820
This event is all about our kids, but I think that the most important question is whether

662
00:57:22,820 --> 00:57:29,380
the kids feel celebrated today and feel the pride of Oakland that is in this space and know

663
00:57:29,380 --> 00:57:34,020
that what they read and what they write and how they grow matters to everybody who's here

664
00:57:34,020 --> 00:57:35,480
into this whole city.

665
00:57:48,010 --> 00:57:50,150
This is a lot to me, because back then,

666
00:57:50,250 --> 00:57:52,030
that you felt black as we must start it,

667
00:57:52,090 --> 00:57:55,170
black security and slavery, and what the hard times.

668
00:57:55,990 --> 00:57:56,930
And if you're here today,

669
00:57:57,090 --> 00:58:00,730
you've got a great mentality that 100 year anniversary.

670
00:58:01,750 --> 00:58:03,030
I'm not used to it.

671
00:58:03,290 --> 00:58:04,110
Every year's been happening.

672
00:58:05,950 --> 00:58:09,670
This event is important to me, because our dancing,

673
00:58:09,830 --> 00:58:12,410
a few of this thing our dance is just like for fun.

674
00:58:12,410 --> 00:58:16,310
But they have like, it's fireman for it.

675
00:58:16,450 --> 00:58:19,990
We need more programs like this, not just in February.

676
00:58:20,270 --> 00:58:26,510
The young people really get excited about being able to showcase their hard work.

677
00:58:26,870 --> 00:58:29,730
And I think it gives them a bigger sense of purpose.

678
00:58:30,510 --> 00:58:33,630
I get to express how I feel through dancing.

679
00:58:33,910 --> 00:58:36,610
And I get to tell them what my culture is.

680
00:58:36,790 --> 00:58:41,550
It was important to find out what makes young people even want to move.

681
00:58:41,550 --> 00:58:46,010
words are really powerful because those words turn in the movement, you know,

682
00:58:46,350 --> 00:58:49,930
move it, turns into bigger movement, and then movement turns in the chain.

683
00:58:50,090 --> 00:58:55,130
The expanded learning arts programs and initiatives that comes out of central office.

684
00:58:55,590 --> 00:59:00,870
And our goal is to provide our students with high quality arts instruction

685
00:59:01,850 --> 00:59:05,310
from Oakland-based professional teaching artists.

686
00:59:05,650 --> 00:59:10,330
West Oakland Middle School has an a very good job. I feel like, make sure we have

687
00:59:10,330 --> 00:59:12,730
connections, especially through music and through dance.

688
00:59:12,830 --> 00:59:16,810
This collaboration is important and it reminds me a lot of hip-hop.

689
00:59:16,830 --> 00:59:21,970
Hip-hop is a collaboration, it's a collaboration of music, DJs, dancers,

690
00:59:22,210 --> 00:59:25,170
B-boys, taggers, spray painters.

691
00:59:25,930 --> 00:59:31,210
Dame creating that track and then bringing Marty on to the phone and being like,

692
00:59:31,530 --> 00:59:33,750
what can we do when the kids kind of feel right into it.

693
00:59:33,830 --> 00:59:36,690
Majority of the kids here do music and dance as well, so it's not a hard

694
00:59:37,650 --> 00:59:40,190
but I think that that showed a positive collaboration

695
00:59:40,190 --> 00:59:41,590
which also passed down today.

696
00:59:41,830 --> 00:59:44,830
Always learn something, working with young people in general

697
00:59:44,830 --> 00:59:47,030
because they have a lot of creative ideas.

698
00:59:47,510 --> 00:59:49,370
They may not always have the technical abilities,

699
00:59:49,870 --> 00:59:52,390
but the lens that they use to see the world

700
00:59:52,390 --> 00:59:55,050
is always something in the future and hopeful.

701
00:59:55,550 --> 00:59:57,510
Before I started the program,

702
00:59:57,910 --> 00:59:59,870
I don't have much confidence because I like to get bullied.

703
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:04,300
But now, I have my confidence, it's actually fun to learn anything.

704
01:00:05,100 --> 01:00:11,840
I hope you learned that I'm good at making beats, and show, how good I can be at something I'm going to learn from my mind.

705
01:00:12,540 --> 01:00:19,040
Students have an opportunity to learn how to conceptualize their ideas. They learn the tools of the train.

706
01:00:19,160 --> 01:00:26,360
Whatever it is, if it's fancy, if it's visual arts, everybody may not be a dancer, if they may not be with the music, you know what I mean?

707
01:00:26,800 --> 01:00:28,320
So it's important to bring them both together.

708
01:00:40,280 --> 01:00:45,120
Hello, my name is Emerald Smith, and I'm a senior at Casimal High School.

709
01:00:45,420 --> 01:00:51,540
After graduation, I'm currently committed to University of Michigan for cheer, and I'm

710
01:00:51,540 --> 01:00:52,460
majoring in psychology.

711
01:00:53,040 --> 01:00:57,500
I'm always excited to just be on my own really and being a whole different new environment.

712
01:00:57,860 --> 01:00:58,820
It's going to be something different.

713
01:00:58,840 --> 01:00:59,760
It's going to be challenging.

714
01:00:59,960 --> 01:01:01,120
And I've up for the challenge.

715
01:01:01,200 --> 01:01:02,940
I was out of private school before this.

716
01:01:03,020 --> 01:01:07,720
When I came to Casimal, they pushed for black excellence and pushed for people of my color

717
01:01:07,720 --> 01:01:09,680
and Brown people to be great,

718
01:01:09,720 --> 01:01:12,280
and that's like something that really inspired me.

719
01:01:12,420 --> 01:01:14,540
One of the most memorable experience

720
01:01:14,540 --> 01:01:17,520
I've just been at Casemar is being on the shoot team

721
01:01:17,520 --> 01:01:18,920
and going to all the games.

722
01:01:19,040 --> 01:01:21,620
Homecoming specifically were all the lungs come out

723
01:01:21,620 --> 01:01:22,980
and they do cheer with us.

724
01:01:23,040 --> 01:01:25,440
That's like something that was so life changing.

725
01:01:25,980 --> 01:01:27,240
All the little different types of clubs

726
01:01:27,240 --> 01:01:29,900
that I join, feels or all like small things

727
01:01:29,900 --> 01:01:33,820
that really were a fun, but also everything was community-based

728
01:01:33,820 --> 01:01:35,060
and I was like really cool to do.

729
01:01:35,060 --> 01:01:44,640
Just remember who you are, don't be like scared to change and don't be afraid to stand out because I know sometimes that can be challenging

730
01:01:44,640 --> 01:01:51,060
Série to get out of your comfort zone. Enjoy the moment, use your resources and don't be afraid to change

731
01:01:51,060 --> 01:01:55,160
environment that's going to better suit you like I'd had to change from five

732
01:01:55,160 --> 01:01:59,200
it's called a public school which is very drastic but honestly I would say it was the

733
01:01:59,200 --> 01:02:00,500
best thing I can ever make.

734
01:02:12,680 --> 01:02:16,100
I feel very happy when I'm out there dancing it makes me happy

735
01:02:16,100 --> 01:02:21,480
and makes me smile. I made more friends I got to connect with people because of dance

736
01:02:21,480 --> 01:02:29,380
who got to do dances together I got to do a solo. It's kind of scary and nerve-wracking but

737
01:02:29,380 --> 01:02:34,440
you can use to it the more you do it. So what Bell made to the program first is because

738
01:02:34,440 --> 01:02:39,860
my best friend, she was asking me if I wanted to join dad. My English wasn't good at that

739
01:02:39,860 --> 01:02:45,880
moment, so I was like, I don't understand what you're saying. But I said yes, and then I joined and it

740
01:02:45,880 --> 01:02:52,660
was pretty good and one makes me want to stay all the time. My desk is really nice. To be teaching

741
01:02:52,660 --> 01:02:56,680
here in West Oakland is like a really, really, really big deal for me, if the students need it,

742
01:02:56,680 --> 01:02:59,920
outlet. You can't teach everything. One thing we do not teach is

743
01:02:59,920 --> 01:03:02,600
test. We want to make sure that when they join dance they understood

744
01:03:02,600 --> 01:03:05,820
that we are family. I do a couple of dances. Some dances I just

745
01:03:05,820 --> 01:03:10,840
come in for parts. I performed a lot in like a band. I performed a lot

746
01:03:10,840 --> 01:03:15,600
already. But dance is like my first year in dance. So it was kind of

747
01:03:15,600 --> 01:03:19,420
it was like a first time but I felt a little bit more confident. I say

748
01:03:19,420 --> 01:03:24,160
it's a good way to try something new. It's something to it's good to keep

749
01:03:24,160 --> 01:03:25,640
to remind off the other things.

750
01:03:25,940 --> 01:03:27,420
We collaborate, we try to collaborate,

751
01:03:27,680 --> 01:03:29,720
and also this fossil, even if we're not dancing

752
01:03:29,720 --> 01:03:31,520
and doing bad at the same time.

753
01:03:31,620 --> 01:03:36,460
Mr. Stern is a big, big, huge part of how

754
01:03:36,460 --> 01:03:38,400
and why we keep coming back.

755
01:03:38,780 --> 01:03:39,920
This is our winter concert.

756
01:03:40,180 --> 01:03:41,420
You would have to ask them what it's like

757
01:03:41,420 --> 01:03:44,940
to perform in front of everybody, but I think that for me,

758
01:03:45,080 --> 01:03:46,680
it's just, I feel really humbled

759
01:03:46,680 --> 01:03:47,820
that I get to work with these people.

760
01:03:48,420 --> 01:03:51,320
Some of these young people are, we have some real musicians

761
01:03:51,320 --> 01:03:51,920
in this group.

762
01:03:51,920 --> 01:03:56,180
The philosophy with our program is like show up and participate and do your best.

763
01:03:56,440 --> 01:03:57,940
That's how you get an A in the class.

764
01:03:58,160 --> 01:04:01,360
You just show up in class and you're kind of other people and you're participating in doing

765
01:04:01,360 --> 01:04:01,960
your best.

766
01:04:02,420 --> 01:04:03,420
Again, it's not about talent.

767
01:04:03,600 --> 01:04:06,000
It's just about the effort you're putting in and how you show up.

768
01:04:06,300 --> 01:04:07,880
It's a band so we're a team.

769
01:04:07,980 --> 01:04:12,580
We have students who put in a lot of effort and try and practice and learn about reading

770
01:04:12,580 --> 01:04:13,600
music and all that.

771
01:04:13,620 --> 01:04:15,260
The vibe in our classroom is really good.

772
01:04:15,540 --> 01:04:21,140
Our first update jump it, but I didn't really enjoy playing so I switched to saxophone.

773
01:04:21,140 --> 01:04:23,760
And it's really nice. I love it.

774
01:04:24,000 --> 01:04:29,080
I was really proud of myself because I learned to play a song with saxophone in three days.

775
01:04:29,560 --> 01:04:34,500
Like I just, like, I learned it at the beginning of the stressful, and I was scary all the time.

776
01:04:34,800 --> 01:04:38,460
But then now, I feel like I feel really confident.

777
01:04:38,800 --> 01:04:42,440
It's still a little bit stressful, but once you're on stage, you just enjoy yourself.

778
01:04:42,780 --> 01:04:47,880
I perform saxophone, and my favorite song was Tom's Diet.

779
01:04:47,880 --> 01:04:56,140
Because I get to start this song and also I get to just kind of play around with the notes and like

780
01:04:56,860 --> 01:04:59,060
Customize it to my own like I

781
01:05:20,560 --> 01:05:28,580
The students here are the way it feels to perform with them is I feel super blessed and I feel honored and I feel humbled to perform with them.

782
01:05:28,580 --> 01:05:33,920
Like I said, some of these students are really talented, really musical, and they're surpassing

783
01:05:33,920 --> 01:05:35,880
what I can do in this case, which is great.

784
01:05:36,060 --> 01:05:38,680
I tell students all the time, when I need to substitute, I'm going to talk to you.

785
01:05:39,160 --> 01:05:43,300
I definitely would suggest coming to West Oklahoma Middle School, so that you can have fun,

786
01:05:43,320 --> 01:05:46,600
make more fun, and just get to build your community.

787
01:06:02,150 --> 01:06:06,050
Like things like this are so important, because when you ask questions of the kid,

788
01:06:06,050 --> 01:06:09,410
do you feel seen now? Like, that's not only any of the flyers.

789
01:06:11,570 --> 01:06:16,650
Open California is one of the richest diversity pockets in the entire state.

790
01:06:16,870 --> 01:06:21,850
And there are a lot of resources, but none of those resources specifically look at honoring

791
01:06:21,850 --> 01:06:27,610
the diversity of the community. Our equity initiative is really geared around creating

792
01:06:28,370 --> 01:06:35,710
affinity spaces for use in after school and creating skill building spaces. Again, that

793
01:06:35,710 --> 01:06:40,590
been either cost prohibitive or just not available to people who are heavily impacted by societal

794
01:06:41,110 --> 01:06:46,970
injustice. It's not just adults teaching young people. It's adults and young people coming together

795
01:06:46,970 --> 01:06:51,810
in community and learning in community. Home is the best word to describe it. It's like I said

796
01:06:51,810 --> 01:06:57,890
it's a safe place. And it's an open program. It is really a matter of which you are. It gets a

797
01:06:57,890 --> 01:07:04,650
learning of our culture. We bring them in and tell them hey it's okay. So we do activities around

798
01:07:04,650 --> 01:07:14,030
Pacific Islander history, having programs such as ours helps students to navigate those two worlds.

799
01:07:14,370 --> 01:07:17,690
One of the activities I do in my class means that therapy is music jeopardy.

800
01:07:17,830 --> 01:07:19,890
They get to dance, they get to be free, they get to be loose.

801
01:07:19,990 --> 01:07:22,970
My favorite memory is our check-ins.

802
01:07:24,850 --> 01:07:27,370
Antisaries, youth developments, asset and building,

803
01:07:27,930 --> 01:07:29,530
program that is non-judgemental,

804
01:07:30,170 --> 01:07:32,250
of self-assassation, women and girls.

805
01:07:32,250 --> 01:07:40,150
This program tells me being more myself by really listening to what I say and do without judgment.

806
01:07:41,230 --> 01:07:48,170
Programs are a bunch of rare and important for young women and girls in Oakland because it's what we call a sad space.

807
01:07:48,530 --> 01:07:54,010
It's not school. It's not home. It's a non-judgmental space. It's safe.

808
01:07:54,290 --> 01:08:01,270
Expanding these programs in Oakland is important because it gives students a safe space and they feel welcomed.

809
01:08:01,270 --> 01:08:07,890
Many of our students this year were first-time photocletic audancers had never danced anything a year ago April.

810
01:08:08,770 --> 01:08:14,570
And I have seen them grow as a dancer, but also their confidence has really been growing.

811
01:08:14,930 --> 01:08:22,670
It's like a really nice way for us to showcase our culture, our history, like do costumes through music and do dancing styles.

812
01:08:22,830 --> 01:08:25,370
It gives me the reason to attend school.

813
01:08:25,370 --> 01:08:31,070
want to be here more and more often in another quality way other than academics.

814
01:08:31,610 --> 01:08:36,090
The positive representation this group makes me very proud to be a Latina and to be around

815
01:08:36,090 --> 01:08:42,570
the Latina's. Yeah, just very proud to be Hawaiian. I teach the AMA class at Loro Elementary,

816
01:08:43,850 --> 01:08:49,510
but self-value is actually where we had to start. We kind of had to take a couple steps back to

817
01:08:49,510 --> 01:08:54,510
finding who they are and that who they are matters.

818
01:08:55,290 --> 01:08:56,650
Vinny, good evening.

819
01:08:56,770 --> 01:08:57,610
It's a good evening. It's a good evening.

820
01:08:57,730 --> 01:09:01,250
I recommend this to lots of schools.

821
01:09:01,730 --> 01:09:02,770
We did a crowd budget.

822
01:09:02,930 --> 01:09:05,310
Something that we did inside the country was writing

823
01:09:05,310 --> 01:09:07,350
info on letters to them.

824
01:09:07,730 --> 01:09:10,510
I did one to my mom and I was writing

825
01:09:10,510 --> 01:09:12,570
how deep I am for she does.

826
01:09:13,290 --> 01:09:17,430
We work with a variety of community-based partners here in Oaklet

827
01:09:17,430 --> 01:09:23,930
to really bring in these enrichment opportunities to students again at no cost.

828
01:09:24,230 --> 01:09:29,610
There's power when these affinity spaces are used effectively.

829
01:09:30,330 --> 01:09:35,910
So many young people are faced with this monolith of dominant culture.

830
01:09:36,850 --> 01:09:40,330
And a lot of that means for them to shed everything that connects them to home.

831
01:09:40,610 --> 01:09:42,810
Like there's some great things about being from Oakland.

832
01:09:42,990 --> 01:09:44,670
There's some great things about my culture.

833
01:09:44,670 --> 01:09:56,890
But I don't have to have this like this tug of war between the two our program allows and gives opportunities for students to explore both sides.

834
01:10:08,010 --> 01:10:08,570
I

835
01:10:14,170 --> 01:10:30,470
think we all kind of have this false narrative of like, it's super hard, credit, super bad, but it's only bad when you don't understand it. Media and money helps me focus a lot on budgeting, especially for filming, equipment and for future projects I want to do.

836
01:10:30,470 --> 01:10:36,450
It's not very commonly talked about on what you should do, how to invest in credit,

837
01:10:36,770 --> 01:10:42,590
and I appreciate how they're having a big awareness, especially since we're younger,

838
01:10:43,210 --> 01:10:46,310
to teach us when we're ready when we're older.

839
01:10:46,590 --> 01:10:54,150
The attention behind the media and money conference was to provide resources to our students

840
01:10:54,150 --> 01:10:56,390
that normally aren't accessible to them.

841
01:10:56,390 --> 01:10:58,690
at youth beat, educate, empower, and employ.

842
01:10:59,010 --> 01:11:01,510
Essentially during the summer, they're getting educated.

843
01:11:02,070 --> 01:11:03,890
This conference is empowered.

844
01:11:04,470 --> 01:11:06,650
This is really a day for them to explore, to learn about

845
01:11:06,650 --> 01:11:07,910
the prepared pathways that they could take,

846
01:11:08,010 --> 01:11:09,850
because high schools at times have tried things out.

847
01:11:09,910 --> 01:11:11,670
The other piece is just a lot more practical

848
01:11:11,670 --> 01:11:13,790
of how they can prepare for any job,

849
01:11:13,930 --> 01:11:14,790
and how they can be successful.

850
01:11:15,390 --> 01:11:17,390
So they need to know how to carry themselves confidently,

851
01:11:17,630 --> 01:11:20,150
how to tell a story from themselves in a job interview.

852
01:11:20,510 --> 01:11:23,650
We have a lot of talented students here that

853
01:11:23,650 --> 01:11:26,850
if given the right resources of given the right tools,

854
01:11:27,150 --> 01:11:28,190
they could be the next Ryan Kooler.

855
01:11:28,310 --> 01:11:30,790
It was just beautiful to see someone that young,

856
01:11:31,130 --> 01:11:33,530
being so hungry and determined.

857
01:11:33,930 --> 01:11:35,690
This is a great community surrounding you.

858
01:11:36,230 --> 01:11:37,390
The confidence is key.

859
01:11:37,570 --> 01:11:39,450
I think we kind of both taught each other that today

860
01:11:39,450 --> 01:11:41,790
and one of my students that I had with me.

861
01:11:41,910 --> 01:11:43,670
This is having the confidence in what I've done

862
01:11:43,670 --> 01:11:44,790
or what he's done.

863
01:11:44,970 --> 01:11:46,390
By trade, I'm a financial planner.

864
01:11:46,610 --> 01:11:48,650
It's my role was really to educate them

865
01:11:48,650 --> 01:11:50,990
to give them the foundational information

866
01:11:50,990 --> 01:11:53,910
that I wish every kid would receive.

867
01:11:54,290 --> 01:11:55,430
You know, opportunities like this,

868
01:11:55,610 --> 01:11:58,430
this conference particularly is it's important to use,

869
01:11:58,470 --> 01:11:59,870
not just in Oakland, but everywhere.

870
01:12:00,090 --> 01:12:02,250
There's all these financial parts of life

871
01:12:02,250 --> 01:12:05,710
that we need to explore and that's a lot of what I explore

872
01:12:05,710 --> 01:12:06,790
to my sessions today.

873
01:12:07,050 --> 01:12:09,770
In our community, especially, there's not a lot of programs

874
01:12:09,770 --> 01:12:11,330
that teach you about finances.

875
01:12:11,770 --> 01:12:13,230
A lot of us are still figuring it out now.

876
01:12:13,290 --> 01:12:16,250
I think it's extremely important for the youth to get a head start

877
01:12:16,250 --> 01:12:20,050
on managing money well and knowing how to operate media,

878
01:12:20,050 --> 01:12:22,770
because we're moving into the digital world where everything is

879
01:12:22,770 --> 01:12:23,110
media.

880
01:12:23,770 --> 01:12:26,510
The media and many conference is definitely with your parents,

881
01:12:26,810 --> 01:12:28,930
but the future, because my money hit the Westfield

882
01:12:28,930 --> 01:12:30,330
are not that good right now.

883
01:12:30,530 --> 01:12:32,810
And there are definitely T-Shutney, how do you handle my money

884
01:12:32,810 --> 01:12:34,170
and like, where do you handle my money?

885
01:12:34,690 --> 01:12:36,710
Yeah, I think I hope that's for the future of like,

886
01:12:36,970 --> 01:12:40,150
you students to like, start on my what path I need to go

887
01:12:40,150 --> 01:12:42,070
to get to this certain level that they want to be at.

888
01:12:42,270 --> 01:12:44,090
And like, have a overall good, like,

889
01:12:44,090 --> 01:12:45,810
structure of finance for like, when they grow up.

890
01:12:45,950 --> 01:12:48,290
We got overall hoods with folks here that are attending today,

891
01:12:48,290 --> 01:12:54,690
helping get this event going, we have approximately 71 students that's comprised of our alumni

892
01:12:54,690 --> 01:12:59,350
plus some of our students would tend to have a record program. We have about one

893
01:12:59,350 --> 01:13:05,830
or two volunteers, 18 staff members, the more the better, the more individuals that we have

894
01:13:05,830 --> 01:13:10,570
volunteering, the more career exploration opportunities we can offer, the more interviews

895
01:13:10,570 --> 01:13:16,070
we can do, the more students we can invite. Ideally, this becomes an Oakland thing

896
01:13:16,070 --> 01:13:19,310
that we can have available to the community.

897
01:13:19,670 --> 01:13:22,450
And in order to do that, it's going to take a village.

898
01:13:33,310 --> 01:13:36,130
Hi, I'm Shalanda Tilme and I'm the principal

899
01:13:36,130 --> 01:13:38,370
of Madison Park Academy primaire.

900
01:13:38,430 --> 01:13:40,470
I grew up in Oakland, born and raised.

901
01:13:40,690 --> 01:13:45,370
I've been an educator for 13 years, nine years at NPA primaire,

902
01:13:45,530 --> 01:13:47,870
for us as a teacher and now as a principal.

903
01:13:48,630 --> 01:13:53,870
So I had some amazing, amazing educational experiences throughout

904
01:13:53,870 --> 01:13:58,830
Oakland, Unified School District and it built my character and it made me

905
01:13:58,830 --> 01:14:01,290
resilient and it's a big part of who I am today.

906
01:14:01,690 --> 01:14:07,350
We have a safe, fun, welcome and tight knit community environment here at NPA.

907
01:14:08,490 --> 01:14:15,530
Families are a big part of our environment, our community and our decision-making at NPA.

908
01:14:15,530 --> 01:14:19,270
We offer opportunities beyond the classroom.

909
01:14:19,270 --> 01:14:26,770
We have academic support and tutoring for full pantry, a digital arts prep, a brand new

910
01:14:26,770 --> 01:14:33,350
beautiful library, a community, and team building activities, and filters for every classroom.

911
01:14:33,890 --> 01:14:39,270
We're all up at a time where my parents can always provide us with educational donations.

912
01:14:39,990 --> 01:14:46,070
I grew up with wonderful teachers throughout Oakland, told me love, who showed me structure

913
01:14:46,070 --> 01:14:53,150
and a belief in myself, specifically it started for Spray with Ms. Bruer at Golden Gate Elementary.

914
01:14:53,670 --> 01:14:59,970
She recognized that I was brilliant, that I was different, but I also had leaves.

915
01:15:25,890 --> 01:15:29,810
I'm Dr. Lucinda Taylor, principal of West Lake Middle School.

916
01:15:30,010 --> 01:15:35,670
I feel like my work is still important, changing the lives of black and brown kids in Oakland.

917
01:15:36,110 --> 01:15:42,090
We're here to make another impact in Oakland, in a way that creates leaders at politicians,

918
01:15:42,090 --> 01:15:50,230
Drs. Lawyers, the focus here at West Lake this year, and in the years, the comm will be to increase the literacy scores of our students.

919
01:15:50,530 --> 01:15:59,190
And so we have a beautiful full service library with a librarian, a writer's room. West Lake also hosts a

920
01:15:59,190 --> 01:16:07,030
of athletic programs. We have sports like volleyball, track and field, basketball, tennis, a

921
01:16:07,030 --> 01:16:14,290
soccer for our students to participate in during our sports program. All right here at West Lake,

922
01:16:14,890 --> 01:16:21,690
West Lake also host a number of Vapa classes, which includes digital media. It includes band,

923
01:16:21,870 --> 01:16:29,090
it includes art, it includes choir and a host of other opportunities for our students to engage in the arts.

924
01:16:29,190 --> 01:16:34,230
in the way that makes them young and free and fresh.

925
01:16:34,370 --> 01:16:36,230
Some of the interest that our students have

926
01:16:36,230 --> 01:16:38,310
where they're very passionate are clubs.

927
01:16:38,750 --> 01:16:41,110
And one of them is Robotics this year.

928
01:16:41,330 --> 01:16:44,470
Our students competed in the district wide challenge.

929
01:16:44,810 --> 01:16:46,750
But we have a variety of clubs,

930
01:16:47,130 --> 01:16:49,570
including cooking, barbershop.

931
01:16:49,930 --> 01:16:52,530
We actually have math and reading clubs,

932
01:16:53,230 --> 01:16:57,290
and a host of LGBTQ and personalized clubs.

933
01:16:57,490 --> 01:16:58,530
Right here at West Lake.

934
01:16:58,530 --> 01:17:04,250
So with about 30 years in Oakland, I am here at West Lake to create conditions for our students to be

935
01:17:04,610 --> 01:17:09,710
excellent readers and writers and be able to compete globally. So our focus is creating

936
01:17:09,710 --> 01:17:15,270
conditions in the classrooms, hiring qualified teachers to match the energy of our students,

937
01:17:15,630 --> 01:17:20,370
and make sure that they are prepared. Our attendance is up, our discipline is down,

938
01:17:20,810 --> 01:17:27,070
and that's all because we know that restorative justice works. And it's about surrounding them with

939
01:17:27,070 --> 01:17:29,790
people who care, and actually love them.

940
01:17:52,280 --> 01:17:56,180
Different people come in, and I get painted different colors.

941
01:17:56,680 --> 01:18:01,640
I get cleaned, I get new furniture, but I stay in the same spot in the city.

942
01:18:02,000 --> 01:18:09,020
If you use up the moon to make macaroni and cheese, the stars will come together to make a new moon.

943
01:18:09,280 --> 01:18:12,920
I felt that it was fun. I usually just read at school,

944
01:18:12,920 --> 01:18:17,720
Reading is fun. I got a lot of good books in the library.

945
01:18:18,040 --> 01:18:21,000
To see our students excited about it is incredible.

946
01:18:21,420 --> 01:18:23,960
Oh, this is an exciting moment for me personally.

947
01:18:24,320 --> 01:18:25,740
I know reading is everything.

948
01:18:26,200 --> 01:18:29,480
And to have the whole city focused on reading,

949
01:18:29,940 --> 01:18:33,360
a coalition of people coming together at every level

950
01:18:33,360 --> 01:18:35,120
from birth to adults,

951
01:18:35,500 --> 01:18:38,620
making the connection to reading with your health,

952
01:18:38,860 --> 01:18:40,400
with your body, with joy.

953
01:18:40,400 --> 01:18:45,760
come here today to really announce that Oakland is a reading town and the spot are young people.

954
01:18:45,980 --> 01:18:51,940
Our young people deserve to be able to be literate and to be able to read and write.

955
01:18:52,220 --> 01:18:56,880
It's their future and we have a duty and responsibility to partner with the school district.

956
01:18:57,220 --> 01:18:58,740
So this is a city wide effort.

957
01:18:58,900 --> 01:18:59,960
It looks like Fencem.

958
01:19:00,180 --> 01:19:03,300
I like events like this so we can come and get free books.

959
01:19:03,300 --> 01:19:04,820
I think books should be accessible.

960
01:19:04,820 --> 01:19:11,540
being the community and celebrated education, literacy, get some bugs and just

961
01:19:11,540 --> 01:19:16,560
continue this musical vibe of the Oakland Unified School District. I'm a former

962
01:19:16,560 --> 01:19:20,580
reading teacher. So that's why I'm excited to be here. I love books like

963
01:19:20,580 --> 01:19:24,180
Bob and the Mayor Staddleton is a reading town. Starting with the two students who

964
01:19:24,180 --> 01:19:28,240
read their poems at the energy just felt from there. Going in and talking to the

965
01:19:28,240 --> 01:19:32,180
students and looking at them being excited about their writing. Looking at here

966
01:19:32,180 --> 01:19:36,440
our vendors and knowing those kids and adults are going to go home and read tonight, it's a very

967
01:19:36,440 --> 01:19:41,120
exciting look that momentum is great. Our school district and our school partners are going to be

968
01:19:41,120 --> 01:19:46,900
encouraging and incentivizing tracking reading minutes, incentivizing reading for 20 minutes a day

969
01:19:46,900 --> 01:19:52,540
in school but also at home and so they're really going to be working on ways that we can actually

970
01:19:52,540 --> 01:19:58,740
log reading. We built, we designed open as a reading town because we knew that there's a lot of

971
01:19:58,740 --> 01:19:59,960
of heating stuff for arts.

972
01:20:00,000 --> 01:20:07,460
Our phones are live and so we know that one of the things we can do to get reading right is we can read more.

973
01:20:07,460 --> 01:20:14,260
So excited to be here today and our third annual lit fast. There's a number 20 for families to come and celebrate their students reading and writing.

974
01:20:14,620 --> 01:20:20,020
We have the Oakland Public Library giving away books. We have Eat-Lerm plague giving away backpack.

975
01:20:20,800 --> 01:20:24,680
And we have food for families to come because we know they're going to be here from four to six.

976
01:20:24,680 --> 01:20:26,520
and we all need to eat a yummy meal.

977
01:20:26,680 --> 01:20:30,160
I think every year we have tweaked it to really figure out

978
01:20:30,160 --> 01:20:33,700
the perfect combination of showcasing student writing,

979
01:20:34,400 --> 01:20:36,800
getting kids up on a stage where they can really be heard.

980
01:20:37,100 --> 01:20:38,720
This event is all about our kids.

981
01:20:39,480 --> 01:20:41,200
I think that the most important question

982
01:20:41,200 --> 01:20:44,020
is whether the kids feel celebrated today

983
01:20:44,020 --> 01:20:47,760
and feel the pride of Oakland that is in this space

984
01:20:47,760 --> 01:20:50,060
and know that what they read and what they write

985
01:20:50,060 --> 01:20:53,000
and how they grow matters to everybody who's here

986
01:20:53,000 --> 01:20:54,020
and to this whole city.

987
01:20:54,020 --> 01:20:54,800
My

988
01:21:12,270 --> 01:21:17,130
advice is to use back for others unless it's your door.

989
01:21:17,470 --> 01:21:18,550
Don't crash, child.

990
01:21:18,770 --> 01:21:20,150
Try your best not to procrastinate.

991
01:21:20,230 --> 01:21:21,370
Do as much as you can.

992
01:21:21,670 --> 01:21:23,790
Listen to your peers as you nice to everyone.

993
01:21:24,050 --> 01:21:27,230
Focus and learn and if you take your mind, you can do anything with your mind.

994
01:21:27,930 --> 01:21:29,390
Keep trying and never give up.

995
01:21:29,610 --> 01:21:31,370
Believe in yourself and be chill.

996
01:21:31,710 --> 01:21:33,230
Never give up and keep working.

997
01:21:33,350 --> 01:21:35,190
Be yourself and make great decisions.

998
01:21:35,770 --> 01:21:38,530
Believe in yourself that you could do anything you want.

999
01:21:38,630 --> 01:21:40,510
Never give up and keep on trying.

1000
01:21:40,510 --> 01:21:46,090
Be mindful to let our people always communicate with your teachers because I wouldn't have gone here

1001
01:21:46,090 --> 01:21:51,130
If I didn't communicate to my teachers that I needed help always listen to your teacher

1002
01:21:51,130 --> 01:21:59,370
Be kind to others and think that's the people find it good people friends people that are positive be good and listen to the teachers

1003
01:21:59,370 --> 01:22:03,490
Just enjoy the year make friends get along with everyone. You all year home

1004
01:22:03,490 --> 01:22:09,310
This school you're I'm looking forward to keep taking college classes and making new friends and learning stuff

1005
01:22:09,310 --> 01:22:12,670
for myself to be smarter, making new friends,

1006
01:22:13,410 --> 01:22:14,830
and maintaining good grades.

1007
01:22:15,270 --> 01:22:18,230
I show up to 60, I show up to learn.

1008
01:22:18,510 --> 01:22:21,510
I show up to roll, I show up to be my desk.

1009
01:22:21,870 --> 01:22:22,850
I show up from my future.

1010
01:22:23,330 --> 01:22:24,370
Please, I want

1011
01:22:27,830 --> 01:22:28,610
to be great.

1012
01:22:29,110 --> 01:22:30,950
I want to be a good school student.

1013
01:22:41,020 --> 01:22:44,500
I think we all kind of have this false narrative of it.

1014
01:22:44,540 --> 01:22:46,480
It's super hard, it's pretty super bad.

1015
01:22:47,020 --> 01:22:49,840
But it's only bad when you don't understand it.

1016
01:22:49,840 --> 01:22:55,020
media and money helped me focus a lot on budgeting, especially for filming, and

1017
01:22:55,020 --> 01:22:57,500
equipment, and for future projects I want to do.

1018
01:22:57,740 --> 01:23:03,080
It's not very commonly talked about on like what you should do, how to invest in

1019
01:23:03,080 --> 01:23:08,940
credit, and I appreciate how they're having like a big awareness, especially since

1020
01:23:08,940 --> 01:23:13,280
for younger to teach us when we're ready when we're older.

1021
01:23:13,280 --> 01:23:23,480
The attention behind the media money conference was to provide resources to our students that normally aren't accessible to them.

1022
01:23:23,660 --> 01:23:28,540
At youth beat, educate, empower, and employ. Essentially during the summer they're getting educated.

1023
01:23:29,080 --> 01:23:30,940
This conference is empowered.

1024
01:23:31,540 --> 01:23:34,860
This is really a day for them to explore, to learn about the prepared ways that they could take.

1025
01:23:34,960 --> 01:23:36,820
Because high school's the time to try things out.

1026
01:23:36,880 --> 01:23:41,740
The other piece is just a lot more practical of how they can prepare for any job and how they can be successful.

1027
01:23:41,740 --> 01:23:47,160
So, they need to know how to carry themselves confidently, how to tell a story from themselves in a job interview.

1028
01:23:47,560 --> 01:23:52,300
We have a lot of talented students here that if given the right resources,

1029
01:23:52,520 --> 01:23:55,100
given the right tools, they could be the next Ryan Hougler.

1030
01:23:55,280 --> 01:24:00,500
It was just beautiful to see someone that young being so hungry and determined.

1031
01:24:00,860 --> 01:24:04,340
This is a great community surrounding youth. The confidence is key.

1032
01:24:04,500 --> 01:24:08,740
I think we kind of both taught each other that today and one of my students that I had with me.

1033
01:24:08,740 --> 01:24:11,760
just having the confidence in what I've done or what he's done.

1034
01:24:12,020 --> 01:24:13,380
By trade, I'm a financial planner.

1035
01:24:13,600 --> 01:24:17,920
My role was really to educate them to give them the foundational information

1036
01:24:17,920 --> 01:24:20,880
that I wish every kid would receive.

1037
01:24:21,240 --> 01:24:24,460
You know, opportunities like this, this conference particularly is

1038
01:24:24,460 --> 01:24:26,840
it's important to use not just an Oakland but everywhere.

1039
01:24:27,060 --> 01:24:30,940
There's all these financial parts of life that we need to explore.

1040
01:24:31,420 --> 01:24:33,760
And that's a lot of what I explore to my sessions today.

1041
01:24:33,920 --> 01:24:38,300
In our community especially, there's not a lot of programs that teach you about finances,

1042
01:24:38,300 --> 01:24:40,260
a lot of us are still figuring it out now.

1043
01:24:40,340 --> 01:24:43,880
I think it's extremely important for the youth to get a head start on

1044
01:24:43,880 --> 01:24:49,760
men's and money well and knowing how to operate media because we're moving into the digital world where everything is

1045
01:24:49,760 --> 01:24:50,100
media.

1046
01:24:50,740 --> 01:24:55,360
The media and money conference is definitely preparing for the future because my money

1047
01:24:55,360 --> 01:24:57,360
hit the list fields are not that good right now.

1048
01:24:57,540 --> 01:24:59,960
And there are definitely tissue in the head of my money and my

1049
01:25:01,420 --> 01:25:12,840
Yeah, I think I hope that's for the future of, like, youth students to, like, sort of my what path I need to go to get to this certain level that they want to be at. And, like, have a overall good, like, structure of finance for, like, when they grow up.

1050
01:25:12,920 --> 01:25:24,560
We got overall hoods with folks here that are attending today helping get this event. Go in. We have approximately seventy-one students that's comprised of our alumni plus, some of our students who attend their erected program.

1051
01:25:24,560 --> 01:25:29,620
We have about 22 volunteers, 18 staff members,

1052
01:25:29,760 --> 01:25:32,880
the more the better, the more individuals that we have,

1053
01:25:32,920 --> 01:25:35,400
volunteering, the more career exploration opportunities

1054
01:25:35,400 --> 01:25:38,220
we can offer, the more interviews we can do,

1055
01:25:38,440 --> 01:25:40,080
the more students we can invite.

1056
01:25:40,540 --> 01:25:44,820
Ideally, this becomes an Oakland thing that we can have

1057
01:25:45,180 --> 01:25:46,320
available to the community.

1058
01:25:46,980 --> 01:25:49,360
And in order to do that, it's going to take a village.

1059
01:26:00,240 --> 01:26:05,400
Hi, I'm Shalanda Tilman and I'm the principal at Madison Park Academy primaries.

1060
01:26:05,620 --> 01:26:07,480
I grew up in Oakland, born and raised.

1061
01:26:07,720 --> 01:26:12,360
I've been an educator for 13 years, nine years at MPA primaries.

1062
01:26:12,480 --> 01:26:14,960
First, as a teacher, and now as a principal.

1063
01:26:15,660 --> 01:26:22,920
I had some amazing, amazing educational experiences throughout Oakland, Unified School District,

1064
01:26:22,920 --> 01:26:28,300
and it built my character and it made me resilient and it's a big part of who I am today.

1065
01:26:28,700 --> 01:26:34,360
We have a safe, fun, welcome and tight knit community environment here at NPA.

1066
01:26:35,020 --> 01:26:41,400
Families are a big part of our environment, our community and our decision making.

1067
01:26:41,820 --> 01:26:49,560
At NPA we offer opportunities beyond the classroom. We have academic support and tutoring,

1068
01:26:49,560 --> 01:27:00,300
For full pantry, a digital arts prep, a brand new beautiful library, a community, and two building activities, and still trips for every classroom.

1069
01:27:00,880 --> 01:27:06,360
We're all up at a time where my parents can always provide us for an educational foundation.

1070
01:27:07,020 --> 01:27:14,980
I grew up with wonderful teachers throughout Oakland, who showed me love, who showed me structure and a belief in myself.

1071
01:27:15,700 --> 01:27:20,140
Specifically, I started working with Ms. Brure at Golden Gate Elementary.

1072
01:27:20,560 --> 01:27:25,000
She recognized that I was brilliant, that I was different,

1073
01:27:25,140 --> 01:27:30,540
but I also had leaves, and she was overall just my role model

1074
01:27:30,540 --> 01:27:34,680
and still my role model to this day. She shows up in the work that I do,

1075
01:27:34,940 --> 01:27:36,020
every single day.

1076
01:27:43,190 --> 01:27:47,050
We are

1077
01:27:53,450 --> 01:27:56,590
the TCN Panthers, and I am so excited I'm here.

1078
01:27:56,590 --> 01:28:02,590
Hi, I'm Lacey Lefkowitz and I am the proud principal at Think College now. Our community was

1079
01:28:02,590 --> 01:28:10,130
actually formed by families. Families who wanted to see their students and their families in college now.

1080
01:28:10,190 --> 01:28:17,290
We have both art and a science lab. Students can also spend time each week in the library,

1081
01:28:17,950 --> 01:28:24,590
each month in the garden, and each week with our partner heroes where they have PE spaces.

1082
01:28:24,590 --> 01:28:29,430
Parents at Thing College now can expect a lot of different opportunities to engage.

1083
01:28:29,750 --> 01:28:34,650
First, we have our three signature events. We have our literacy night where we celebrate

1084
01:28:34,650 --> 01:28:39,430
our love of learning and our love of greeting. Our second signature event is our unity

1085
01:28:39,430 --> 01:28:45,470
night where we celebrate all of the wonderful cultures that come together. And number three is

1086
01:28:45,470 --> 01:28:51,950
our Black Excellence Night where we further celebrate our community. We hope that you all join us.

1087
01:28:51,950 --> 01:28:58,270
in our thing college now community you will be joining a legacy of families who have come together

1088
01:28:58,270 --> 01:29:04,570
both to found this school and to continue to work to make sure that all of our students can be

1089
01:29:04,570 --> 01:29:08,270
successful in college careers and beyond.

1090
01:29:26,840 --> 01:29:30,800
I'm Dr. Lucinda Taylor, principal of Wesley Middle School.

1091
01:29:31,040 --> 01:29:36,660
I feel like my work is still important changing the lives of black and brown kids in Oakland.

1092
01:29:36,660 --> 01:29:44,380
We are here to make another impact in Oakland in a way that creates leaders at politicians, doctors, lawyers.

1093
01:29:44,820 --> 01:29:51,220
The focus here at West Lake this year and in the years come will be to increase the literacy scores of our students.

1094
01:29:51,800 --> 01:29:57,740
So we have a beautiful full-service library with a librarian, a writer's room.

1095
01:29:58,160 --> 01:29:59,960
West Lake also hosts...

1096
01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:07,200
Mayor of athletic programs. We have sports like volleyball, track and field basketball, tennis,

1097
01:30:07,760 --> 01:30:14,520
a soccer for our students to participate in during our sports program. All right, here at

1098
01:30:14,520 --> 01:30:22,120
West Lake, West Lake also host a number of vapa classes, which includes digital media, it includes

1099
01:30:22,120 --> 01:30:28,700
band, it includes art, it includes choir, and a host of other opportunities for our students

1100
01:30:28,700 --> 01:30:35,200
to engage in the arts in the way that makes them young and free and fresh.

1101
01:30:35,380 --> 01:30:39,260
Some of the interests that our students have, whether they're very passionate, are our clubs.

1102
01:30:39,740 --> 01:30:42,100
And one of them is Robotics this year.

1103
01:30:42,320 --> 01:30:48,340
Our students competed in the district wide challenge, but we have a variety of clubs, including

1104
01:30:48,340 --> 01:30:56,900
cooking, barber shop, we actually have math and reading clubs, and a host of LGBTQ and

1105
01:30:56,900 --> 01:31:02,500
personalized clubs. Right here at West Lake. So with about 30 years in Oakland, I am here at

1106
01:31:02,500 --> 01:31:07,740
West Lake to create conditions for our students to be excellent readers and writers and

1107
01:31:07,740 --> 01:31:12,760
be able to compete globally. So our focus is creating conditions in the classrooms, hiring

1108
01:31:12,760 --> 01:31:18,080
qualified teachers, to match the energy of our students, and make sure that they are prepared.

1109
01:31:18,740 --> 01:31:24,600
Our attendance is up, our discipline is down, and that's all because we know that we're

1110
01:31:24,600 --> 01:31:30,040
board of justice works, and it's about surrounding them with people who care and actually

1111
01:31:30,040 --> 01:31:30,720
love them.

1112
01:31:45,890 --> 01:31:46,570
West

1113
01:32:37,000 --> 01:32:41,640
Oakland is an integral and value part of the city with a long and rich history.

1114
01:32:41,800 --> 01:32:47,280
It includes the city's oldest school, Prescott Elementary, and the historic school

1115
01:32:47,280 --> 01:32:50,480
of Champions, Le Climans High, and numerous others.

1116
01:32:50,480 --> 01:32:52,360
We're underneath one of his solar cannabis.

1117
01:32:53,080 --> 01:32:58,240
It's really fulfilling our promise to the community around creating a sustainable future for our kids.

1118
01:32:58,560 --> 01:33:04,520
From early childhood investments to elementary to middle and into high school, this is a coordinated effort

1119
01:33:04,520 --> 01:33:09,880
to be able to ensure complete investment in the full pathway for our students in West Auckland.

1120
01:33:10,220 --> 01:33:12,540
My favorite part is like the loose lights.

1121
01:33:12,820 --> 01:33:15,080
My first three now is just to be like only two.

1122
01:33:15,120 --> 01:33:16,060
I guess more colorful.

1123
01:33:16,340 --> 01:33:18,520
Now they can see who we are like, do we?

1124
01:33:18,520 --> 01:33:22,780
The Windows have been an issue here since I've been here for the last 10 years.

1125
01:33:22,960 --> 01:33:24,640
You see students appreciate it.

1126
01:33:24,660 --> 01:33:28,080
It doesn't feel as hot. There's an obvious difference in the heat.

1127
01:33:28,280 --> 01:33:32,960
Now that we've finally got blinds, that's been helpful too to be able to block out some of the sun.

1128
01:33:33,300 --> 01:33:36,180
And then visually, it's impacting students because it looks nice.

1129
01:33:36,480 --> 01:33:37,960
The Windows look good. It looks new.

1130
01:33:38,100 --> 01:33:40,680
It feels like it's bringing more like a good energy.

1131
01:33:41,120 --> 01:33:45,920
What was missing was just kids motivated to even want to come outside to play.

1132
01:33:45,920 --> 01:33:53,320
So Martin Luther King Jr. students, the impact of the new yarr shows that everybody cares about them.

1133
01:33:53,360 --> 01:34:00,940
There's just like kind of more joyful play. Having things to do and nice facilities to do it with is a huge difference.

1134
01:34:01,300 --> 01:34:04,320
Our investment at McClimans is transformational.

1135
01:34:04,580 --> 01:34:15,140
I'm so excited to be delivering a project at McClimans that honors the legacy of incredible people who have been students and community members and staff at McClimans.

1136
01:34:15,140 --> 01:34:21,080
We're launching a nearly $100 million investment in West Oakland and specifically McClimits.

1137
01:34:21,180 --> 01:34:30,060
It started with the naming of the gym and honoring the legacy of Bill Russell, but now it'll be a full modernization of the school that will be breaking around the spring.

1138
01:34:30,340 --> 01:34:34,960
So we're really excited about that project because it's a cornerstone in the West Oakland community.

1139
01:34:35,260 --> 01:34:40,520
I'm excited because I'm a local kid. I grew up here. I went to Lafayette Elementary.

1140
01:34:40,520 --> 01:34:46,760
went to low middle school and then came here my 9th and 10th grade year. So coming back to the neighborhood

1141
01:34:46,760 --> 01:34:51,440
and giving back, just coming back home, you know, to where I was raised, I went to the community,

1142
01:34:51,620 --> 01:34:56,860
knowing that people was, I was excited. When you get a new house, a new bicycle, just dust up and

1143
01:34:56,860 --> 01:34:59,980
in motivation, and so having a new place to come.

1144
01:35:00,000 --> 01:35:04,340
2. As a new smell is a newness about it and people want to take care of it.

1145
01:35:04,360 --> 01:35:10,880
These projects ultimately create safe, welcoming, and high quality learning environments that

1146
01:35:10,880 --> 01:35:16,520
also strengthen schools, as neighborhood anchors, and serve the community beyond the school day.

1147
01:35:42,260 --> 01:35:48,740
Different people come in and I get painted different colors. I get cleaned, I get new furniture,

1148
01:35:48,740 --> 01:35:55,280
But I stay in the same spot in the city if you use up the moon to make macaroni and cheese

1149
01:35:55,280 --> 01:36:03,840
The stars will come together to make a new moon. I felt that it was fun. I usually just read at school reading is fun

1150
01:36:03,840 --> 01:36:05,520
I got a lot of good books

1151
01:36:05,520 --> 01:36:11,600
I'm in the library to see our students excited about it. It's incredible. Oh

1152
01:36:11,600 --> 01:36:18,220
This is an exciting moment for me personally. I know reading is everything and to have the whole city

1153
01:36:18,220 --> 01:36:25,140
focus on reading, a coalition of people coming together at every level from birth to adult,

1154
01:36:25,380 --> 01:36:30,400
making that connection to reading with your health, with your body, with joy.

1155
01:36:30,780 --> 01:36:35,720
I'm here today to really announce that Oakland is a reading town, and the spot are young people.

1156
01:36:35,980 --> 01:36:41,940
I young people deserve to be able to be literate and to be able to read and write.

1157
01:36:42,260 --> 01:36:46,860
It's their future, and we have a duty and responsibility to partner with the school district.

1158
01:36:46,860 --> 01:36:48,760
So this is a city wide effort.

1159
01:36:48,920 --> 01:36:49,800
It looks like Spencer.

1160
01:36:50,180 --> 01:36:53,280
So I like events like this so we can come and get free books.

1161
01:36:53,440 --> 01:36:54,840
I think books should be accessible.

1162
01:36:55,320 --> 01:37:00,960
Being the community and celebrated education, literacy, get some books,

1163
01:37:01,260 --> 01:37:05,640
and just continue this beautiful vibe of the Oakland Unified School District.

1164
01:37:05,880 --> 01:37:07,200
I'm a former reading teacher.

1165
01:37:07,400 --> 01:37:08,820
So that's why I'm excited to be here.

1166
01:37:08,900 --> 01:37:10,000
I love books.

1167
01:37:10,620 --> 01:37:12,600
Like Bob and the Mayor Staddleton is a reading town.

1168
01:37:12,800 --> 01:37:15,240
Starting with the two students who read their poems

1169
01:37:15,240 --> 01:37:17,180
It's the energy just felt from there.

1170
01:37:17,300 --> 01:37:19,220
Going in and talking to the students and looking at them

1171
01:37:19,220 --> 01:37:22,100
and being excited about their writing, looking at here

1172
01:37:22,100 --> 01:37:24,120
and all our vendors and knowing those kids and adults

1173
01:37:24,120 --> 01:37:25,400
are going to go home and read tonight.

1174
01:37:25,880 --> 01:37:28,160
It's a very exciting look that momentum is great.

1175
01:37:28,440 --> 01:37:29,920
Our school district and our school partners

1176
01:37:29,920 --> 01:37:32,640
are going to be encouraging and incentivizing

1177
01:37:32,640 --> 01:37:35,440
tracking reading minutes, incentivizing reading

1178
01:37:35,440 --> 01:37:39,300
for 20 minutes a day in school, but also at home.

1179
01:37:39,560 --> 01:37:41,560
And so they're really going to be working on ways

1180
01:37:41,560 --> 01:37:44,160
that we can actually log reading.

1181
01:37:44,160 --> 01:37:51,880
We built. We designed open as a reading town because we knew that there's a lot of competing stuff for our attention our phones our lives

1182
01:37:51,880 --> 01:37:57,460
And so we know that one of the things we can do to get reading right is we can read more

1183
01:37:57,460 --> 01:38:04,260
So excited to be here today in our third animal look fast. There's a number of turning for families to come and celebrate their students reading and writing

1184
01:38:04,260 --> 01:38:09,900
And we have the Oakland Public Library giving away books. We have eat learn play giving away backhacks

1185
01:38:09,900 --> 01:38:16,540
We have food for families to come because we know they're going to be here from four to six and we all need to eat a yummy meal

1186
01:38:16,540 --> 01:38:23,740
I think every year we have tweaked it to really figure out the perfect combination of showcasing student writing

1187
01:38:23,740 --> 01:38:28,640
Getting kids up on a stage where they can really be heard. This event is all about our kids

1188
01:38:28,640 --> 01:38:34,660
I think that the most important question is whether the kids feel celebrated today and

1189
01:38:34,660 --> 01:38:41,020
feel the pride of Oakland that is in this space and know that what they read and what they write and how they grow

1190
01:38:41,020 --> 01:38:43,960
Matters to everybody who's here and to this whole city

1191
01:38:56,610 --> 01:39:03,870
As soon as he's eloxomy because back then that he felt like his remos started blackicunty slavery and what the Varktons

1192
01:39:04,530 --> 01:39:11,010
And if you're here today, it's kind of ready to tell me that 100-year anniversary of not

1193
01:39:11,010 --> 01:39:13,450
kissed him. Every day's the last day.

1194
01:39:14,950 --> 01:39:20,950
This event is important because our guessing, few of the big audiences is just like

1195
01:39:20,950 --> 01:39:25,250
for fun, but they have like, it's fire meant for it.

1196
01:39:25,290 --> 01:39:32,270
We need more programs like this, not just in February. The young people really get excited about

1197
01:39:32,270 --> 01:39:38,790
being able to showcase their hard work and I think it gives them a bigger sense of purpose.

1198
01:39:39,530 --> 01:39:45,670
I get to express how I feel through dancing and I get to tell them what my culture is.

1199
01:39:45,810 --> 01:39:50,570
It was important to find out what makes young people even want to move.

1200
01:39:50,770 --> 01:39:56,310
Whereas are really powerful because those words turn in a movement, you know, move it, turns

1201
01:39:56,310 --> 01:39:58,970
into bigger movement and then movement turns in the chain.

1202
01:39:58,970 --> 01:39:59,970
the expel learning

1203
01:40:00,820 --> 01:40:07,900
Our program is an initiative that comes out of central office and our goal is to provide our students

1204
01:40:07,900 --> 01:40:14,420
with high quality arts instruction from Oakland-based professional teaching artists.

1205
01:40:14,680 --> 01:40:19,920
West Oakland Middle School has an a very good job. I feel like, make sure we have that connections,

1206
01:40:20,240 --> 01:40:25,800
especially through music and through dance. This collaboration is important. It reminds me a lot of hip hop.

1207
01:40:25,800 --> 01:40:30,940
The pop is a collaboration, it's a collaboration of music, DJs, dancers,

1208
01:40:31,180 --> 01:40:34,140
B boys, taggers, spray painters.

1209
01:40:35,060 --> 01:40:38,760
Dame, creating that track, and then kind of like bringing Mari up on to the

1210
01:40:38,760 --> 01:40:41,000
phone and like being like, you know, what can we do?

1211
01:40:41,060 --> 01:40:42,760
And the kids kind of like feel right into it.

1212
01:40:42,840 --> 01:40:45,500
But during the kids here do music and dance as well, so it's not a

1213
01:40:45,500 --> 01:40:47,280
hard transition for them to do that.

1214
01:40:47,320 --> 01:40:49,840
But I think that that showed a positive collaboration, which also

1215
01:40:49,840 --> 01:40:50,680
passed down to them.

1216
01:40:50,800 --> 01:40:54,120
Always learn something, working with young people in general, because

1217
01:40:54,120 --> 01:40:56,020
have a lot of creative ideas.

1218
01:40:56,480 --> 01:40:58,340
They may not always have the technical abilities,

1219
01:40:58,860 --> 01:41:01,360
but the lens that they use to see the world

1220
01:41:01,360 --> 01:41:04,040
is always something in the future at Hoku.

1221
01:41:04,380 --> 01:41:06,520
Before I started the program,

1222
01:41:06,900 --> 01:41:08,920
I don't have much confidence because I think it's really,

1223
01:41:09,220 --> 01:41:10,840
but now I have my confidence,

1224
01:41:11,260 --> 01:41:13,060
it's actually fun to learn anything.

1225
01:41:14,060 --> 01:41:17,920
I hope you learned that I'm good and I can be so,

1226
01:41:18,780 --> 01:41:21,380
how good I can be as simple as I'm going to.

1227
01:41:21,380 --> 01:41:23,320
Students have an opportunity to learn

1228
01:41:23,320 --> 01:41:28,860
how to conceptualize their ideas and learn the tools of the trade, whatever it is

1229
01:41:28,860 --> 01:41:34,380
if it's fancy, if it's visual arts, everybody may not be a dancer if I may not be a

1230
01:41:34,380 --> 01:41:37,540
music, you know what I mean? So support your bring them both together.

1231
01:41:49,720 --> 01:41:54,240
Hello, my name is Emerald Smith and I'm a senior at Casimal High School.

1232
01:41:54,440 --> 01:41:58,720
After graduation, I'm currently committed to the University of Michigan for

1233
01:41:58,720 --> 01:42:01,500
here, and I'm majoring in psychology.

1234
01:42:02,060 --> 01:42:04,920
I'm always excited to just be on my own, really,

1235
01:42:05,080 --> 01:42:06,500
and be in a whole different new environment.

1236
01:42:06,880 --> 01:42:07,840
It's going to be something different.

1237
01:42:07,860 --> 01:42:08,740
It's going to be challenging.

1238
01:42:08,980 --> 01:42:10,100
And I love for the challenge.

1239
01:42:10,500 --> 01:42:11,960
I was out of private school before this.

1240
01:42:12,040 --> 01:42:14,700
When I came to Katama, they pushed for black excellence

1241
01:42:14,700 --> 01:42:18,680
and pushed for people of my color and brown people to be great.

1242
01:42:18,680 --> 01:42:21,280
And that's something that really inspired me.

1243
01:42:21,400 --> 01:42:24,840
One of the most memorable experience as a student at Katama

1244
01:42:24,840 --> 01:42:27,960
is being on the shoot team and going to all the games,

1245
01:42:27,960 --> 01:42:30,740
Homecoming specifically were all the lumps come out,

1246
01:42:30,760 --> 01:42:31,980
and they do cheer with us.

1247
01:42:32,020 --> 01:42:34,420
That's like something that was so life-changing.

1248
01:42:34,920 --> 01:42:36,240
All the little different type of clubs

1249
01:42:36,240 --> 01:42:38,920
that I joined, fills, or all like small things

1250
01:42:38,920 --> 01:42:41,820
that believe were a fine, but also everything

1251
01:42:41,820 --> 01:42:44,140
was community based, and I was like really cool to do.

1252
01:42:44,460 --> 01:42:48,860
Just remember who you are, don't be scared to change,

1253
01:42:48,960 --> 01:42:50,980
and don't be afraid to stand out,

1254
01:42:51,060 --> 01:42:53,620
because I know sometimes that can be challenging,

1255
01:42:53,900 --> 01:42:55,360
and scary to get out of your comfort zone.

1256
01:42:55,360 --> 01:43:01,800
Enjoy the moment, use your resources, and don't be afraid to change environments that's gonna

1257
01:43:01,800 --> 01:43:02,500
better suit you.

1258
01:43:02,660 --> 01:43:07,320
I'd had to change from private school to public school, which is very drastic, but honestly

1259
01:43:07,320 --> 01:43:09,480
I would say it was the best decision I can ever make.

1260
01:43:21,580 --> 01:43:26,040
I feel it's very happy when I'm out there dancing, it makes me happy and makes me smile.

1261
01:43:26,360 --> 01:43:32,080
I made more friends, I got to connect with people because of dance, who got to do dances together,

1262
01:43:32,080 --> 01:43:40,860
I got to do ads, solos, it's kind of scary and nerve-wracking, but you get used to it the more you do it.

1263
01:43:41,020 --> 01:43:47,000
So what about me to the program first is because my best friend, she was asking me if I wanted to join dad.

1264
01:43:47,600 --> 01:43:51,440
My English wasn't good at that moment, so I was like, I don't understand what you're saying.

1265
01:43:51,660 --> 01:43:58,820
But I said yes, and then I joined and it was pretty good and one makes me want to stay all the time.

1266
01:43:58,820 --> 01:44:04,660
my desk, it sure because she's really nice. To be teaching here in West Oakland is like a really, really, really big deal for me.

1267
01:44:04,700 --> 01:44:09,000
The suit is needed. It's the outlet. You can't teach everything. All of these, all of the things we do that I teach is

1268
01:44:09,000 --> 01:44:12,620
Pat. We want to make sure that when they join dance they understood that we are family.

1269
01:44:12,720 --> 01:44:20,360
I do a couple dances. Some dances I just comment for parts. I performed a lot in like band. I performed a lot already.

1270
01:44:20,920 --> 01:44:27,720
But dance, this is like my first year in dance. So it was kind of, it was like my first time, but I felt a little bit more confident.

1271
01:44:27,720 --> 01:44:30,820
I say it's a good way to try something new.

1272
01:44:31,120 --> 01:44:34,680
It's something to, it's good to keep your mind off the other things.

1273
01:44:34,980 --> 01:44:37,400
We collaborate, we try to collaborate as often as possible.

1274
01:44:37,560 --> 01:44:40,560
Even if we're not dancing and doing bad at the same time,

1275
01:44:40,740 --> 01:44:47,420
Mr. Stern is a big, big, huge part of how and why we keep coming back.

1276
01:44:47,800 --> 01:44:48,920
This is our winter concert.

1277
01:44:49,200 --> 01:44:52,220
Even after, as then, what it's like to perform in front of everybody.

1278
01:44:52,600 --> 01:44:55,680
But I think that for me, it's just, I'm, I feel really humbled

1279
01:44:55,680 --> 01:44:56,840
but I get to work with these people.

1280
01:44:57,500 --> 01:44:59,980
Some of these young people are, we have some real me-

1281
01:45:00,700 --> 01:45:24,260
The philosophy with our program is like show up and participate in do your best. That's how you get an A in the class. If you're showing up in class and you're kind to other people and you're participating in doing your best, it's again, it's not about talent. It's just about the effort you're putting in and how you show up. It's a band so we're a team. We have students who put in a lot of effort and try and practice and learn about reading music and all that. The vibe in our classroom is really good.

1282
01:45:24,260 --> 01:45:30,220
I first applied trumpet, but I didn't really enjoy playing, so I switched to saxophone

1283
01:45:30,220 --> 01:45:32,640
and it's really nice, I love it

1284
01:45:32,640 --> 01:45:38,180
I was really proud of myself because I learned to play a song with saxophone in three days

1285
01:45:38,180 --> 01:45:40,540
like that just like I learned it

1286
01:45:40,540 --> 01:45:43,620
at the beginning it was stressful and I was scary all the time

1287
01:45:43,620 --> 01:45:47,520
but then now I feel like I feel really confident

1288
01:45:47,520 --> 01:45:51,600
it's still a little bit stressful, but once you're on stage you just enjoy yourself

1289
01:45:51,600 --> 01:45:59,900
I performed saxophone and my favorite song was Tom's Dieter because I get to start this

1290
01:45:59,900 --> 01:46:06,880
song and also I get to just kind of play around with the notes and like customize it to

1291
01:46:06,880 --> 01:46:12,780
my own life. I have a job solo on it. So that we did for the day because it was two drummers

1292
01:46:12,780 --> 01:46:18,920
and me and all the kids out there and so we did to turn on the beat. Coming here and being able to

1293
01:46:18,920 --> 01:46:20,980
have a community that is still big large,

1294
01:46:21,120 --> 01:46:22,180
but it's still tight knit.

1295
01:46:22,340 --> 01:46:23,920
Really does take my heart really, really happy.

1296
01:46:24,120 --> 01:46:25,260
I love coming to West Open.

1297
01:46:25,360 --> 01:46:26,340
I love going to West Open.

1298
01:46:26,400 --> 01:46:28,100
They're good in the in West Open.

1299
01:46:28,200 --> 01:46:30,360
And I think being here in West Open middle school

1300
01:46:30,360 --> 01:46:31,040
needs to be that.

1301
01:46:31,100 --> 01:46:33,400
With the students here, the way it feels to perform with them

1302
01:46:33,400 --> 01:46:35,960
is I feel super blessed and I feel honored

1303
01:46:35,960 --> 01:46:37,600
and I feel humbled to perform with them.

1304
01:46:37,640 --> 01:46:40,400
So like I said, some of these students are really talented,

1305
01:46:40,580 --> 01:46:43,620
really musical and they're surpassing what I can do

1306
01:46:43,620 --> 01:46:44,940
in these cases, which is great.

1307
01:46:45,100 --> 01:46:46,000
I tell students all the time.

1308
01:46:46,080 --> 01:46:47,780
When I need to substitute, I'm going to talk to you.

1309
01:46:47,780 --> 01:46:52,520
I definitely was suggest coming to SLF the middle school, so that you can have fun, make

1310
01:46:52,520 --> 01:46:55,740
more fun, and just get the build your community.

1311
01:47:11,420 --> 01:47:15,720
Things like this are so important because when you ask questions of the kid, do you feel

1312
01:47:15,720 --> 01:47:16,860
seen now?

1313
01:47:17,160 --> 01:47:18,700
Like that's not only any of the flyers.

1314
01:47:20,600 --> 01:47:25,640
Open California is one of the richest diversity pockets in the entire state.

1315
01:47:25,880 --> 01:47:30,880
And there are a lot of resources, but none of those resources specifically look at honoring

1316
01:47:30,880 --> 01:47:36,400
diversity of the community. Our equity initiative is really geared around creating

1317
01:47:37,340 --> 01:47:44,660
affinity spaces for youth and after school and creating skill building spaces. Again that

1318
01:47:44,660 --> 01:47:49,620
have been either cost prohibitive or just not available to people who are heavily impacted by societal

1319
01:47:49,620 --> 01:47:55,980
injustice. It's not just adults teaching young people. It's adults and young people coming together

1320
01:47:55,980 --> 01:48:02,240
community and learning in community. Home is the best word to describe it. Like I said, it's a safe place.

1321
01:48:02,800 --> 01:48:07,740
I am an open program. It is really matter what you are. It gets a learn of our culture.

1322
01:48:08,360 --> 01:48:15,060
We bring them in and tell them, hey, it's okay. So we do activities around Pacific Islander history.

1323
01:48:15,320 --> 01:48:22,960
Having programs such as ours helps students to navigate those two worlds.

1324
01:48:22,960 --> 01:48:26,720
One of the activities I do in my class, I mean the therapy is musical jeopardy.

1325
01:48:26,840 --> 01:48:28,900
They get to dance, they get to be free, they get to be loose.

1326
01:48:29,160 --> 01:48:31,920
My favorite memory is our check-ins.

1327
01:48:33,840 --> 01:48:36,360
Antisaries, youth developments, asset building,

1328
01:48:36,960 --> 01:48:41,280
program that is non-judgemental, of Southeast Asian women and girls.

1329
01:48:42,020 --> 01:48:49,140
This program tells me being more myself by really listening to what I say and do without judging.

1330
01:48:49,140 --> 01:48:55,980
programs up on this area are important for young women and girls and Oakland because it's

1331
01:48:55,980 --> 01:49:03,020
what we call a sad space. It's not school. It's not home. It's a non-judgmental space. It's safe.

1332
01:49:03,300 --> 01:49:09,500
Expand in these programs in Oakland is important because it gives students a safe space and they

1333
01:49:09,500 --> 01:49:14,800
feel welcomed. Maybe our students this year were first time for political dancers had never

1334
01:49:14,800 --> 01:49:21,680
anything a year ago April. And I have seen them grow grow as a dancer, but also their

1335
01:49:21,680 --> 01:49:27,340
confidence has really been growing. It's like a really nice way for us to showcase our culture,

1336
01:49:27,840 --> 01:49:33,520
our history, like do costumes through music and do dancing styles. It gives me the reason to attend

1337
01:49:33,520 --> 01:49:40,080
school. Want to be here more and more often in another quality way, other than academics.

1338
01:49:40,080 --> 01:49:46,560
The positive representation in this group makes me very proud to be a Latina and to be around the Latina's.

1339
01:49:46,580 --> 01:49:48,200
Yeah, just very proud to be Hawaiian.

1340
01:49:48,900 --> 01:49:51,580
I teach the AMA class at Laurel Elementary.

1341
01:49:52,920 --> 01:49:55,500
But self-value is actually where we had to start.

1342
01:49:55,820 --> 01:49:59,080
We kind of had to take a couple steps back to finding...

1343
01:50:17,700 --> 01:50:29,980
We work with a variety of community-based partners here in Oakland to really bring in these enrichment opportunities to

1344
01:50:29,980 --> 01:50:32,920
to students again at no cost.

1345
01:50:33,260 --> 01:50:36,540
There's power when these affinity spaces

1346
01:50:36,540 --> 01:50:38,640
are used effectively.

1347
01:50:39,320 --> 01:50:43,040
So many young people are faced with this monolith

1348
01:50:43,040 --> 01:50:44,940
of dominant culture.

1349
01:50:45,880 --> 01:50:48,100
And a lot of that means for them to shed everything

1350
01:50:48,100 --> 01:50:49,340
that connects them to home.

1351
01:50:49,640 --> 01:50:51,840
Like, there's some great things about being from Oakland.

1352
01:50:52,020 --> 01:50:53,680
There's some great things about my culture.

1353
01:50:54,240 --> 01:50:58,000
But I don't have to have this like this tug of war

1354
01:50:58,000 --> 01:51:04,120
between the two our program allows and gives opportunities for students to explore

1355
01:51:04,880 --> 01:51:05,960
both sides.

1356
01:51:23,600 --> 01:51:26,480
I think we all kind of have this like false narratives of like

1357
01:51:26,480 --> 01:51:33,000
it's super hard, credit super bad, but it's only bad when you don't understand it. Media and money

1358
01:51:33,000 --> 01:51:39,440
helps me focus a lot on budgeting, especially for filming, equipment and for future projects I want to do.

1359
01:51:39,440 --> 01:51:55,240
It's not very commonly talked about on what you should do, how to invest in credit, and I appreciate how they're having a big awareness, especially since for younger, to teach us when we're ready when we're older.

1360
01:51:55,560 --> 01:52:05,360
The attention behind the media and money conference was to provide resources to our students that normally aren't accessible to them.

1361
01:52:05,360 --> 01:52:07,640
at youth beat, educate, empower, and employ.

1362
01:52:07,980 --> 01:52:10,460
Essentially, during the summer, they're getting educated.

1363
01:52:11,060 --> 01:52:12,840
This conference is empowered.

1364
01:52:13,480 --> 01:52:15,000
This is really a day for them to explore,

1365
01:52:15,040 --> 01:52:16,880
to learn about to prepare pathways that they could take,

1366
01:52:16,980 --> 01:52:18,820
because high schools at times have tried things out.

1367
01:52:18,860 --> 01:52:20,620
The other piece is just a lot more practical

1368
01:52:20,620 --> 01:52:23,740
of how they can prepare for any job and how they can be successful.

1369
01:52:24,260 --> 01:52:26,400
So, they need to know how to carry themselves confidently,

1370
01:52:26,640 --> 01:52:29,160
how to tell a story from themselves in a job interview.

1371
01:52:29,500 --> 01:52:32,580
We have a lot of talented students here that,

1372
01:52:32,580 --> 01:52:37,200
If given the right resources of given the right tools, they could be the next Ryan Kooler.

1373
01:52:37,300 --> 01:52:42,500
It was just beautiful to see someone that young being so hungry and determined.

1374
01:52:42,920 --> 01:52:46,320
This is a great community surrounding youth. The confidence is key.

1375
01:52:46,540 --> 01:52:50,760
I think we kind of both taught each other that today and one of my students that I had with me.

1376
01:52:50,920 --> 01:52:53,760
This is having the confidence in what I've done or what he's done.

1377
01:52:53,980 --> 01:53:02,440
By trade, I'm a financial planner. My role was really to educate them to give them the

1378
01:53:02,440 --> 01:53:15,800
You know, opportunities like this, this conference particularly is it's important to use not just an Oakland, but everywhere there's all these financial parts of life that we need to explore and that's a lot of what I explored in my sessions today.

1379
01:53:16,160 --> 01:53:22,260
In our community especially, there's not a lot of programs that teach you about finances, a lot of us are still figuring it out now.

1380
01:53:22,340 --> 01:53:32,100
I think it's extremely important for the youth to get ahead and start on managing money well and knowing how to operate media because we're moving into the digital world where everything is media.

1381
01:53:32,520 --> 01:53:37,360
The media and money conference is definitely with your firm, both future, because my money

1382
01:53:37,360 --> 01:53:39,360
hit the list fields are not that good right now.

1383
01:53:39,560 --> 01:53:42,960
And there are definitely T-Sony, how do you handle my money and, like, where do you handle my

1384
01:53:42,960 --> 01:53:43,240
money?

1385
01:53:43,660 --> 01:53:48,060
Yeah, I think it helps us for the future of, like, youth students to, like, start on my

1386
01:53:48,060 --> 01:53:51,780
what path I need to go to get to this certain level that they want to be at, and, like, have

1387
01:53:51,780 --> 01:53:54,820
a overall good, like, structure of finance for, like, when they grow up.

1388
01:53:54,940 --> 01:53:59,180
We got overall hoods with folks here that are attending today, helping get this event, go in,

1389
01:53:59,180 --> 01:54:05,720
We have approximately 71 students that's comprised of our alumni plus some of our students who attend their

1390
01:54:05,720 --> 01:54:13,620
curriculum program. We have about 22 volunteers, 18 staff members, the more the better, the more

1391
01:54:13,620 --> 01:54:19,140
individuals that we have volunteering, the more career exploration opportunities we can offer, the more

1392
01:54:19,140 --> 01:54:25,160
interviews we can do, the more students we can invite. Ideally, this becomes an Oakland thing

1393
01:54:25,160 --> 01:54:30,960
we can have available to the community and in order to do that it's going to take a

1394
01:54:30,960 --> 01:54:31,540
village.

1395
01:54:42,790 --> 01:54:46,510
Hi, I'm Shalanda Tilme and I'm the Principal at Madison Park Academy

1396
01:54:46,510 --> 01:54:47,410
Prime Minister.

1397
01:54:47,430 --> 01:54:49,470
I grew up in Oakland, Born & Race.

1398
01:54:49,730 --> 01:54:53,790
I've been an educator for 13 years, nine years at MPA Prime

1399
01:54:53,790 --> 01:54:57,030
First of the teacher, and now as a principal,

1400
01:54:57,710 --> 01:54:59,970
I had some amazing amazing...

1401
01:55:00,000 --> 01:55:07,840
Education or experiences throughout Oakland, Unified School District, and it built my character and it made me

1402
01:55:07,840 --> 01:55:14,540
resilient and it's a big part of who I am today. We have a safe, fun, welcoming, tight knit community

1403
01:55:14,540 --> 01:55:23,380
environment here at NPA. Families are a big part of our environment, our community and our decision-making.

1404
01:55:23,380 --> 01:55:28,280
At NCA, we offer opportunities beyond the classroom.

1405
01:55:28,740 --> 01:55:31,520
We have academic support and tutoring,

1406
01:55:31,940 --> 01:55:33,160
support, full pantry,

1407
01:55:33,740 --> 01:55:36,940
a digital arts prep, a brand new beautiful library,

1408
01:55:37,280 --> 01:55:39,760
a community and team building activities,

1409
01:55:40,380 --> 01:55:42,420
and filters for every classroom.

1410
01:55:42,860 --> 01:55:44,580
We're all up at a time where

1411
01:55:44,580 --> 01:55:46,720
my parents can always provide us

1412
01:55:46,720 --> 01:55:48,340
from educational foundation.

1413
01:55:49,020 --> 01:55:51,480
I grew up with wonderful teachers

1414
01:55:51,480 --> 01:55:54,020
Throughout Oakland, we showed me love,

1415
01:55:54,220 --> 01:55:56,980
who showed me structure and a belief in myself.

1416
01:55:57,800 --> 01:56:02,160
Specifically, it started for free with Ms. Brure at Golden Gate Elementary.

1417
01:56:02,680 --> 01:56:07,020
She recognized that I was brilliant, that I was different,

1418
01:56:07,180 --> 01:56:12,500
but I also had a leaf, and she was overall just my world model,

1419
01:56:12,760 --> 01:56:14,400
and still my world model to the extent

1420
01:56:14,400 --> 01:56:17,780
that she shows up in the work that I do every single day.

1421
01:56:34,580 --> 01:56:38,780
I'm Dr. Lucinda Taylor, principal of Wesley Middle School.

1422
01:56:39,040 --> 01:56:41,480
I feel like my work is still important,

1423
01:56:41,600 --> 01:56:44,660
changing the lives of black and brown kids in Oakland.

1424
01:56:45,220 --> 01:56:47,740
We're here to make another impact in Oakland

1425
01:56:47,740 --> 01:56:51,060
in a way that creates leaders at politicians,

1426
01:56:51,340 --> 01:56:54,420
doctors, lawyers, the focus here at Wesley Lake this year

1427
01:56:54,420 --> 01:56:57,060
and in the years the comm will be to increase

1428
01:56:57,060 --> 01:56:59,220
the literacy scores of our students.

1429
01:56:59,480 --> 01:57:02,720
And so we have a beautiful full service library

1430
01:57:02,720 --> 01:57:05,720
with a librarian, a writer's room.

1431
01:57:06,180 --> 01:57:10,140
West Lake also hosts a merit of athletic programs.

1432
01:57:10,540 --> 01:57:20,280
We have sports like volleyball, tracking field, basketball, tennis, a soccer for our students to participate in during our sports program.

1433
01:57:20,620 --> 01:57:29,260
All right, here at West Lake, West Lake also hosts a number of Vapa classes, which includes digital media.

1434
01:57:29,260 --> 01:57:36,360
It includes band, it includes art, it includes choir, and a host of other opportunities for

1435
01:57:36,360 --> 01:57:43,220
our students to engage in the arts in the way that makes them young and free and fresh.

1436
01:57:43,360 --> 01:57:47,280
Some of the interests that our students have when they're very passionate are our clubs.

1437
01:57:47,720 --> 01:57:50,100
And one of them is Robotics this year.

1438
01:57:50,320 --> 01:57:56,360
Our students competed in the district wide challenge, but we have a variety of clubs, including

1439
01:57:56,360 --> 01:58:05,620
cooking, barbershop, we actually have math and reading clubs and a host of LGBTQ and personalized

1440
01:58:05,620 --> 01:58:10,900
clubs right here at West Lake. So with about 30 years in Oakland, I am here at West Lake

1441
01:58:10,900 --> 01:58:16,260
to create conditions for our students to be excellent readers and writers and be able to

1442
01:58:16,260 --> 01:58:22,060
compete globally. So our focus is creating conditions in the classrooms, hiring qualified teachers,

1443
01:58:22,060 --> 01:58:26,080
to match the energy of our students and make sure that they are prepared.

1444
01:58:26,760 --> 01:58:32,960
Our attendance is up, our discipline is down, and that's all because we know that restorative

1445
01:58:32,960 --> 01:58:33,860
justice works.

1446
01:58:34,340 --> 01:58:39,120
And it's about surrounding them with people who care and actually love them.

1447
01:59:01,220 --> 01:59:05,220
Different people come in and I get painted different colors.

1448
01:59:05,700 --> 01:59:10,680
I get cleaned, I get new furniture, but I stay in the same spot in the city.

1449
01:59:11,060 --> 01:59:18,060
If you use up the moon to make macaroni and cheese, the stars will come together to make a new moon.

1450
01:59:18,440 --> 01:59:19,640
I felt that it was fun.

1451
01:59:19,640 --> 01:59:22,860
I usually just read at school, reading is fun.

1452
01:59:23,020 --> 01:59:26,720
I got a lot of good books in the library.

1453
01:59:27,080 --> 01:59:30,000
To see our students excited about it, is incredible.

1454
01:59:30,440 --> 01:59:33,000
Oh, this is an exciting moment for me personally.

1455
01:59:33,320 --> 01:59:34,760
I know reading is everything.

1456
01:59:35,240 --> 01:59:38,440
And to have the whole city focus on reading,

1457
01:59:38,960 --> 01:59:43,180
a coalition of people coming together at every level from birth

1458
01:59:43,180 --> 01:59:46,340
to adults, making the connection to reading

1459
01:59:46,340 --> 01:59:49,320
with your health, with your body, with joy.

1460
01:59:49,320 --> 01:59:54,720
I'm here today to really announce that Oakland is a reading town, and this is about a young people.

1461
01:59:55,020 --> 01:59:59,980
A young people deserve to be able to be able to be literate and to be able to read.

1462
02:00:00,000 --> 02:00:07,800
And right, it's their future and we have a duty and responsibility to partner with the school district. So this is a citywide effort.

1463
02:00:07,900 --> 02:00:13,840
Books like Fencem, so I like events like this, so we can come in and get free books. I think books should be accessible.

1464
02:00:14,320 --> 02:00:24,620
Being the community and celebrated education, literacy, get some books, and just continue this musical vibe of the Oakland Unified School District.

1465
02:00:24,620 --> 02:00:28,960
I'm a former reading teacher, so that's why I'm excited to be here. I love books,

1466
02:00:29,500 --> 02:00:33,540
like Bob Vermeer Staddleton is a reading town. Starting with the two students who read their

1467
02:00:33,540 --> 02:00:38,020
poems, if the energy just felt from there. Going in and talking to the students and looking at

1468
02:00:38,020 --> 02:00:42,960
them the excited about their writing. Looking at here are our vendors and knowing those kids and

1469
02:00:42,960 --> 02:00:47,160
adults are going to go home and read tonight. It's a very exciting look that momentum is great.

1470
02:00:47,420 --> 02:00:51,640
Our school district and our school partners are going to be encouraging and incentivizing

1471
02:00:51,640 --> 02:00:58,320
tracking reading minutes, incentivizing reading for 20 minutes a day in school, but also at home.

1472
02:00:58,560 --> 02:01:03,280
And so they're really going to be working on ways that we can actually log reading.

1473
02:01:03,360 --> 02:01:08,060
We built, we designed open as a reading town because we knew that there's a lot of competing

1474
02:01:08,060 --> 02:01:10,920
stuff for our attention, our phones, our lives.

1475
02:01:11,140 --> 02:01:16,340
And so we know that one of the things we can do to get reading right is we can read more.

1476
02:01:16,520 --> 02:01:19,320
So excited to be here today and our third annual lit fast.

1477
02:01:19,320 --> 02:01:23,260
This is an opportunity for families to come and celebrate their students reading and writing.

1478
02:01:23,500 --> 02:01:26,140
And we have the Oakland Public Library giving away books.

1479
02:01:26,540 --> 02:01:29,420
We have eat, learn, play, giving away back hacks.

1480
02:01:29,840 --> 02:01:33,700
And we have food for families to come because we know they're going to be here from four to six.

1481
02:01:33,860 --> 02:01:35,460
And we all need to eat at Yomi and Mia.

1482
02:01:35,700 --> 02:01:42,480
I think every year we have tweaked it to really figure out the perfect combination of showcasing student writing,

1483
02:01:43,180 --> 02:01:45,860
getting kids up on a stage where they can really be heard.

1484
02:01:46,060 --> 02:01:47,700
This event is all about our kids.

1485
02:01:47,700 --> 02:01:54,880
I think that the most important question is whether the kids feel celebrated today and feel the pride

1486
02:01:54,880 --> 02:02:00,620
of Oakland that is in this space and know that what they read and what they write and how they grow matters

1487
02:02:00,620 --> 02:02:03,480
to everybody who's here and to this whole city.

1488
02:02:17,680 --> 02:02:25,040
I learned about the problems of the prepping bridge and how there was about a problem.

1489
02:02:25,040 --> 02:02:30,600
they're in construction and reconstruction, and I learned how the community solved it.

1490
02:02:30,820 --> 02:02:37,220
The engineer was John August then there was a boat, a lot of laborers working on this.

1491
02:02:37,640 --> 02:02:43,360
I felt the golden gate bridge, I learned all of the different parts of the bridge.

1492
02:02:43,840 --> 02:02:52,120
The main cables, cables, the roadway and the towers, the walls, the Edinburgh,

1493
02:02:52,120 --> 02:02:57,080
while they're crossing on the 101 freeway in LA.

1494
02:02:57,700 --> 02:03:00,860
It's only for wildlife and no humans can go on it.

1495
02:03:00,880 --> 02:03:06,300
It has plants on the top so the animals can find stuff for their family.

1496
02:03:06,740 --> 02:03:10,680
With larger projects, sometimes it can be hard for students to see that end goal

1497
02:03:10,680 --> 02:03:12,540
because it can feel so far away.

1498
02:03:12,740 --> 02:03:15,420
And there's all of these tedious steps that they feel like they're doing

1499
02:03:15,420 --> 02:03:17,800
to get to this long-term thing.

1500
02:03:17,800 --> 02:03:23,480
So this was like our cumulative project, our ELA module, and the focus was information on tech,

1501
02:03:23,620 --> 02:03:31,500
so students were learning research skills and how to look at different sources and kind of synthesize information and put it together.

1502
02:03:32,100 --> 02:03:36,280
They say that still is one of the best materials to build with because it's used to work strong.

1503
02:03:36,720 --> 02:03:42,920
The Burpren Bridge was the first steel suspension bridge in the world, and one of the longest steel suspension bridges at the time,

1504
02:03:42,920 --> 02:03:45,560
Standing at 6,16 feet.

1505
02:03:45,940 --> 02:03:51,480
It was kind of scary, but since I did, it was like my team, it was like, wasn't that scary.

1506
02:03:51,880 --> 02:03:57,320
Their nervous, it feels hard, but it's something special about doing a hard thing.

1507
02:03:57,720 --> 02:04:01,160
It connects into their confidence and realizing that they could do it.

1508
02:04:01,260 --> 02:04:04,380
I learned that for years, like, take a long time to do.

1509
02:04:04,460 --> 02:04:11,020
They helped the community a lot, and they helped people cross over to their best in these years.

1510
02:04:11,020 --> 02:04:17,140
I never knew that inside inside of the Brooklyn Bridge there's like I think it's all a room a museum

1511
02:04:17,140 --> 02:04:21,920
I'm pretty sure it was like the most shocked shocked things in me because I never heard of it

1512
02:04:21,920 --> 02:04:25,940
But I think what is the most special time is it was this week

1513
02:04:25,940 --> 02:04:31,700
Because it was really like the grind time and when they started to realize okay, we're super close to our our finish line

1514
02:04:32,200 --> 02:04:38,660
And now we're gonna really like lock in as the kids would say how I do so bridge it was like at first

1515
02:04:38,660 --> 02:04:46,860
my dad was like kind of building the sticks wrong kind of but we fixed it up I use a little

1516
02:04:46,860 --> 02:04:51,540
costable sticks and cardboard for the streets I think it when you accomplish anything big and

1517
02:04:51,540 --> 02:04:57,080
light it makes it like when you come across other challenges those challenges don't seem as hard

1518
02:04:57,080 --> 02:04:59,900
at least I can take one step

1519
02:05:17,000 --> 02:05:26,340
My advice is to use back for others and listen to adults. Don't crash, child. Try your best, not to procrastinate. Do as much as you can.

1520
02:05:26,620 --> 02:05:34,400
Listen to your peers and be nice to everyone. Focus and learn and if you think you mind you, you can do anything you want. Keep trying and never give up.

1521
02:05:34,400 --> 02:05:36,480
Believe in yourself and be chill.

1522
02:05:36,760 --> 02:05:38,200
Love is good love and keep working.

1523
02:05:38,380 --> 02:05:40,220
Be yourself and make good decisions.

1524
02:05:40,760 --> 02:05:43,540
Believe in yourself that you could do anything you want.

1525
02:05:43,600 --> 02:05:45,520
Never give up and keep on trying.

1526
02:05:46,060 --> 02:05:49,460
Be mindful to let our people always communicate with your teachers.

1527
02:05:49,740 --> 02:05:53,140
Because I wouldn't have gone here if I didn't communicate to my teachers.

1528
02:05:53,440 --> 02:05:54,240
That I needed help.

1529
02:05:54,240 --> 02:05:56,100
Always listen to your teacher.

1530
02:05:56,560 --> 02:05:59,720
Be kind to others and be nice to people.

1531
02:05:59,920 --> 02:06:01,160
Find a good group of friends.

1532
02:06:01,420 --> 02:06:02,340
People that are positive.

1533
02:06:02,600 --> 02:06:04,280
Be good and listen to the teachers.

1534
02:06:04,400 --> 02:06:07,440
Just enjoy the year, make friends, get along with everyone.

1535
02:06:07,660 --> 02:06:08,600
You all year homework.

1536
02:06:08,980 --> 02:06:10,400
This school year I'm looking forward to.

1537
02:06:10,440 --> 02:06:11,720
Keep taking college classes.

1538
02:06:12,200 --> 02:06:16,420
Make new friends and learning stuff for myself to be smarter.

1539
02:06:16,800 --> 02:06:19,820
Make a new friends and maintain a good grades.

1540
02:06:20,060 --> 02:06:21,360
I show up to 16.

1541
02:06:21,920 --> 02:06:22,960
I show up to learn.

1542
02:06:23,540 --> 02:06:24,660
I show up to grow.

1543
02:06:25,060 --> 02:06:26,480
I show up to be my best.

1544
02:06:26,860 --> 02:06:27,820
I show up from my future.

1545
02:06:28,320 --> 02:06:29,420
Please, yeah, we're

1546
02:06:35,080 --> 02:06:35,980
good to see you.

1547
02:06:45,990 --> 02:06:50,530
I think we all kind of have this false narrative of like, it's super hard, it's

1548
02:06:50,530 --> 02:06:56,030
pretty super bad, but it's only bad when you don't understand it, media and money

1549
02:06:56,030 --> 02:07:01,870
helped me focus a lot on budgeting, especially for filming and equipment and for future projects

1550
02:07:01,870 --> 02:07:02,490
I want to do.

1551
02:07:02,750 --> 02:07:09,490
It's not very commonly talked about on what you should do, how to invest in credit, and I appreciate

1552
02:07:09,490 --> 02:07:17,570
how they're having like a big awareness, especially since for younger, to teach us when we're ready

1553
02:07:17,570 --> 02:07:24,810
when we're older. The attention behind the media and money conference was to provide resources

1554
02:07:24,810 --> 02:07:30,350
to our students that normally aren't accessible to them. At youth be educated and power and

1555
02:07:30,350 --> 02:07:35,870
employ essentially during the summer they're getting educated. This conference is empowered.

1556
02:07:35,870 --> 02:07:37,950
This is really a day for them to explore

1557
02:07:37,950 --> 02:07:39,850
to learn about their pathways that they could take

1558
02:07:39,850 --> 02:07:41,810
because high schools at times try things out.

1559
02:07:41,910 --> 02:07:43,570
The other piece is just a lot more practical

1560
02:07:43,570 --> 02:07:45,770
of how they can prepare for any job

1561
02:07:45,770 --> 02:07:46,750
and how they can be successful.

1562
02:07:47,250 --> 02:07:49,370
So they need to know how to carry themselves confidently,

1563
02:07:49,650 --> 02:07:51,190
how to tell a story from themselves

1564
02:07:51,190 --> 02:07:52,110
and a job interview.

1565
02:07:52,510 --> 02:07:54,710
We have a lot of talented students here

1566
02:07:55,510 --> 02:07:57,290
that if given the right resources

1567
02:07:57,290 --> 02:07:58,810
of given the right tools,

1568
02:07:59,090 --> 02:08:00,130
they could be the next Ryan Hooler.

1569
02:08:00,330 --> 02:08:01,870
It was just beautiful to see someone

1570
02:08:01,870 --> 02:08:04,570
that young being so hungry

1571
02:08:04,570 --> 02:08:05,510
and determined.

1572
02:08:05,950 --> 02:08:07,710
This is a great community surrounding us.

1573
02:08:08,230 --> 02:08:09,310
The confidence is key.

1574
02:08:09,510 --> 02:08:13,110
I think we kind of both taught each other that today and one of my students that I had

1575
02:08:13,110 --> 02:08:13,730
with me.

1576
02:08:13,910 --> 02:08:16,750
Just having the confidence in what I've done or what he's done.

1577
02:08:16,970 --> 02:08:18,390
By trade, I'm a financial planner.

1578
02:08:18,590 --> 02:08:23,910
My role was really to educate them to give them the foundational information that I wish

1579
02:08:23,910 --> 02:08:25,870
every kid would receive.

1580
02:08:26,450 --> 02:08:30,850
Opportunities like this, this conference particularly is, it's important to use not just

1581
02:08:30,850 --> 02:08:31,850
an Oakland but everywhere.

1582
02:08:31,850 --> 02:08:38,750
There's all these financial parts of life that we need to explore, and that's a lot of what I explored in my sessions today.

1583
02:08:39,010 --> 02:08:43,290
In our community, especially, there's not a lot of programs that teach you about finances.

1584
02:08:43,770 --> 02:08:45,250
A lot of us are still figuring it out now.

1585
02:08:45,270 --> 02:08:48,890
I think it's extremely important for the youth to get ahead and start on,

1586
02:08:48,890 --> 02:08:52,050
manage and money well, and knowing how to operate media,

1587
02:08:52,090 --> 02:08:55,090
because we're moving into the digital world where everything is media.

1588
02:08:55,710 --> 02:08:58,550
The media in many conferences is definitely with your friends,

1589
02:08:58,550 --> 02:09:02,350
for the future because my money in the Westfield are not that good right now.

1590
02:09:02,630 --> 02:09:06,350
And there are definitely some need how to handle my money and like where to handle my money.

1591
02:09:06,710 --> 02:09:11,250
Yeah, I think I hope that's for the future of like youth students to like sort of like what

1592
02:09:11,250 --> 02:09:15,290
path would need to go to get to this certain level that they want to be at and like have a overall

1593
02:09:15,290 --> 02:09:17,850
good like structure of finance for like when they grow up.

1594
02:09:17,970 --> 02:09:22,170
We got over 100 folks here that are attending today helping get this event go in.

1595
02:09:22,390 --> 02:09:27,990
We have approximately 71 students that's comprised of our alumni plus some of our students

1596
02:09:27,990 --> 02:09:29,530
to attend their erected program.

1597
02:09:29,910 --> 02:09:34,590
We have about 22 volunteers, 18 staff members,

1598
02:09:34,750 --> 02:09:35,930
some more, the better.

1599
02:09:36,150 --> 02:09:38,290
The more individuals that we have volunteering,

1600
02:09:38,730 --> 02:09:40,390
the more career exploration opportunities

1601
02:09:40,390 --> 02:09:43,210
we can offer, the more interviews we can do,

1602
02:09:43,430 --> 02:09:44,950
the more students we can invite.

1603
02:09:45,490 --> 02:09:48,090
Ideally, this becomes an Oakland thing

1604
02:09:48,090 --> 02:09:51,270
that we can have available to the community.

1605
02:09:51,750 --> 02:09:54,150
And in order to do that, it's going to take a bit.

1606
02:10:05,260 --> 02:10:19,940
Hi, I'm Shalanda Tillman and I'm the principal of Madison Park Academy Prime Minister. I grew up in Oakland, born and raised. I've been an educator for 13 years, nine years at NPA, primary. First, as a teacher, and now as a principal.

1607
02:10:20,740 --> 02:10:33,280
I had some amazing, amazing educational experiences throughout Oakland, Unified School District, and it built my character and it made me resilient and it's a big part of who I am today.

1608
02:10:33,280 --> 02:10:39,320
We have a safe, fun, welcome and tight knit community environment here at NPA.

1609
02:10:39,980 --> 02:10:46,400
Families are a big part of our environment, our community, and our decision-making.

1610
02:10:46,720 --> 02:10:51,240
At NPA, we offer opportunities beyond the classroom.

1611
02:10:51,800 --> 02:10:56,160
We have academic support and tutoring, fort full pantry,

1612
02:10:56,160 --> 02:11:02,740
a digital arts prep, a brand new beautiful library, a community, and team building activities,

1613
02:11:03,400 --> 02:11:05,320
and skills skills for every classroom.

1614
02:11:05,880 --> 02:11:11,300
We're all up at a time where my parents can always provide us with educational donations.

1615
02:11:12,020 --> 02:11:15,700
I grew up with wonderful teachers throughout Oakland,

1616
02:11:16,060 --> 02:11:19,940
told me love, who showed me structure and of the least in myself.

1617
02:11:20,660 --> 02:11:25,180
Specifically, I started fourth grade with Ms. Brure at Golden Gate Elementary.

1618
02:11:25,180 --> 02:11:37,460
She recognized that I was brilliant at I was different, but I also had Lee, and she was overall just my role model is still my role model to this day.

1619
02:11:37,640 --> 02:11:41,200
She shows up in the work that I do every single day.

1620
02:11:48,240 --> 02:11:52,960
We are

1621
02:11:58,460 --> 02:12:01,560
the TCN Panthers, and I am so excited I'm here.

1622
02:12:01,920 --> 02:12:06,260
Hi, I'm Lacey Lefkowitz, and I am the proud principal at the college now.

1623
02:12:06,260 --> 02:12:12,500
Our community was actually formed by families. Families who wanted to see their students

1624
02:12:12,500 --> 02:12:19,780
and their families in college now. We have folks art and a science lab. Students can also

1625
02:12:19,780 --> 02:12:26,960
spend time each week in the library, each month in the garden, and each week with our partner

1626
02:12:26,960 --> 02:12:33,060
heroes where they have PE spaces. Parents at Thing College now can expect a lot of different

1627
02:12:33,060 --> 02:12:37,720
opportunities to engage. First we have our three signature events. We have our

1628
02:12:37,720 --> 02:12:41,540
literacy night where we celebrate our love of learning and our love of

1629
02:12:41,540 --> 02:12:46,480
reading. Our second signature event is our unity night where we celebrate all of

1630
02:12:46,480 --> 02:12:51,280
the wonderful cultures that come together. And number three is our Black Excellence

1631
02:12:51,280 --> 02:12:56,980
Night where we further celebrate our community. We hope that you all join us.

1632
02:12:56,980 --> 02:13:03,300
in our thing college now community, you will be joining a legacy of families who have come together,

1633
02:13:03,980 --> 02:13:09,580
both to found this school and to continue to work to make sure that all of our students can be

1634
02:13:09,580 --> 02:13:13,200
successful in college careers and beyond.

1635
02:13:32,270 --> 02:13:35,790
I'm Dr. Lucinda Taylor, principal of Wesley Middle School.

1636
02:13:35,970 --> 02:13:41,630
I feel like my work is still important, changing the lives of Black and Brown kids in Oakland.

1637
02:13:41,630 --> 02:13:49,410
We're here to make another impact in Oakland in a way that creates leaders, at politicians, doctors, lawyers.

1638
02:13:49,790 --> 02:13:56,210
The focus here at West Lake this year and in the years come will be to increase the literacy scores of our students.

1639
02:13:56,730 --> 02:14:02,710
So we have a beautiful full-service library with a librarian, a writer's room.

1640
02:14:02,710 --> 02:14:07,150
West Lake also hosts a merit of athletic programs.

1641
02:14:07,470 --> 02:14:09,490
We have sports like volleyball,

1642
02:14:09,690 --> 02:14:14,230
track and field basketball, tennis, a soccer for our students

1643
02:14:14,230 --> 02:14:17,230
to participate in during our sports program.

1644
02:14:17,650 --> 02:14:22,410
All right, here at West Lake, West Lake also hosts

1645
02:14:22,410 --> 02:14:26,250
a number of Vapa classes, which includes digital media.

1646
02:14:26,610 --> 02:14:30,330
It includes band, it includes art, it includes choir,

1647
02:14:30,330 --> 02:14:40,210
and a host of other opportunities for our students to engage in the arts in the way that makes them young and free and fresh.

1648
02:14:40,350 --> 02:14:44,270
Some of the interest that our students have when they're very passionate are clubs.

1649
02:14:44,730 --> 02:14:50,430
And one of them is Robotics this year. Our students competed in the district wide challenge.

1650
02:14:50,810 --> 02:14:55,550
But we have a variety of clubs, including cooking, barbershop.

1651
02:14:55,550 --> 02:14:59,970
We actually have math and reading clubs and a host of...

1652
02:15:00,820 --> 02:15:07,640
LGBTQ, and personalized clubs. Right here at West Lake. So, with about 30 years in Oakland, I am here at

1653
02:15:07,640 --> 02:15:13,260
West Lake to create conditions for our students to be excellent readers and writers and be able to

1654
02:15:13,260 --> 02:15:19,000
compete globally. So, our focus is creating conditions in the classrooms, hiring qualified teachers,

1655
02:15:19,420 --> 02:15:25,000
to match the energy of our students, and make sure that they are prepared. Our attendance is up,

1656
02:15:25,000 --> 02:15:29,060
are disappointed down, and that's all because we know

1657
02:15:29,060 --> 02:15:30,880
that restorative justice works.

1658
02:15:31,400 --> 02:15:34,060
And it's about surrounding them with people who care

1659
02:15:34,060 --> 02:15:35,760
and actually love them.

1660
02:15:43,220 --> 02:15:43,740
He's great.

1661
02:15:45,080 --> 02:15:46,480
He's great to be here.

1662
02:15:46,480 --> 02:15:46,480
He's great to be

1663
02:15:49,880 --> 02:15:51,000
here.

1664
02:16:31,020 --> 02:16:34,060
Hunter Deaf on stage today to see my large community

1665
02:16:34,060 --> 02:16:37,960
and my friends come all together to celebrate us being scholars.

1666
02:16:38,300 --> 02:16:39,680
It's just so amazing.

1667
02:16:40,420 --> 02:16:42,460
And standing up there with the lights on us

1668
02:16:42,460 --> 02:16:46,380
and just reflecting on how much work we did this year was incredible.

1669
02:16:46,720 --> 02:16:50,760
And if you are here today to celebrate our African American scholar,

1670
02:16:57,170 --> 02:17:04,450
welcome to the Oscar Wright's 25th Annual African American Academic Excellence Award.

1671
02:17:04,630 --> 02:17:09,150
I think it's important that there are achievements be recognized so that they continue to achieve.

1672
02:17:09,650 --> 02:17:13,070
And it lets us know that we're doing something right.

1673
02:17:13,070 --> 02:17:27,870
with our black young men, it's very important to reiterate that we have a chance and that there is promise for us and that somebody else has done it and they can too.

1674
02:17:28,130 --> 02:17:31,870
I like to experience my culture and like over on my ethnic background.

1675
02:17:32,110 --> 02:17:37,610
He's my cultural, so it's always good to get recognized for things that you do positively.

1676
02:17:37,610 --> 02:17:50,390
I'm really proud of making it this far, you know, continuing my, uh, 3. GPA, 3.67 GPA. So yeah, it feels really good to keep it up and keep doing good at school.

1677
02:17:50,670 --> 02:18:01,730
The stay today, it felt great. I feel honored. It's a good feeling. I feel like, you know, I feel like, you know, I work for it. It's just a really good feeling. I do not know how to explain.

1678
02:18:01,730 --> 02:18:09,410
It makes it good for our community so our kids can witness some good things that we do have going on.

1679
02:18:09,690 --> 02:18:15,170
I think that it makes them want to stay in school longer and get what they need done.

1680
02:18:15,650 --> 02:18:23,570
We are gathered here to recognize our African American students who've earned a place on the honor roll.

1681
02:18:25,100 --> 02:18:33,440
Tonight is the celebration of excellence, perseverance, and promise.

1682
02:18:33,960 --> 02:18:35,360
Let's repeat together.

1683
02:18:35,940 --> 02:18:37,220
It's not about you.

1684
02:18:38,700 --> 02:18:39,900
It's not about me.

1685
02:18:41,400 --> 02:18:42,400
It's about our children.

1686
02:18:43,000 --> 02:18:47,460
I think it honors our courage, legacy, a because he did something,

1687
02:18:47,600 --> 02:18:49,780
and because he did something, this has happened.

1688
02:18:49,880 --> 02:18:53,200
We had the benefit of being here when he was still alive,

1689
02:18:53,200 --> 02:19:06,460
But having this maintain after he's gone showcases that education is primary, and he instills the message that education for African-American children of Oakland is number one goal.

1690
02:19:06,900 --> 02:19:12,100
This is beautiful to have, and this will keep his memory living on.

1691
02:19:12,760 --> 02:19:17,140
He's going to live on and all of these children. This is keeping him alive.

1692
02:19:42,790 --> 02:19:47,570
West Oakland is an integral and value part of the city with a long and rich history.

1693
02:19:47,570 --> 02:19:53,790
It includes the city's oldest school, Prescott Elementary, and the Historic School of Champions,

1694
02:19:54,150 --> 02:19:56,390
McLemain's High, and numerous others.

1695
02:19:56,850 --> 02:19:59,970
We're underneath one of these solar cannabis. It's really fulfilling.

1696
02:20:00,000 --> 02:20:04,220
During our promise to the community around creating a sustainable future for our kids.

1697
02:20:04,720 --> 02:20:10,520
From early childhood investments to elementary to middle and into high school, this is a coordinated effort

1698
02:20:10,520 --> 02:20:15,860
to be able to ensure complete investment in the full pathway for our students in West Auckland.

1699
02:20:16,200 --> 02:20:21,040
My favorite part is like the loose lights. There's three now. It needs to be like only two.

1700
02:20:21,080 --> 02:20:24,500
It is more colorful. Now they can see who we are like, do we?

1701
02:20:24,720 --> 02:20:28,820
The winners of Indonesia here since I've been here for the last 10 years.

1702
02:20:28,820 --> 02:20:34,080
You see students appreciate it. It doesn't feel as hot. There's an obvious difference in the heat.

1703
02:20:34,280 --> 02:20:38,900
Now that we finally got blinds, that's been helpful too to be able to block out some of the sun.

1704
02:20:39,260 --> 02:20:43,920
And then visually, it's impacting students because it looks nice. The windows look good. It looks new.

1705
02:20:44,080 --> 02:20:50,580
It feels like it's bringing more like a good energy. What was missing was of just kids motivated to even

1706
02:20:50,580 --> 02:20:56,280
want to come outside to play. So Martin Luther King Jr. students, the impact of the new

1707
02:20:56,280 --> 02:20:59,260
are, shows that everybody cares about them.

1708
02:20:59,340 --> 02:21:01,180
There's just like kind of more joyful play.

1709
02:21:01,340 --> 02:21:06,960
Having things to do and nice facilities to do it with is a huge difference.

1710
02:21:07,400 --> 02:21:10,340
Our investment at McClimans is transformational.

1711
02:21:10,640 --> 02:21:16,500
I'm so excited to be delivering a project at McClimans that honors the legacy of incredible

1712
02:21:16,500 --> 02:21:21,460
people who have been students and community members and staff at McClimans.

1713
02:21:21,460 --> 02:21:27,080
and we're launching a nearly $100 million investment in West Oakland and specifically McClimus.

1714
02:21:27,340 --> 02:21:31,500
It started with the naming of the gym and honoring the legacy of Bill Russell,

1715
02:21:32,000 --> 02:21:36,080
but now it'll be a full modernization of the school that will be breaking around the spring.

1716
02:21:36,280 --> 02:21:40,980
So we're really excited about that project because it's a cornerstone in the West Oakland community.

1717
02:21:41,280 --> 02:21:46,600
I'm excited because I'm a local kid. I grew up here. I went to Lafayette Elementary.

1718
02:21:46,600 --> 02:21:52,200
you went to low middle school and then came here my 9th and 10th grade year so coming back

1719
02:21:52,200 --> 02:21:56,680
to the neighborhood and giving back just coming back home you know to where I was raised

1720
02:21:56,680 --> 02:22:01,060
and when the community knowing people was I was excited. When you get a new house on a new

1721
02:22:01,060 --> 02:22:06,240
bicycle it just does something for you. It motivates you and so having a new place to come to

1722
02:22:06,860 --> 02:22:12,180
it says new smell is a newness about it and people want to take care of it. These projects ultimately

1723
02:22:12,180 --> 02:22:18,260
create safe, welcoming, and high quality learning environments that also strengthen schools

1724
02:22:18,260 --> 02:22:22,560
as neighborhood anchors and serve the community beyond the school day.

1725
02:22:48,170 --> 02:22:54,310
Different people come in and I get painted different colors. I get cleaned, I get new

1726
02:22:54,310 --> 02:23:00,890
furniture, but I stay in the same spot in the city. If you use up the moon to make macaroni and cheese,

1727
02:23:00,890 --> 02:23:05,010
The stars will come together to make in you.

1728
02:23:05,150 --> 02:23:06,690
I felt that it was fun.

1729
02:23:07,110 --> 02:23:08,850
I usually just read our school.

1730
02:23:09,110 --> 02:23:09,850
Reading is fun.

1731
02:23:09,870 --> 02:23:13,730
I got a lot of good books in the library.

1732
02:23:14,090 --> 02:23:16,990
To see our students excited about it is incredible.

1733
02:23:17,450 --> 02:23:19,990
Oh, this is an exciting moment for me personally.

1734
02:23:20,310 --> 02:23:21,770
I know reading is everything.

1735
02:23:22,210 --> 02:23:25,590
And to have the whole city focus on reading,

1736
02:23:25,990 --> 02:23:29,350
a coalition of people coming together at every level

1737
02:23:29,350 --> 02:23:36,430
from birth to adults, making the connection to reading with your health, with your body, with joy.

1738
02:23:36,810 --> 02:23:41,690
I'm here today to really announce that Oakland is a reading town and the spot are young people,

1739
02:23:41,990 --> 02:23:47,870
are young people deserve to be able to be literate and to be able to read and write.

1740
02:23:48,270 --> 02:23:52,870
It's their future and we have a duty and responsibility to partner with the school district,

1741
02:23:53,230 --> 02:23:57,590
so this is a city wide effort. It looks like fence ends. I like events like this,

1742
02:23:57,590 --> 02:23:59,310
So we can come and get free books.

1743
02:23:59,390 --> 02:24:00,830
I think books should be accessible.

1744
02:24:01,350 --> 02:24:05,150
Being the community and celebrated occasion, literacy,

1745
02:24:05,870 --> 02:24:08,050
get some books, and just continue

1746
02:24:08,050 --> 02:24:11,630
this beautiful vibe of the Oaklandian-Ephysical District.

1747
02:24:11,910 --> 02:24:13,230
I'm a former reading teacher.

1748
02:24:13,430 --> 02:24:14,830
So that's why I'm excited to be here.

1749
02:24:14,930 --> 02:24:17,690
I love books like Bob and the Mayor Saddleson

1750
02:24:17,690 --> 02:24:18,610
is a reading town.

1751
02:24:18,850 --> 02:24:21,070
Starting with the two students who read their poems,

1752
02:24:21,590 --> 02:24:23,190
it's the energy just built from there.

1753
02:24:23,330 --> 02:24:24,910
Going in and talking to students and looking

1754
02:24:24,910 --> 02:24:26,970
at me, excited about their writing,

1755
02:24:26,970 --> 02:24:30,830
looking to hear all our vendors and knowing those kids and adults are going to go home and

1756
02:24:30,830 --> 02:24:34,210
read tonight. It's a very exciting look that momentum is great.

1757
02:24:34,490 --> 02:24:38,650
Our school district and our school partners are going to be encouraging and incentivizing

1758
02:24:38,650 --> 02:24:44,690
tracking reading minutes and incentivizing reading for 20 minutes a day in school but also

1759
02:24:44,690 --> 02:24:50,150
at home and so they're really going to be working on ways that we can actually log reading.

1760
02:24:50,390 --> 02:24:55,050
We built, we designed open as a reading town because we knew that there's a lot of competing

1761
02:24:55,050 --> 02:24:59,970
stuff for our attention, our phones, our lives, and so we know that one of the things

1762
02:25:00,000 --> 02:25:03,440
We can do to get reading right, is we can read more.

1763
02:25:03,440 --> 02:25:08,480
So excited to be here today in our third annual lit fast. This is number 20 for families to come and celebrate

1764
02:25:08,480 --> 02:25:13,860
their students reading and writing. And we have the Oakland Public Library giving away books. We have

1765
02:25:13,860 --> 02:25:19,360
eat, learn, play, giving away back hacks. And we have food for families to come, because we know

1766
02:25:19,360 --> 02:25:24,040
they're going to be here from four districts. And we all need to eat at yummy meals. I think every year we have

1767
02:25:24,040 --> 02:25:29,720
We did it to really figure out the perfect combination of showcasing student writing,

1768
02:25:30,420 --> 02:25:32,800
getting kids up on a stage where they can really be heard.

1769
02:25:33,100 --> 02:25:34,640
This event is all about our kids.

1770
02:25:34,820 --> 02:25:40,040
But I think that the most important question is whether the kids feel celebrated today

1771
02:25:40,040 --> 02:25:46,060
and feel the pride of Oakland that is in this space and know that what they read and what they write

1772
02:25:46,060 --> 02:25:50,280
and how they grow matters to everybody who's here and to this whole city.

1773
02:26:02,660 --> 02:26:07,220
This is a lot to me, because back then, they give up like a three-month started black

1774
02:26:07,220 --> 02:26:10,340
security on this slavery and what the hard times.

1775
02:26:11,100 --> 02:26:15,780
And if you're here today, it's kind of raining this hell of a million hundred year anniversary

1776
02:26:16,340 --> 02:26:19,520
of black history, but everything's the last day.

1777
02:26:20,920 --> 02:26:26,760
This event is important to me, because our dancing, few of this thing our dance is just

1778
02:26:26,760 --> 02:26:31,280
for fun, but they have like, it's fireman for it.

1779
02:26:31,300 --> 02:26:37,840
We need more programs like this, not just in February, the young people really get excited

1780
02:26:37,840 --> 02:26:44,320
about being able to showcase their hard work and I think it gives them a bigger sense of

1781
02:26:44,320 --> 02:26:50,980
purpose. I get to express how I feel through dancing and I get to tell them what my

1782
02:26:50,980 --> 02:26:56,520
culture is. It was important to find out what makes young people even want to move.

1783
02:26:56,520 --> 02:27:01,000
words are really powerful because those words turn in a movement, you know,

1784
02:27:01,520 --> 02:27:04,940
movements, turns into bigger movement in a movement, turns into change.

1785
02:27:05,100 --> 02:27:10,180
The expanded learning arts programs and initiative that comes out of central office.

1786
02:27:10,680 --> 02:27:15,900
And our goal is to provide our students with high quality arts instruction

1787
02:27:15,900 --> 02:27:20,200
from Oakland-based, professional teaching artists.

1788
02:27:20,660 --> 02:27:23,020
West Oakland Middle School has an a very good job.

1789
02:27:23,020 --> 02:27:25,960
I feel like, make sure we have that connection,

1790
02:27:26,180 --> 02:27:27,640
especially through music and through dance.

1791
02:27:27,800 --> 02:27:29,560
This collaboration is important.

1792
02:27:29,780 --> 02:27:31,800
And it reminds me a lot of hip hop.

1793
02:27:31,840 --> 02:27:33,020
Hip hop is a collaboration.

1794
02:27:33,440 --> 02:27:36,940
It's a collaboration of music, DJs, dancers,

1795
02:27:37,200 --> 02:27:40,160
big boys, taggers, spray painters.

1796
02:27:41,000 --> 02:27:43,560
Dame, creating that track, and then bringing

1797
02:27:43,560 --> 02:27:46,260
Mari up on one to the phone and being like,

1798
02:27:46,520 --> 02:27:48,620
what can we do when the kids feel right into it.

1799
02:27:48,840 --> 02:27:50,940
But during the kids here do music and dance as well.

1800
02:27:50,940 --> 02:27:54,720
was not a hard transition for them to do that, but I think that that showed a positive

1801
02:27:54,720 --> 02:27:56,780
collaboration which also passed down to you.

1802
02:27:56,860 --> 02:28:00,600
Always learn something, working with young people in general, because they have a lot

1803
02:28:00,600 --> 02:28:05,660
of creative ideas, they may not always have the technical abilities, but the lens that

1804
02:28:05,660 --> 02:28:10,100
they use to see the world is always something in the future and hopeful.

1805
02:28:10,400 --> 02:28:14,960
Before I started the program, I don't have much confidence because I like to get bullied.

1806
02:28:14,960 --> 02:28:19,700
But now I have my confidence, it's actually fun to learn a new thing.

1807
02:28:20,100 --> 02:28:25,880
I hope you learned that I'm good at making beats, and it's so cool how good I can be as

1808
02:28:25,880 --> 02:28:30,780
something wonderful in my mind to students have an opportunity to learn how to conceptualize

1809
02:28:30,780 --> 02:28:37,460
their ideas, and learn the tools of the trade, whatever it is if it's fancy, if it's visual

1810
02:28:37,460 --> 02:28:38,040
arts.

1811
02:28:38,400 --> 02:28:42,240
Everybody may not be a dancer if I may not be like a music, you know what I mean, so support

1812
02:28:42,240 --> 02:28:43,300
and bring them both together.

1813
02:28:43,300 --> 02:28:44,180
I

1814
02:28:55,440 --> 02:29:03,780
love that I can express myself in movement, I can laugh with my friends, and I love that I can do an

1815
02:29:03,780 --> 02:29:08,580
active activity like the most every day. It makes me excited to come to the school.

1816
02:29:13,120 --> 02:29:13,760
This

1817
02:29:15,780 --> 02:29:20,560
is my first time dancing. I never dance football. It's really wonderful.

1818
02:29:21,020 --> 02:29:23,420
It's to be here. I learned many dances.

1819
02:29:23,420 --> 02:29:27,880
the elementary dance teachers and the elementary music teachers and the elementary arts teachers,

1820
02:29:28,440 --> 02:29:33,020
each of those groups gets to meet every single week. We call it PD but it's really more of a

1821
02:29:33,020 --> 02:29:37,100
professional learning community. The whole focus of it is that teachers are learning from each other.

1822
02:29:37,300 --> 02:29:41,400
I remember when I first got this position, one of the things I was really worried about was being on an

1823
02:29:41,400 --> 02:29:48,480
island and being by Mesa. And then I met Emily and it was a gang changer. I think the mentorship

1824
02:29:48,480 --> 02:29:55,120
has been great not just from Emily but also from the other teachers and then getting to see their work and how it can

1825
02:29:55,580 --> 02:29:59,980
influence what I do with my students is really helpful. Being the first time.

1826
02:30:00,000 --> 02:30:08,620
Peter was very intense and overwhelming. I don't know what this would be, but it's sort of like

1827
02:30:08,620 --> 02:30:16,380
corraling energy rather than trying to like pull, like they already have so much and I'm just

1828
02:30:16,380 --> 02:30:23,280
giving it structure. I felt like my eyes didn't know how to see all of the things that were going

1829
02:30:23,280 --> 02:30:28,280
on in the room and to process it to be able to make a decision and I probably would have

1830
02:30:28,280 --> 02:30:34,740
If it wasn't for this group, I was kind of nervous, but I want to do with it, it felt good.

1831
02:30:35,040 --> 02:30:42,760
Well, I was still nervous, but I just love all the choreography and all of them move me.

1832
02:30:43,060 --> 02:30:47,540
Well, any arts is a challenge to make your fit into a school culture.

1833
02:30:47,700 --> 02:30:51,500
We created a dance framework and created a vision for dance education,

1834
02:30:52,060 --> 02:30:55,180
and then as we started to have positions that opened up,

1835
02:30:55,180 --> 02:30:58,560
We were able to convince the powers of being determined.

1836
02:30:58,940 --> 02:31:01,040
Initially, one of them into a dance position.

1837
02:31:01,320 --> 02:31:05,060
They went from one teacher to two teachers to what do we have now,

1838
02:31:05,060 --> 02:31:09,260
to Oliver, something that are doing elementary dance across our schools.

1839
02:31:09,560 --> 02:31:15,640
My favorite part about being in this position is performing and saying like,

1840
02:31:15,680 --> 02:31:19,720
poems and I love when she teaches us and she makes us laugh a lot.

1841
02:31:19,720 --> 02:31:25,140
Sometimes she has a special guest or we're doing some big special like when I was a second

1842
02:31:25,140 --> 02:31:33,520
day we went to Castle Ward for our foot performance. I love dancing because it makes me feel happy

1843
02:31:34,340 --> 02:31:41,300
and it brings me a motion. My philosophy for dance is really about building the students and

1844
02:31:41,300 --> 02:31:46,140
building their character outside of dance and one of the discipline of dance and how that discipline

1845
02:31:46,140 --> 02:31:48,440
and translate into edit areas and family.

1846
02:31:48,880 --> 02:31:52,800
So it's about how we can build the mess people through dance.

1847
02:32:00,780 --> 02:32:02,940
For high school, I played professionally

1848
02:32:02,940 --> 02:32:06,200
for several years, played overseas

1849
02:32:06,200 --> 02:32:08,860
for another handful years, came back to California,

1850
02:32:09,260 --> 02:32:10,240
maybe six years ago.

1851
02:32:10,360 --> 02:32:11,720
I'm really glad I'm to education,

1852
02:32:12,360 --> 02:32:15,160
and so now here I am trying to change the world.

1853
02:32:15,420 --> 02:32:17,380
My name is Dr. Alexis Gray-Lossin,

1854
02:32:17,380 --> 02:32:19,040
and I attend an open-set high school.

1855
02:32:19,040 --> 02:32:24,100
To me, what a community management, a school's manager, is it really is a way of life.

1856
02:32:24,420 --> 02:32:26,400
It's a connector. It's a connector of people,

1857
02:32:26,940 --> 02:32:32,460
connected community partnerships, students, and so it really kind of encompasses all these different

1858
02:32:32,460 --> 02:32:37,320
things. And so to me, it's really important because it really helps create the culture and

1859
02:32:37,320 --> 02:32:42,340
caramel in your campus. I think the community school's vision encompasses so much that

1860
02:32:42,340 --> 02:32:47,400
it's hard sometimes to just dial in on one thing that your school needs and like with a bigger

1861
02:32:47,400 --> 02:32:53,120
like tech, you know, sometimes you get a little bit overwhelmed with that piece, but I would say that,

1862
02:32:53,120 --> 02:32:57,960
you know, it's going and where we're still figuring it out. And, you know, each year, I think

1863
02:32:57,960 --> 02:33:04,100
the community schools role is changing and continues to be in demand. Favorite memory? Definitely

1864
02:33:04,100 --> 02:33:09,140
as long as you say shit and shit's here, open tech. We had some incredible athletes at that particular

1865
02:33:09,140 --> 02:33:14,900
time, you know, Leon Poe, Marchon, Josh, socially incredible one of different basketball games and

1866
02:33:14,900 --> 02:33:16,800
other sports and seeing other sports.

1867
02:33:17,140 --> 02:33:18,620
I was a little bit over nerd.

1868
02:33:18,940 --> 02:33:21,600
So I love to be challenged in the classroom

1869
02:33:21,600 --> 02:33:23,540
and be able to read different types of books

1870
02:33:23,540 --> 02:33:25,780
and learn from all my different classmates.

1871
02:33:26,360 --> 02:33:30,760
So my current advice is always strive to be who you want

1872
02:33:30,760 --> 02:33:33,140
and don't let anyone deteriorate from that.

1873
02:33:33,160 --> 02:33:34,560
I'm fine, but I think as a young person,

1874
02:33:34,880 --> 02:33:36,280
we get overwhelmed by life

1875
02:33:36,280 --> 02:33:38,980
and things, you know, some positives and different directions.

1876
02:33:38,980 --> 02:33:42,020
They'll continue to develop and be young people

1877
02:33:42,020 --> 02:33:44,160
to the world and hopefully they'll come back

1878
02:33:44,160 --> 02:33:48,460
one of poor back in Oakland Tech in different ways, whether that be teaching or being a

1879
02:33:48,460 --> 02:33:53,800
community school's manager or maybe even coaching. For the reason why I got my doctorate

1880
02:33:53,800 --> 02:33:58,820
is I was teaching offing. I have to make a female excellence. I fell in love with it and I really

1881
02:33:58,820 --> 02:34:05,680
wanted to create a curriculum for it. And so that's literally why I went and got the doctorate.

1882
02:34:05,680 --> 02:34:11,480
It was really important for me and for other black girls to see that what it is to be a doctor,

1883
02:34:11,480 --> 02:34:16,120
You know, it's not the normal that we're walking a door and I think it's really important for

1884
02:34:17,120 --> 02:34:24,060
representation to be seen and heard kids see me and they're like, oh, if you know this likes us can do it

1885
02:34:24,060 --> 02:34:31,220
You know like I could do that. I think there's a stigma and Oakland that you can't do things and I think I'm a living example of whatever

1886
02:34:31,220 --> 02:34:34,600
You want to do you can definitely do. I mean you got to put your mind to it

1887
02:35:02,290 --> 02:35:06,930
Breema was a place where I was able to be myself creatively and just kind of find my people.

1888
02:35:07,270 --> 02:35:15,410
It also was a place that challenged me emotionally, academicity, and it made me really seek to see who I am.

1889
02:35:15,710 --> 02:35:23,430
Jeliza, Malika, Marie, Collins, and I attended Wudir Elementary, Haven Sport, Media Academy, after one high school.

1890
02:35:23,730 --> 02:35:31,930
We in a part of the Media Academy opened up my eyes to a world that never knew existed, and allow me to be exposed to things I otherwise would be exposed to.

1891
02:35:31,930 --> 02:35:34,970
favorite memories is just being able to be a kid.

1892
02:35:35,210 --> 02:35:39,830
Beauty, nature, half-on, learn new things, and be able to express myself

1893
02:35:39,830 --> 02:35:42,110
great to be. I was our editor-in-chief at the school in the

1894
02:35:42,110 --> 02:35:45,730
safer. My senior year, after a high school, I went to fashion

1895
02:35:45,730 --> 02:35:45,990
safe.