[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:00] We believe that providing culturally responsive approaches to literacy, math and science, then that really develops a sense of academic, cultural identity and belonging.
[0:14] Community and connection is actually essential because we don't all necessarily come from the environments where we are taught to build community.
[0:22] It's something that we kind of take up right how do you create community, right? How do you create connection?
[0:27] What we found was that this is where kids do find their community, where kids do feel like, it becomes kind of like a family, right?
[0:34] They're able to talk about themselves in a way where they don't have to feel like they have to shy back.
[0:38] We provide that space for them to come in and get that help.
[0:42] But also we talk to other teachers.
[0:44] So how are they doing in that class?
[0:46] What are some things that I can do to help?
[0:48] We just try to be involved within the student and everything that they go through.
[0:53] Being in a space where you go from space with a girl that looks like you and you may be in a space with people
[0:58] I don't look like this much
[0:59] It's important to have a strong sense of who you are and off is really helping you to develop that and you know give me a stronger foundation
[1:07] If this means to like a leader, it makes me come here to basically when I come to school way more because I have people that I can talk to
[1:14] I feel like before I met them
[1:16] My grades were as good as I felt like I didn't have a lot of support and help
[1:20] But after I got into this program, all my greatest blew up, and all my greatest went good.
[1:26] And my attendants got better.
[1:28] I felt like being present at the school because I felt like, you know, I can actually get help.
[1:32] Now that I'm older and I'm seeing the younger people come through, it's really given them a sense of maturity.
[1:37] You know, a lot of them come out of middle school.
[1:39] You know, they're young, they might've been everywhere, but once they come in an AMA, they realize,
[1:43] I, this is where I learn how to be a man, this is where I learn how to do master.
[1:47] we see students lean into the advocate within them. We see our parents understanding that this is their
[1:55] school and that they have a voice and a place in improving the school in making the school community
[2:03] a great place of learning for all students. The approach of the department is very much
[2:11] student and family centered is very important that their voices are included in the decisions
[2:18] that we make to move forward with them. I think we're all very happy to see that our parents are really
[2:23] flexing their muscle and making more demands on us and asking us to do more things,
[2:30] which we're doing our best to meet them with what it is that they would like to see for their kids.
[2:35] So facilitators do it in our names and parents oftentimes with a parent once another adult in
[2:40] space, they will act as advocates and other ear, especially if they're a challenging
[2:45] situation, not that students get into a school. It's really nice to have another mentor,
[2:50] another adult who's in their corner. This school year across our targeted initiatives,
[2:55] our students are coming to school, twice or three times more than students in their populations
[3:02] that are not enrolled in our programs. Across our initiatives, our students are also showing
[3:07] growth in great level ratings. I also like motivate me to come to school every day.
[3:12] I look forward to coming into class because I know my teacher like acknowledges me.
[3:17] I know they want me to succeed academically.
[3:20] This has really helped me actually know how to team up with people and know how to work my way
[3:28] through challenges. Kunna does a great job. They do small groups with our Pacific Islander
[3:33] students through literacy, so reading books and exploring like the stories that are in these books
[3:40] that are centered around their culture. Also a big thing with reading is that we specifically
[3:47] have Pacific Islander books, so they can read it in song and song, they get to read like their
[3:52] stories. They also do individual meetings with families around attendance, literacy, and other
[3:57] needs as well, maybe housing and any kind of food insecurity. So over the last four years since
[4:03] We've started our PI literacy program within the Oakland Unified School District.
[4:07] We've seen an increase in their literacy scores.
[4:10] It affirms that when we create a cultural belonging and care for our students,
[4:18] then that really is creating the conditions for them to succeed.