Change. It may sound cliché, but what we need now is change. Change to create a just and equal society. Change in our Berkeley schools. On Thursday afternoon the team crammed into Tracy's car and ventured over to the Young Adult Project building on Oregon Street. We arrived to meet a diverse group of youth from various Berkeley groups, including Youth Together, BYA and Jewish Youth for Community Action for a 2020 Vision meeting. The meeting was meant for Berkeley teens to provide input and suggestions on the draft vision plan made by the 2020 Vision's adult committee.
We began by listening to a series of inspirational speeches and stories on the need for change. Then, the group leader from BYA pointed out an important truth. Even though everyone in the room was there to close the achievement gap and integrate classes, we were still separated by race in where we had chosen to sit. This important picture just proves the need for change in Berkeley. By targeting components of Berkeley that affect the lives of students we are taking steps to: provide everyone with the opportunity to thrive, instill the motivation to progress, create healthy living environments, and prepare young children to enter elementary school ready to learn.
Eventually we split up into well diversified groups and entered into a deep discussion on how to reform these core causes of the racial achievement gap. We plan to meet next week to present our thoughts and further our discussions. I know, for me, the driving force through this whole process is the hope that I may one day return to Berkeley High and see a racially blended school yard, rather than a concrete slab blotted with different colors in different corners, separated by the walls of racism, paranoia, and hopelessness.
To read more about the 2020 Vision for Berkeley's Children & Youth, click here.
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