Click here for more information
We are writing to provide you with an update on our Implicit Bias grantees and their accomplishments. The Social Justice Fund made grants last year totaling $25,000 for projects dealing with Implicit Bias in Education. We are very excited to share with you some of the latest news about the projects and their impact:
MICOP (Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project) received a grant to support workshops for the Mixteco community to educate youths and parents on courses to take for college entrance and the process of applying to college. Five different workshops have been held for over 100 people as well numerous one-on-one coaching sessions and five more workshops are scheduled. MICOP reports that students they assisted have been accepted to CSULB, CSUCI, UC Davis, UCSB, and UCLA! These young people are exactly the kinds of leaders the Social Justice Fund is committed to empowering and setting up for success in our community.
The Future Leaders of America (FLA) project was to get approval for the alignment of the A-G Requirements with the graduation requirements for English Language Learners as well as the hiring of culturally proficient leadership and counselors at OUHSD. The goal was to build a college going culture for all students, and increase sensitivity to the needs of minority students. We’re proud to announce that on May 16th the school board voted in favor of the A-G alignment. FLA will now monitor college attendance rates to ensure this change has the intended impact. Several efforts are now underway to encourage the OUHSD to hire culturally proficient counselors.
One Step a la Vez and Rainbow Umbrella received a joint grant to host LGBTQ cultural competency training sessions, facilitate youth leadership development, and hold events for, and keep a safe place for, LGBTQ youth. One Step and Rainbow are holding two trainings in May on the 16th and 23rd. Additionally, One Steps hosts weekly meetings of the Social Equality Club, a safe place for LGBTQ youth in Fillmore to speak and reflect on their shared experiences. They are planning to conduct a survey to gauge the evolution of student attitudes towards LGBTQ youth in June.
Planned Parenthood won a grant to support training sessions for LGBTQ, foster youth, youth in the juvenile justice systems, and youth from immigrant families, providing them with tools to better understand their identity and sexuality. Also, it raises awareness in non-LGBTQ youth, enabling them to become allies. 128 Ventura County youth have participated in this training so far with impressive results. In a post-training survey, 90% of attendees stated they “strongly agreed” that they would now correct friends on myths, or things that aren’t true, about sex, relationships, gender identity, and/or sexual orientation.
Ventura County Office of Education and the Social Justice Fund co-sponsored a training on Implicit Bias on May 8th that was open to all administrators and teachers in Ventura County. Facilitated by Dr. Darnisa Amante, a Harvard professor, this session focused on the equitable treatment (counseling, classroom behavior, etc.) of students regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation and national origin. Our hope is that this session will trigger more awareness of Implicit Bias throughout the 20+ school districts in Ventura County.
All these organizations intend to continue their efforts. Recent events only underline the need to address Implicit Bias and provide fair and equitable treatment to all. We are now finalizing our list of 2018 grantees targeting Immigrant Empowerment. Your generosity is having an impact on the lives of our youth, our communities and Ventura County – one individual at a time.
The Social Justice Fund for Ventura County remains committed to increasing the quality of life for all in our community. Please continue to give and support those who only need a fighting chance. We thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Betty Stapleford and Michael Teasdale
Co-Chairs of the Board for the Social Justice Fund for Ventura County
PO Box 1271
Camarillo, CA 93011