Amy Van Meter Courageous Conversation Award to be presented to Esther Flores, Andrew Sanchez and the Dos Pueblos High School PTSA Committee on Equity and Excellence at 10th anniversary celebration
SANTA BARBARA — Just Communities will celebrate its 10th anniversary Just Desserts presentation of the Amy Van Meter Courageous Conversation Award from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26 at Milk & Honey Farm, 1105 More Ranch Road, Santa Barbara. Shuttles will provided from 5383 Hollister Ave., Goleta, the organization reported in a media release.
The Amy Van Meter Courageous Conversation Award will be presented to Esther Flores, Andrew Sanchez, and the Dos Pueblos High School PTSA Committee on Equity and Excellence; Jarrod Schwartz, executive director of Just Communities; local food and wine vendors; community members.
Esther Flores
Flores graduated from San Marcos High School in 2008. She is now an undergraduate at UCLA majoring in history, with a minor in education and Chicana/Chicano studies. She is very passionate about education, specifically as a tool for transformational resistance, the organization reported. Much of her work on campus revolves around issues of recruitment and retention of students of color. She is currently applying to joint masters and teaching credential programs with the intention of becoming a secondary level history teacher.
“Just Communities has really enriched my life and continues to influence my aspirations,” Flores said.
Andrew Sanchez
Sanchez graduated from San Marcos High School in 2008 and is currently in his last semester at UC Berkeley. He is an architecture major, with minors in sustainable design and history of the built environment. Sanchez hosts open mic nights and singer/poet nights weekly where he performs his poetry.
“The empowering and important lessons I have gained from working with Just Communities drives my interest in poetry and performing in safe spaces,” Sanchez stated in the release. “I have gained so much from the community Just Communities has created, and I want to say thank you!”
Members of the Dos Pueblos High School PTSA Committee on Equity and Excellence are Jack Tiethof, from left to right, parent; Karen MacCall, student; Sal Guerena, community member; Nicole Dinkelacker, PTSA president; April Lopez, Dos Pueblos High School graduate and SBCC student; Shawn Carey, Dos Pueblos High School principal; and Linda Guerena, Dos Pueblos High School staff member. Not pictured: Vincent Dodero, student; and Amy Wolfslau, committee co-chair and teacher.
The Dos Pueblos High School PTSA Committee on Equity and Excellence was founded in 2008 to bring together all parts of the school community with the goal of removing inequities in education and closing the academic achievement gap. It was created to increase awareness of and promote actions that lead to a just community where all students are treated equally and without bias, and where all forms of discrimination are eliminated. Additionally, another goal of the committee is to promote respect for and appreciation of the cultural differences that exist in our school and in our community.
The committee has organized workshops on connectedness, relationships, and cultural proficiency, brought guest speakers on various aspects of educational equity and race, provided free bus passes for students from struggling families and funded school translations and interpreting and bilingual signage. Last fall, it launched a Back to School Night parent interpretation project that outreached DP bilingual students to four district schools and is currently undertaking a school-wide cultural proficiency assessment project. This winter, the committee offered a screening of the film Race to Nowhere that has stimulated discussions about homework, stress and other aspects of academic achievement culture.
The celebration will feature artisan desserts and beverages served by Chocolats du CaliBressan, Fresco Café, Café Shell, The Good Cookie, Crushcakes, GreenStar Coffee, The Wandering Dog Wine Bar, Adama Vegan Comfort Cuisine, Bakers Table, Sojourner Café, Via Maestra 42, Dos Pueblos Cupcakes, Tea by the Sea and Teeccino.
All proceeds will support Just Communities’ work to foster more just and equitable schools, organizations and communities throughout the Central Coast.?
Just Communities is a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit organization that works to bring together diverse groups of people to build leadership and develop joint solutions our communities’ challenges. Just Communities’ programs help build trust across historic divides, foster relationships between diverse community members, and leverage the trust and relationships towards joint action to produce positive social change.
For more information, visit just-communities.org or call 805.966.2063.