Below is a list
of different organizations working for change.
Education - NYC and NY State
Class
Size Matters
Class Size Matters is a non-profit, non-partisan clearinghouse for
information on class size data and the proven benefits of smaller
classes. They advocate for class size reduction in NY State and especially
NYC, where our students are disadvantaged by being crammed into the
largest classes in the state and some of the largest in the
nation.
ICOPE
- Independent Commission on Public Education
The Independent Commission on Public Education works within a human
rights framework, which guarantees that every child in New York City
has the right to education. Children have the right to quality teachers
and curricula, and to a school environment that respects the dignity
of
every child.
ICE-UFT
The Independent Community of Educators (ICE) is an opposition caucus
within the United Federation of Teachers. We started as a diverse
band of active and retired teachers who joined together
in October 2003 to provide an alternative voice for
school workers, addressing the deplorable conditions for teaching
and learning in New York City, and exploring ways to make the
UFT into a stronger and more democratic union.
The Legacy Circle
The Legacy Circle is dedicated to empowering African Diaspora youth and adults in New York City through cultural arts education. Our goal is to awaken young people to their identity as African descendants and their legacy as leaders and Maroon Warriors. Our Training Institute will prepare African Diaspora teaching artists to initiate young people into grassroots action. It will impart tools for cultural arts educators such as leadership development and youth community organizing using arts and culture as the vehicle. Teaching artists will engage in residencies where youth will create cultural art pieces that affirm who they are and what they envision for their education and their communities. Youth will then use their art to organize for power in their villages.
Radical Math
Radical Math Teachers are educators who work to integrate issues of political, economic, and social justice into our math classes, and we seek to inspire and support other educators to do the same.
The
National Center for Fair & Open Testing
The National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest) works
to end the misuses and flaws of standardized testing and to
ensure that evaluation of students, teachers and schools is fair,
open, valid and educationally beneficial. They place special
emphasis on eliminating the racial, class, gender, and cultural barriers
to equal opportunity
posed by standardized tests, and preventing their damage to the quality
of education. Based on Goals and Principles, they provide information,
technical assistance and advocacy on a broad range of testing
concerns, focusing on three areas: K-12, university admissions, and
employment tests. Tons of information on the flaws of standardized
testing.
Teachers
Unite
Teachers Unite is dedicated to developing and supporting an educational
justice movement of New York City’s public school teachers.
By providing resources and workshops that build professional support
and organizing skills, it will be a central site for educators committed
to social justice to meet, exchange ideas and develop plans of action.
Time
Out from Testing
Time Out from Testing is a statewide coalition of parent, educator,
business, community, and civil rights organizations in New York State
committed to a "time-out" from excessive and high stakes
exams.
Education - National
Carribean
Cultural Center
The Franklin H. Williams Caribbean Cultural Center / African Diaspora
Institute is a not for profit, multi-disciplinary cultural arts organizations
named in honor of the late Franklin H. Williams, ambassador to Ghana
and who served as the second president of the Board of the Caribbean
Cultural Center. The mission is to identify, compile and disseminate
information on the creative expressions and rich cultural contributions
of people of African descent, internationally.
Education for Liberation Network
A national coalition of teachers, community activists, youth, researchers and parents who believe a good education should teach people—particularly low-income youth and youth of color—to understand and challenge the injustices their communities face.
Check out the EdLib Lab, an online “laboratory” for finding, discussing and developing social justice teaching materials. The lab features a searchable curriculum database. Use it to:
* Find educational materials on social justice topics.
* Share materials you have created.
* Comment on the contributions of others.
The lab also incudes a monthly discussion series called talkin 'bout that brings together educators, activists and youth to participate in a public, online conversation about timely and important topics in liberatory education.
GLSEN
- Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
Founded as a volunteer group in Boston in 1990, GLSEN has grown into
one of the nation's leading voices for equality and safety in the
educational system.
H2ED
As an initiative of NH2A, H2Ed’s mission is to advocate on a
grassroots and institutional level for educational reform. H2Ed advocates
for educators, educational institutions and anyone who has a stake
in the youth educational process. To fulfill their mission, H2ED will
work to create a community among teachers, organizations, parents,
and social workers – called T.O.P.S.Y. – the top educational stakeholders.
H2Ed’s objective is not centered upon learning about the musical
genre of Hip-Hop itself, but exploring how curriculum, activities
and learning models using Hip-Hop culture as a learning tool can be
a more effective way to connect, educate, and activate youth.
Rethinking
Schools
Rethinking Schools produces a number off texts and resources across
the country. They are firmly committed to equity and to the vision
that public education is central to the creation of a humane, caring,
multiracial democracy. While writing for a broad audience, Rethinking
Schools emphasizes problems facing urban schools, particularly issues
of race.
Teaching
for Change
Teaching for Change provides curriculum guides and other resources
to help teachers engage students in innovative classroom activities
that deal with issues of equity and social justice.
Teachers
4 Social Justice
Teachers 4 Social Justice is a San Francisco based grassroots non-profit
teacher support and development organization. Their mission
is to provide opportunities for self-transformation, leadership, and
community building to educators in order to affect meaningful change
in the classroom, school, community and society.
Families
Mothers
on the Move
Mothers on the Move is a social justice community organization. They
are organizing to build a just society where there is equal economic,
social and political opportunity for all. They work collectively,
based on our love for our children, our families, our community and
humanity.
Center
for Immigrant Families
The Center conducts workshops with headstart centers and service agencies
that have not typically had an organizing component and with community
groups interested in strengthening their work. Participants can also
pursue 'organizing for change' training, which include issue analysis,
long-term planning and organizational building sessions.
Foundations
AJ Muste
The A.J. Muste Memorial Institute funds projects which promote the use of nonviolence to achieve social justice. Our grantmaking revolves around the issues to which A.J. Muste dedicated his life: peace and disarmament; social and economic justice; racial and sexual equality; and labor rights. You can sustain this work by donating to the Muste Institute.
Media
IndyKids
A free newspaper and teaching tool that aims to inform children on current news and world events from a progressive perspective and to inspire a passion for social justice and learning. It is geared toward kids in grades 4 to 8 and high school English Language Learners.
NYC
Indy Media
The NYC Independent Media Center is a grassroots organization
committed to using media production and distribution as tools for
promoting social and economic justice in the New York City Area. We
are dedicated to addressing issues that the mainstream media neglects
and we do not conceal our politics behind a false objectivity. We
hope to empower people to "become the media" by providing
democratic access to available technologies and information.
Paper
Tiger Television
Paper Tiger Television (PTTV) is an open, non-profit, volunteer video
collective. Through the production and distribution of their public
access series, media literacy/video production workshops, community
screenings and grassroots advocacy PTTV works to challenge and expose
the corporate control of mainstream media. PTTV believes that
increasing public awareness of the negative influence of mass media
and
involving people in the process of making media is mandatory for our
long term goal of information equity. PTTV has partnered with NYCoRE
on two video's: "Military Myths" and "Class Dismissed".
Youth
Youth Activists Youth Allies (Ya-Ya)
The Ya-Ya Network is a citywide anti-racist, anti-sexist organization and allies with the LGBTQ community. Ya-Ya is staffed by young activists ages 15-19. We work with other youth, adult allies, youth programs & activist organizations. We help groups & individuals connect. We share information & resources & we support the work that other groups are doing. All to build a stronger voice for young people in the movement for social & economic justice.
University
CUNY
Graduate Center - Urban Education Ph.D. Program
The Ph.D. Program in Urban Education prepares leaders in educational
research and policy analysis who have a broad understanding of the
complex issues facing urban education and are well prepared to contribute
to the knowledge base needed to improve educational practice.
War
United
for Peace and Justice
United for Peace and Justice is a coalition of more than 800 local
and national groups throughout the United States who have joined together
to oppose our government's policy of permanent warfare and empire-building.
Youth
Allies
The
Brotherhood/Sister Sol
The Brotherhood/Sister Sol has been created to address the dire need
for supportive programs for Black and Latino youth who are surrounded
by the poverty, drugs, violence, racism and mis-education which plague
America's cities. The Brotherhood/Sister Sol provides these youth
with the knowledge, resources, opportunities, and love necessary in
order to understand and overcome these negative pressures, as well
as the skills
to combat them.
Prison Moratorium
Project
Sista
II Sista
Sista II Sista (SIIS) is a Brooklyn-wide community-based organization
located in Bushwick. They are a collective of working-class young
and adult Black and Latina women building together to model a society
based on liberation and love. Our organization is dedicated to working
with young women to develop personal, spiritual and collective power.
They are committed to fighting for justice and creating alternatives
to the systems we live in by making social, cultural and political
change.
Youth Ministries
for Peace and Justice
Founded in 1994, Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice (YMPJ) works
in
the Bronx River, Bruckner and Soundview neighborhoods in the South
Bronx. YMPJ is a center for urban ministry dedicated to fostering
peace
and justice through youth and community organization and development.
At the heart of YMPJ's mission is a framework, which defined young
people by their potential to make social change.
