Educators will not be silenced, we will #TeachTruth about racism and resistance!

Join us at Biddy Mason Memorial Park at 1pm Saturday August 28th

In Solidarity with the August 27 – 29: Teach Truth Pledge Days of Action

LA Event Sponsored BY The Ida B. Wells Education Project

In coordination with: The Zinn Education Project, Black Lives Matter at School And the African American Policy Forum.

Email for more info: info@idabwellseducationproject.org

The Ida B. Wells Education Project is a grassroots educator’s collective that was born out of the summer of 2020 worldwide uprisings against racism. We named ourselves after the courageous journalist, educator and freedom fighter Ida B. Wells and in the long tradition of Black women organizers and educators who understood and, in their work, exemplified the inexorable link between truth, education and freedom for our people. 

As we begin the 2021-2022 school year it is clear that all over the United States, the very concept of teaching the truth about American history is under attack. In at least 26 states lawmakers are advancing laws that would prohibit K-12 educators from teaching honestly about topics like race, gender, and systemic racism.

This far-right movement has been organized under the guise of opposition to “Critical Race Theory” but it is clear that their most vociferous proponents, from right-wing politicians and newscasters, to the loudest voices in school board meetings and parent groups, all seem to have little to no understanding of what “Critical Race Theory” actually is. The truth is, for them, this was never about “Critical Race Theory.”

This is a right-wing attempt to turn back the clock.

Education has always been a battlefield, when it comes to issues of race and equality. From the violent KKK attacks against Black schools during Reconstruction, through the riots that accompanied Brown v. Board, we know that historically, the forces of white supremacy have never ceded ground in our schools without a fight.  

The summer of 2020 gave rise to some of the biggest demonstrations that the world has ever seen. In cities and towns all over the world, millions of people, led by very young people, took to the streets to demand an end to systemic racism and justice for a Black male victim of police violence. This was the worst nightmare of the right wing. They watched as people from all races, ages, and walks of life joined together in a beautiful, powerful movement against white supremacy. And out of this transformative movement grew nationwide calls to continue this work for justice and equality in our schools, workplaces, and communities. 

This wave of anti-education, anti-history, and anti-truth hysteria is nothing more than the inevitable right-wing backlash against a worldwide movement against white supremacy. It is an attempt by the most cowardly and fascistic forces of white supremacy to intimidate teachers and school boards and effectively turn back the clock on our consciousness and understanding of historical racism and injustice. They are seeking to silence any discussion of race, oppression, and movement building in our schools.  

They are afraid of young people organizing.

The right wing is fighting hard because they have seen how powerful these ideas can be, particularly in the lives of young people, who are often quick to recognize historical injustice and the ways it has shaped our world. Every day more and more young people are learning their true history, whether that’s in school, on social media, in books, music, clubs or from their friends—and they are choosing to use that knowledge to organize, fight back and build a better tomorrow. 

This terrifies the right wing. The truth is that they are afraid of the power of young people who know their history. They know that united, organized young people have won against white supremacy in the past, and they fear what is inevitable—that it will happen again. 

Our ancestors have shown us the way.

There is a long history to this particular tactic: attempting to ban knowledge to maintain white supremacy. During the days of slavery, teaching African Americans to read was illegal, but crucially, this did not stop Black people from learning. We organized secret schools at night, in hidden places, and brought education to our people, bravely facing the penalty of death if discovered. During the Civil Rights movement, white terror organizations like the KKK, routinely threatened organizers against “teaching race hatred” and spreading “dangerous” ideas in Black communities. And if those organizers had capitulated to this fear then, we would not have won the civil rights that we enjoy today. For generations, we have taught crucial information despite racist opposition—today is no different. Our ancestors have shown us what to do in this time. We must refuse to give in to this fear-mongering and hate and we must organize to support one another.  

That is why we are joining organizations like the Zinn Education Project, Black Lives Matter at School and the African American Policy Forum in standing in solidarity with teachers across the US who are facing this heinous legislation in their schools and communities. Events will be taking place in 115 cities, where educators and community members from all over the US will come together in support of teaching the truth in our schools.

Join the Ida B. Wells Education Project at 1pm on Saturday, August 28th in Los Angeles for a speak out at Biddy Mason Memorial Park! Consider joining us on that day if you are an educator, student, parent or ally who believes that we MUST teach our true history in schools. Let’s join together, support each other and celebrate teaching and learning for truth, justice, equality and liberation!

Sign up for more information, or to endorse this event below:

Register Here

In the late 1960s-1970s young Black and Brown organizers in the Young Lords and the Black Panther Party led vital campaigns for community health and medical justice in their communities. These dramatic actions had a huge impact, saving lives in their communities and altering medical policy forever. Yet rarely is the history of this powerful organizing discussed or taught in our schools. We intend to change that. 

Join us on Saturday May 15th to learn about this powerful movement from organizers who helped to build it. Our guest speaker for this meeting is Cleo Silvers, who helped lead many of these campaigns as a young woman. Silvers’ lifelong commitment to community justice is inspiring, as is the wide impact of her work. She is the author of the original Patient’s Bill of Rights, a document that now hangs in doctor’s offices across the country. Read more about Cleo Silvers’ work in this interview that was published by the American Journal of Public Health, “Genuine Struggle and Care.”

Community health is a vitally important issue in this pandemic year and we think it’s important to empower our students with the history of this crucial community organizing. Join us on Saturday to learn, build and educate about this movement, together!

Registration required, register here!
Suggested Donation $10 per meeting.

Workshop Details Coming Soon! Register here.

More information about our Spring Workshop Series:

Across the U.S. our communities are organizing for survival. Joblessness, poverty, hunger, eviction and homelessness have increased dramatically over the last year. Many of us live and work in communities and schools that are suffering. Black, Indigenous and Latinx communities have been hardest hit.

As educators, we cannot ignore this hardship and we must ask ourselves how we can empower our students to aid their communities in this time.

We decided to host this spring workshop series to bring together educators from around the US with leaders in crucial community organizing, so that together we can learn, build resources and connect our classrooms to powerful and important community-led movements for survival.

Upcoming meetings:
April 17th: Empowering Education on Tenant Organizing & Eviction Resistance 
May 15th: Organizing for Community Survival with the Young Lords

Registration required:https://forms.gle/CbdGRC2fmVn38XBt8
Suggested Donation $10 per meeting.

Join us at this workshop for educators where we will learn, build community & create resources to connect our classrooms to past and present organizing for mutual aid.

Registration required:https://forms.gle/CbdGRC2fmVn38XBt8

More details: Organizer Tamika Middleton from the Metro Atlanta Mutual Aid (MAMA) fund will teach us about the history of mutual aid organizing and present-day mutual aid projects across the US. We will provide readings & resources prior to this meeting, you must register in advance. 

Come connect, discuss and strategize with teachers from around the US. Join our anti-racist educator community for support, inspiration, feedback, guidance and more. 

Our goal: Build classroom resources about mutual aid organizing that are relevant to your students and your community.

More information about our Spring Workshop Series:

Across the U.S. our communities are organizing for survival. Joblessness, poverty, hunger, eviction and homelessness have increased dramatically over the last year. Many of us live and work in communities and schools that are suffering. Black, Indigenous and Latinx communities have been hardest hit.

As educators, we cannot ignore this hardship and we must ask ourselves how we can empower our students to aid their communities in this time.

We decided to host this spring workshop series to bring together educators from around the US with leaders in crucial community organizing, so that together we can learn, build resources and connect our classrooms to powerful and important community-led movements for survival.

Upcoming meetings:
April 17th: Empowering Education on Tenant Organizing & Eviction Resistance 
May 15th: Organizing for Community Survival with the Young Lords

Registration required:https://forms.gle/CbdGRC2fmVn38XBt8
Suggested Donation $10 per meeting.

The mission of the AOCC is to inspire and impact the improvement of the education sector by annually convening alumni, students, practitioners, artists, and scholars both from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and across the nation in order to share best practices and cutting edge research on strengthening that practices and competencies of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that pertains to people of color in educational spaces.

This year’s theme Immunity in Community: Resilience in the Face of a Double Pandemic, acknowledges the challenges and celebrates the successes unique to communities of color. We will engage in critical dialogue related to issues communities of color must overcome to gain access to education during COVID-19.

In this workshop, IBWEP educators will share our framework for teaching about present day and historical oppression in ways that center Black humanity and empower students to challenge racism in their own lives.

Meeting for Educators
Saturday Feb. 6th 1pm PST/4pm EST

*Registration Required* Click Here to Register

Throughout American history, white supremacists have used mob violence to oppose Black freedom and democratic rights. How are you exploring this history with students? Join us to learn more about teaching this topic in ways that inspire and empower your students. Together we’ll learn, collaborate and build educational resources to bring this powerful history into our classrooms. Let’s empower our students with the truth about Black organizing and white terror.

Check out our Resource Page for this event!