List of Organizations

This is a list of just some of the organizations fighting for ethnic studies in schools. There are many more!

In Connecticut: 

  • Students for Educational Justice: Students for Educational Justice is a student-led organization that works for racial and educational justice throughout CT through various campaigns. The group organizes weekly trainings on issues such as institutional racism and program directors frequently hold one-on-one meetings with students and are continuing to do so through Zoom. They were one of the main groups pushing for ethnic studies legislation in CT. https://www.students4edjustice.org/our-mission-and-vision 
  • Citywide Youth Coalition: The Citywide Youth Coalition is a network of student-led organizations, parents, community activists, and “youth-serving professionals” seeking to create more opportunities for New Haven Youth. They are mainly funded by the community and they demand resources for students such as reduced meals, reliable public transportation, and the establishment of a Youth Development and Training Center. They were a huge supporter of the student organizations pushing for ethnic studies in CT. https://www.cwyc.org/about 
  • Elm-City-UROTC: The Elm City UROC (Undoing Racism Organizing Collective) is a group of organizers and educators working for social change in New Haven. They host workshops on what racism is, where it comes from, how it works, and what can be done to build a more equitable city. They partner with other groups such as the Citywide Youth Coalition and were also supporters of the CT ethnic studies bill. http://justmoves.nationbuilder.comutm_campaign=action_anti_racism_march_5&utm_medium=email&utm_source=justmoves 
  • Hearing Youth Voices: Based in New London, Hearing Youth Voices is a youth-led social justice organization. They run campaigns that mainly affect the working class, immigrant, LGBT, and undocumented communities. They helped pass the legislation for CT ethnic studies and are actively proposing legislation to disrupt the school to prison pipeline. http://www.hearingyouthvoices.com/
  • CT Students for a Dream: CT Students for a Dream is a  statewide group of students and supporters of the undocumented community across Connecticut that work to empower undocumented students and their families by advocating for their rights and raising awareness of the issues they face. They host frequent organizing meetings for leadership and skills-building as well as host events to share their demands and the stories of the undocumented families they affect. They worked on the CT ethnic studies bill and are currently working on a campaign to improve college access for undocumented youth https://www.ct4adream.org/  

Elsewhere: 

  • Save CA Ethnic Studies: Save CA Ethnic Studies is a coalition of ethnic studies advocacy organizations to ensure that an equitable curriculum is passed for ethnic studies in California. They make petitions in support or against current curriculum models and attend open hearings on it. They face backlash from groups that believe the current proposed curriculum is too liberal and/or highlights some groups more than others. https://www.savecaethnicstudies.org/ 
  • Ethnic Studies Now Coalition: Founded in 2015 by activist Fabiola Gonzalez, The Ethnic Studies Now coalition is made up of parents, teachers, and activists who aim to make ethnic studies a graduation requirement throughout California. They host workshops, rallies, and are also heavily involved in the creation of California’s ethnic studies curriculum. http://www.ethnicstudiesnow.com/ 
  • Ethnic Studies Coalition: The Ethnic Studies Coalition is a coalition of the Momentum Alliance, Oregon Student Association, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, Oregon Education Association, Chalkboard Project, the Coalition of communities of color, and the Parkrose School district. It lobbied for the bill that made ethnic studies a requirement for graduation in Oregon. The group seems to no longer be active, but here are the links to the organizations that made it up.  
  • Vermont Coalition for Ethnic Studies and Social Equity in Schools: VCESES is a coalition of students, parents, educators, organizing groups, and elders who fight for anti-poverty, disability rights, and LGBTQ+ rights in Vermont. They lobby for bills for these causes and in 2019, a bill was passed to bring ethnic studies to Vermont schools. They also host conferences on the issues they fight for to educate others and push for more organizing and mobilization. http://ethnicstudiesvt.org/about-us/ 
  • Student Engagement and Advancement Board: Launched in 2015, the Student Engagement and Advancement Board is a group of students who bring student voices to the St. Paul school board. Each year, they develop a project proposal and in 2019, they proposed bringing ethnic studies to St. Paul schools. https://www.spps.org/seab