The Jed Foundation, Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective, Black Girls Smile, AAKOMA Project, and The Trevor Project are nonprofit organizations working to provide support and emotional tools to young people dealing with mental health issues.
Education
A space for local and national stories about issues surrounding education, especially as they relate to African Americans.
Posted inEducation
Students who are also parents get higher ed help
The Jeremiah Program has been awarded a $1.7 million grant from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education to support Black student parents in their pursuit of education and economic stability, with the goal of breaking the cycle of poverty and building generational wealth.
Posted inEducation
Five Education Moments That Impacted Black Students in 2024
The year 2024 saw significant moments in the quest for educational equity for Black students, including the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the passing of laws restricting the teaching of AP African American Studies, persistent disparities in school discipline, racist text messages sent to Black students, and the nomination of Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education.
Posted inEducation
Justice Page school principal honored as NFL ‘Changemaker’
Shannon Tenner, principal of Justice Page Middle School in South Minneapolis, was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Minnesota Vikings as part of the NFL’s Inspire Change Changemakers program for her dedication to education and community empowerment.
Posted inEducation
Principal comes full circle to address educational disparities
Cherise Ayers, Principal of St. Paul Central High School, is working to eliminate educational disparities by providing students with the resources they need to thrive, and advocating for a holistic approach to addressing the challenges faced by marginalized communities.
Posted inEducation
Silent Crisis: When Bullying Targets Black Students
A 14-year-old Black student in Greenville, South Carolina was subjected to bullying and racial harassment at school, leading to severe brain damage and a suicide attempt, highlighting the need for schools to provide culturally competent mental health resources to protect vulnerable students.
Posted inYouth
Empowering Our Youth: Winter Youth Development Exchange
James Cooper Consulting LLC. and Build Wealth Minnesota are hosting the Winter Youth Development Exchange, a transformative event featuring financial literacy workshops, college and career success tips, youth-centered resources, and holiday gift giveaways.
Posted inLocal & State
Bringing science training to students, teachers, and schools
Marvis Kilgore, a Mississippi native, is leading the Sirtify program at Normandale Community College to diversify Minnesota’s professional teaching staff and Code Savvy to provide computer science training for students, teachers, and schools to ensure that underrepresented populations are included in the computer science industry.
Posted inLocal & State
Black Men Teach addresses glaring need for educational representation
Black Men Teach is a non-profit organization that is working to recruit, develop, and retain Black male educators in Minnesota schools, in order to address the critical gaps in educational outcomes for Black students.
Posted inEducation
St. Louis Park school equity efforts bear fruit
Dr. Calondra Hines is leading the St. Louis Park school district in a strategic plan focused on equity, using the responses of youth and community to create a system that meets the education needs of all students, regardless of their ethnic or racial background.
Posted inEducation
Prepping Black kids for tomorrow’s jobs
Nonprofit organizations such as The 100 Black Men of America, Black Girls CODE, The Blue Heart Foundation, and Black Girls Do STEM are working to prepare Black students for the jobs of the future by providing mentorship, practical lessons, and career development opportunities.
Posted inEducation
Educators rally to protect Black students from Trump policies
Educators and community members are preparing to fight back against conservative policies that could lead to the dismantling of the Department of Education and the weakening of the Office for Civil Rights, while the AFT is fighting to protect public schools and ensure equitable funding and staffing.
Posted inEducation
Keeping homeless youth in school
Dr. Stephanie Burrage, CEO of Collaborative Student Transportation, works to ensure that homeless and highly mobile students have access to education by providing transportation services to school.
Posted inEducation
Classroom discipline of Black K-12 girls most harsh
Black girls are disproportionately disciplined in schools, with the GAO report finding that they accounted for nearly half of all exclusionary discipline cases in the 2017-2018 school year, and that racial bias, adultification, and colorism contribute to this disparity.
Posted inEducation
Study finds Black students face 84% of school policing assaults
The Advancement Project report found that Black students comprise 84% of school policing assault victims, and the rise in lynchings in a county is correlated to the increase in policing assaults, particularly in Black and Latino majority schools.
Posted inEducation
Raising expectations for African American youth
Maya Angelou emphasized the importance of challenging students to believe in themselves and reach their full potential.
Posted inEducation
Schools, educators grapple with rising ADHD diagnoses
In 2024, the CDC reported an estimated 7 million U.S. children aged 3-17 years have been diagnosed with ADHD, with boys (15%) being more likely to be diagnosed than girls (8%).
Posted inEducation
Restful nights, bright days: tips for healthy sleep patterns
My Very Own Bed, a nonprofit that provides beds and bedding to children in Minneapolis and St. Paul, emphasizes the importance of adequate sleep for children’s growth and development, and offers tips for promoting healthy sleeping habits.
Posted inEducation
Kids bored in class? Go with the Flocabulary
Flocabulary, an online learning platform that integrates hip hop and culturally relevant content, has significantly improved academic performance.
Posted inEducation
Early literacy is an educational priority
The Oregon legislature has launched the Early Literacy Success Initiative to improve reading proficiency for all students.