Education

Schools in Oakland host Latinx Literature Read-In week

“Latinx Literature Read-In Week” took place from October 2 to 6 at many schools within the Oakland Unified School District including Allendale Elementary, Futures Elementary, and Fruitvale Elementary. The week focused on gathering volunteers to perform read-alouds in classrooms and host Family Literacy Nights. The event was organized by Lilly Smith, a program coordinator for Oakland School Volunteers, a group that brings people together to assist with school events. The event aims to honor Latinx Heritage Month, particularly writers and illustrators from a Latino/Latino…

African American Female Excellence Program hosts first Black Girl Power Conference

The chant of “Black girl power!” chant echoed throughout a room filled with purple balloons and ribbons early Saturday morning. More than 100 girls and their mothers, teachers, mentors—and one father—filled an auditorium on the Mills College campus for the first Black Girl Power Conference hosted by the African American Female Excellence Program (AAFE). The AAFE is a new initiative from the Oakland Unified School District’s (OUSD) Office of Equity. The initiative’s goal is to increase the academic achievement of…