PAVE (Parents Amplifying Voices in Education)

🚨📣 Attention: Wards 1 & 2 📣🚨 Join us and @DC_Advocate for a virtual Student Safety Conversation!

📆 Tuesday, July 22nd
⏰ 6:00 pm
💻 Zoom
🔗 RSVP here: bit.ly/ward1and2

🗳️🚨 WARD 8 RESIDENTS: Get ready to vote for your Councilmember in the upcoming Special Election! 🚨🗳️

Whichever way works best for you, make sure you cast your vote! Get more information about when, where, and how to vote here: dcgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant... 💜 #Vote4DCKids

What does the Fourth of July mean to you? 🇺🇸

A Nation's Story: “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” In July of 1852, Frederick Douglass delivered a speech titled “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?,” a call for the promise of liberty be applied equally to all Americans. Douglass’s speech empha...

As you celebrate, we encourage you to take some time to read or listen to the speech as well as the reflections of his descendants on what it means to them now.
See resources here:
nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stor...
www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/par...

It's a powerful reminder that while our country was founded on the principles of "liberty and justice for all" that was not the case for all people, and there is still much more work to be done to make those ideals a reality.

This Independence Day, we're reflecting on the words shared by abolitionist Frederick Douglass in his speech, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?"

At PAVE, we believe in the power of parent voice to shape the future of our schools. And with this report, we’re calling on every policymaker, educator, and community leader to join us in the work ahead.

💜 DC, let's do this - TOGETHER! 💜

This May our most active Parent Leaders — some of the most passionate, informed advocates in DC— named academics as their top #ParentPriority given all that's happening in education locally & nationally. This report is a direct result of that decision & reflects their leadership & lived experience 💜

📣 Announcing our newest report on academics in DC – a parent-powered roadmap for how our city (that should be a state) can build on our progress in student learning so every child gets the education they deserve!

🔗 Read the report here: link.dcpave.org/Academics-in...

The History of Juneteenth in Washington, DC - Washington Revels Juneteenth, a day commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, is now a cherished celebration of Black history and freedom. In the matter of slavery in Washington, DC, the District wa...

We're taking time today to celebrate, rest, reflect, and gear up for the work ahead, and we hope you're able to do the same! 💚💛❤️🖤✊🏾

Read more about the history of Juneteenth in DC: revelsdc.org/2023/history...

See events & celebrations today:
💜 axios.com/local/washin...
💜 afro.com/juneteenth-e...

Today as we commemorate and celebrate #Juneteenth, we honor the resilience and brilliance of Black Americans - and recognize that there is still more to do to achieve true freedom and equity for ALL people, in our education system and in our country as a whole.

Protecting our kids has to be a top priority. Thank you to all the parents and partners who shared their voices!

💜 Citywide & Ward 8 Parent Leader Ty Andrews advocated for funding for Safe Passage programs and improving & standardizing the training and evaluation process for SPAs

💜 Citywide & Ward 7 Parent Leader Carolyn Bowen advocated for expansion of the SPA program to have more people covering more sites, as well as continued dialogue among all stakeholders 🚸

💜 Ward 7 Parent Leader Quiana Lamons emphasized the importance of standardized training for SPAs & protection of funding for the SPA program

Earlier in the week, Parent Leaders testified at the hearing for the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety & Justice:
💜 Citywide & Ward 8 Parent Leader Sharn Boone-Ruffin shared about the need for increased communication between SPAs & school leaders 🗣️

💜 We also heard from our partners at SchoolTalk DC, Washington Global PCS, The Sojourner Truth School, Statesmen Academy for Boys, & Center City PCS-Congress Heights about the importance of protecting this vital program! 💸 🚌

💜 Citywide & Ward 8 Parent Leader Tara Brown emphasized that DC School Connect's effectiveness at getting kids to school safely makes it worth the investment

💜 Citywide & Ward 5 Parent Leader Katrice Fuller shared about how having a safe way to get to school improves not only students' attendance, but their engagement in school and readiness to learn 📚

💜 Citywide & Ward 7 Parent Leader Elizabeth Reddick emphasized that investing in DC School Connect is an investment in our kids' futures

💜 Citywide & Ward 4 Parent Leader Dominique Moore highlighted how DC School Connect helps increase school attendance, which is especially important given DC's unacceptably high rates of chronic absenteeism 📈

💜 Citywide & Ward 8 Parent Leader Sharn Boone-Ruffin emphasized that having consistent, reliable transportation to school helps us support the success of ALL DC kids

On Friday, Parent Leaders advocated for the protection of funding for DC School Connect at the hearing for the Department of For-Hire Vehicles:
💜 Ward 8 Parent Leader Lasheema Burnett shared about how access to DC School Connect can be life-changing for families in Wards 7 & 8

PAVE Parent Leaders know that for our kids to succeed in school, we first need to get them to school safely! That's why the #PurpleWave turned out to advocate for #SafePassage at TWO budget oversight hearings this week 📣🚌

🧵:

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads and father figures!! Thank you for all that you do for your kids every day 💜 We hope you have an amazing day, you deserve it!

Thanks to the offices of @schatz.bsky.social & @hassan.senate.gov for meeting with us! And shoutout to our Parent Leaders:
💜 Citywide & Ward 5 Parent Leader Ana Rodriguez
💜 Citywide & Ward 1 Parent Leader Christine Miller
@milleranc1a05.bsky.social
💜 Citywide & Ward 8 Parent Leader Tara Brown

Parent Leaders also advocated for protecting funding for DC TAG, bringing together data & policy expertise with their personal experiences!

🏛️💜 PAVE Parent Leaders are back on the Hill! Our Parent Leaders were excited to partner with National Parent Union to share with Senate offices about how cuts to benefits like Medicaid and SNAP/TANF will affect education.

The future is BRIGHT in Ward 8! 💡Students showed up & showed OUT at last night's Ward 8 Special Election Youth-Led Candidate Forum, asking great questions & demonstrating the power of youth voice ✊🏾📣💜 So inspired by this next gen of Washingtonians who will #Vote4DCKids !

Had an amazing time joining @dcbilingual.bsky.social’s Fun Run and Community Festival! 🏃🏾‍♀️🎉

Honored to receive DC Bilingual and @dcpave.bsky.social’s Community Leader Award — proud to stand with families fighting for safer streets and better public transit!