Cesar Chavez Day
March 31, 2010
Dear Friends,
Dear Friends,
Today marks the 83rd birthday of Cesar Chavez, founder of the National Farm Workers Association. We are proud to launch our new Justice Matters Blog on this historic day because we share many of the values that Chavez believed in; social justice, community, and respect. As he said, “It is not enough to teach our young people to be successful….so they can realize their ambitions, so they can earn good livings, so they can accumulate the material things that this society bestows. Those are worthwhile goals. But it is not enough to progress as individuals while our friends and neighbors are left behind.”
It is those friends, neighbors, and students that are left behind that we advocate for. Justice Matters is racial justice organization whose focus is to bring about education policy based on community vision. We approach our work through three main strategies; policy, communications, and action.
In the Justice Matters blog you’ll find postings about the Rethink, Rewrite, Reclaim Campaign which is striving to reframe the dialogue around the federal reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). We want to introduce a racial justice approach to federal education policy efforts, which can be replicated locally and on the state level. We’ll provide political analysis of President Obama’s blueprint for education (ESEA) and we’ll blog about news and commentaries on education – through a racial justice lens.
Amina Luqman-Dawson, Senior Policy Analyst is blogging from Washington D.C. where she is attending congressional hearings and forums on ESEA. Jack Loveridge, Policy Analyst, is blogging on Sacramento and state legislation. Stella Richardson, Communications Director, is commenting on daily news and is the content manager for the blog.
The only way this blog can come alive is if we hear from you. We want to hear what you think about our ideas and thoughts and invite you to express your views and comments through respectful and insightful discussion. Along with the Justice Matters blog, you can now reach us through Facebook and Twitter. We want to hear your diverse thoughts and invite you to become part of the Justice Matters community.
Olivia Araiza
Executive Director
Justice Matters
