Four platform components reflect issues that Black and LatinX families want addressed
INDIANAPOLIS – (May 18, 2021) – EmpowerED Families, an Indianapolis-based organization that builds family power through relationships, today announced four platform priorities co-created with Indianapolis families that help work toward educational equity in Indianapolis. The platform priorities reflect the issues Black and LatinX families feel are the most important to address to achieve this goal. The four priorities are: education and community coaching, school funding, life skills coaching, and racial equity.
“EmpowerED Families is proud to share our four platform priorities, which were co-created with Indianapolis families and reflect the issues they want addressed,” said Ontay Johnson, Executive Director of EmpowerED Families. “We are incredibly proud of the Parent Advocate leaders who have worked hard to connect with Indianapolis families, poured their passion and feedback into the platform development, and committed to developing their own organizing and advocacy skills. We look forward to all of the ways EmpowerED Families can continue to elevate the genius and skills of local families to fight for an equitable education system.”
EmpowerED Families builds family power through relationships while rallying behind the strengths of parents to weave together the home, school, and community, to fight for high quality education. Last fall, the organization launched a Parent Advocate program with 8 Black and Latina parents who were trained in organizing and advocacy work, working to connect virtually with local parents and families. The Parent Advocates and EmpowerED Families team held 215 meetings with families to learn more about their current challenges and needs in order to inform the organization’s platform priorities.
The four platform areas are rooted in support, relationship building, and advocacy to help create a more equitable education system in Indianapolis. Families are interested in education and community coaching to help them navigate the Indianapolis educational system and connect with resources in the community. They also believe more equitable school funding for schools that Black and LatinX students attend is an important piece to help close racial equity gaps.
Families are also interested in life skills coaching to help develop and maintain strong budgeting, professional, and healthy habit skills. Many families also expressed an interest in ensuring schools are equipped to celebrate the culture and genius of Black and LatinX children.
To ensure these four platform priorities are being met, EmpowerED Families will host workshops, events, training for local parents on these issues, in partnership with local schools and community organizations. EmpowerED Families will also help connect families to decision making processes, like school board meetings and legislative hearings, to help broaden the diversity of voices those bodies hear from as they make decisions that impact students and families.
To learn more about EmpowerED Families, visit empoweredfamiliesindy.org.
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About EmpowerED Families
EmpowerED Families builds Indianapolis family power through relationships while rallying behind the strengths of parents to weave together the home, school, and community, to fight for educational equity. EmpowerED Families listens, organizes, and educates parents to bring the change they want to see in the Indianapolis education system. To learn more, visit empoweredfamiliesindy.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Tayisha McGuire, tayishajmcguire@gmail.com
