CORE Home
By uniting strong leaders in collaboration, CORE challenges inequities in education, provides a community for BIPoC students and allies to discuss issues within their schools and cities, and creates action steps to make long-lasting change.
The Foundation of CORE
The Community of Racial Equity for Advancement formed in the fall of 2014 at Roosevelt High School with a group of students of color enrolled in Advanced Placement, dual-enrollment, and IB courses. Often the only students of color in their college-level classes, these high school students shared the common experience of isolation. This sense of seclusion was amplified by curricula that didn't reflect their experiences and teachers who didn’t represent their racial backgrounds. In the community that was created, CORE members came together and helped to ease tensions that came from the experience of stereotype threat, alleviate frustrations that sprung from racialized moments, and relieve pressure by sharing strategies to navigate systems that placed unique obstacles in their paths to success.
Building CORE Supports
Within the first few weeks of meeting, the purpose of C.O.R.E. became three-tiered: students supporting each other through academic successes, shared service, and empowering community. The following years allowed for growth in each of these areas. Our efforts expanded in supporting academic success through peer tutoring and essay-writing workshops; preparing for future post-secondary endeavors, offering sessions to complete the FAFSA and college applications; and working with high school teachers to create student-led professional development for AP instructors. In service of their community, students participated in creating curricula and leading sessions with the middle school groups, Sisters for Success and Girls United. Finally, in each weekly meeting students came together in laughter and with hugs to support each other in their individual pursuits of excellence
CORE Beliefs
By uniting strong leaders in collaboration, CORE challenges inequities in education, provides a community for BIPoC students and allies to discuss issues within their schools and cities, and creates action steps to make long-lasting change.
These actions include creating spaces for community conversations by holding seminars & workshops, attending and presenting at conferences, serving on the State Board of Education, leading Professional Development for teachers, and working with other organizations, activists, policymakers, lawyers, community members and educators, both on the local and national level.
