March was BUSY
It was a busy month for The Future is US!
We learned about hydroponics, held our Spring Break BBQ Party, volunteered at Parker Elementary with some Aggies, celebrated big accomplishments, made plans with new people, hosted the Children's Defense Fund for their Advocacy 101 Civics Training, and continued to grow!
Advocacy 101 Civics Training
The first of many from the Children's Defense Fund!
Your voice, your experiences, and your stories matter. You deserve to be heard by our leaders who make decisions that affect us and our communities for years to come. CDF-Texas is a nonprofit organization that empowers Texans to take action on key issues in our state through our Advocacy 101 training. This training will prepare you to recognize key policy and lawmakers, understand the policymaking process, and most of all, take collective action in order to create the changes our communities deserve.
On Tuesday, March 29th, TFIU-SNCC, along with NIA Cultural Center and the Johnny Mitchell Boys and Girls Club hosted a youth advocacy training by the Children's Defense Fund!
Stay tuned for more trainings from the Children's Defense Fund!
Introducing the TFIU School Board Watch Doc!
The Future is Us’ critical goal is to effectuate policy change in GISD, so that black students, and ultimately, all children receive a quality education. However, institutional power can be adversarial at times. Therefore, it is compulsory to us as parents, youth, and Galveston community members to hold our local institutions and Board of Trustees accountable.
Through a collaborative effort, TFIU created and is making available our The Future is US SCHOOL BOARD WATCH Document. With this self-explanatory document, any interested community member can attend or watch a school board meeting, and record detailed notes and minutes, as well as assess, in real time, the quality of content in the meeting.
Once completed, please e-mail the document to info@thefutureisus.co. We will compile the information so that we can become better equipped and more effective in our advocacy for positive change and creating better GISD schools.
Thank you all in advance for your support and dedication to making sure all of Galveston’s students get the best education possible!
Upcoming Board Meetings:
(All scheduled times of meetings are subject to, and often do, change without notice.)
Wednesday, April 6th at 6 p.m.: Facilities Committee Meeting
Soul Food Session #3
After receiving feedback that having opportunities to hear and share personal mental health stories and journeys, The Future is US will be partnering with NAMI Gulf Coast for an In Our Own Voice Soul Food Session in April.
Walter Little will share his personal story and participants will have the support and opportunity to share theirs.
Stay tuned for this in-person event at the end of April!
NEW! Highlighting COVID-19 racial disparities can reduce support for safety precautions.
New study shows white Americans who learn about COVID’s racial disparities have:
1) reduced fear about COVID
2) reduced empathy for those vulnerable to Covid
3) reduced support for Covid protections
White supremacy directly increases COVID's harms
Check out the article here, Highlighting COVID-19 Racial Disparities can Reduce Support for Safety Precautions
Intellectual Emancipation Book Club
IEBC resumes April 2nd @11 am
The IEBC is starting "Black Skin, White Masks" by Frantz Fanon!
We will review the Introduction and Chapter 1 for the first session on April 2nd at 11AM.
This is a classic work by a true revolutionary! His analysis of the mind under colonialism was ahead of it's time.
The reading download can be found here: https://drive.google.com/.../1Q82sKUQe56rluekTebB.../view...
Here is a link to the zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6905756568
Speaking of reading...
Freedom School
Nia Cultural Center is excited to welcome their Scholars back to The Nia Cultural Center's CDF Freedom School for their Summer 2022 Session!
Freedom School is FREE 6-week literacy and cultural enrichment program for children currently in grades K-12.
Check out what Freedom School has to offer!
FREE books for children to take home
90 hours dedicated to reading and literacy
HEALTHY meals and snacks daily
Activities that include arts, sciences, and fitness
Field trips ranging from picnics in the park to visiting interactive learning centers
Events dedicated to parent, family, and community engagement
Register here, Freedom School Enrollment Application and contact freedomschool@niacultural.org if you have any questions!
Hooked on Reading
Galveston's 61st Street Fishing Pier has a reading log for children 5-12!
Read 10 books and bring their completed log to the pier and receive a FREE child's admission and one adult/chaperone admission!
Galveston's 61st Fishing Pier too will be having their Spring has Sprung Fishing Tournament April 9th! Join in on the fun in the sun and pre-register here.
1000 Books Before Kindergarten!
Did you know that by reading and sharing stories with babies and young children not only helps their brain development, but strengthens your relationship with them? Research has found that reading and story telling:
Helps in developing children's brain development in concentration, focus, social skills and communication
Expands children's vocabulary! A 2019 study found that children that were regularly read to the 5years leading up to Kindergarten were exposed to 1.4 million more words.
A 2008 study found that children feel secure when read to and can support a solid parent-child relationship.
Sign up today for Rosenberg Library's Reading Challenge!
Nia Cultural Center's Harambee
Harambee means let's all pull together.
The way Harambee for Galveston's Youngest Citizens plans on pulling together is through our new program designed to assist families with Black Galveston's children ages 0 to 3 by paying parents, grandparents, and guardians $30/hour to enroll and participate in our community's children's brain development support classes. Participants then give feedback on their experience through shared decision making on how we can increase appeal and cultural relevance in these classes. Local data shows that Galveston's black children consistently experience disadvantages when it comes to health and education. Through this program we will pull together alongside our parents, guardians, and partners to bring better access for local resources.
For more information and to register, visit Harambee Interest Form
Black to the Future! (Black History Lessons)
Recently, TFIU's YPAC learned about the tragedy of Emmett Till. The following video was a primer into our historical journey.
Support Ball High School Cheer!
Toniesha Martinez, Youth Lead Advocate and her fellow Ball High cheerleaders are holding a fundraiser to support their efforts in offering a high quality cheer experience for all!
If you're able, donate here: Ball High Cheer 2022 Fundraiser
Check out the TFIU Toolkit!
More Upcoming Dates!
Next Steps!
Please stay informed and up to date by visiting the following links:
You're on your phone anyway...
Follow these accounts for continued education and exposure!
There are lots of ways you can make a difference in the community!
Take our Survey (QR Code below) and let us know what you think will make change in the school district.
Join the TFiU/NIA Book Club.
Become a TFiU Member!
Visit TFiU's Youtube.
Visit TFiU's Website
GISD School Board Connection
Wednesday, March 2nd at 6 p.m.: Cirriculum Committee Meeting
Wednesday, March 23rd at 12 p.m.: Special Committee Meeting (CANCELLED)
Wednesday, March 30th at 6 p.m.: Regualar Board Meeting part 1
Wednesday, March 30th at 6 p.m.: Regualar Board Meeting part 2
Upcoming Board Meetings:
(All scheduled times of meetings are subject to, and often do, change without notice.)
In Memoriam
Julenne Andrisee Faith Brown
October 25, 1985 - August 29, 2021
Did you know that by reading and sharing stories with babies and young children not only helps their brain development, but strengthens your relationship with them? Research has found that reading and story telling:
Helps in developing children's brain development in concentration, focus, social skills and communication
Expands children's vocabulary! A 2019 study found that children that were regularly read to the 5years leading up to Kindergarten were exposed to 1.4 million more words.
A 2008 study found that children feel secure when read to and can support a solid parent-child relationship.