Four years ago I started a little blog… I knew that there were families out there who cared about what I cared about and who struggled with the same things I was. I had secret hopes that this could ‘be something’ but just knew I needed to write about it…
Because of you all, Integrated Schools is no longer *just* a blog; we have grown into a movement. For an organization that operates solely on volunteers and donations, we done more than I could have imagined. We now have local chapters across the country, two active Boards (Advisory and Parent), a podcast that has reached far more people in it’s three weeks of existence than we ever expected (3250 downloads and counting!), hundreds of parents taking the Two Tour Pledge and participating in the Parent-to-Parent program and showing up to Book Club… and this is because of you all.
I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for making this possible. Thanks to those.
…who serve on the Advisory Board and dare us to be bold and clear in our vision
..who serve on the volunteer Parent Board and who give so much to shaping the national organizing work
…who have started chapters in your own cities (even when you felt like you weren’t “expert’ enough or had time enough or organizing-skills enough)
…who share your thoughts and experiences — and especially those of you digging in deep and struggling alongside us in our FB group.
… scholars and experts and organizers and who share their years of thinking and push us to know more and be better
…who volunteer with the Parent-to-Parent program and so generously share their experiences with parents thinking about sending their kids to integrating schools
…who are are taking the first step with the Two Tour Pledge (and especially those who have shared their experiences of those tours!)
…who have shown up and shared your thoughts in Book Club
…who have written articles and posts, helping to grow the counternarrative voice
…who are brave policymakers; we need you!
…who have shared time, thinking, and support to Integrated Schools
…who have donated money to support this work
Connecting with you all gives me hope. Integrated Schools may be a small step toward building the kind of world I want my kids to live in, and it’s work often feels insurmountable and too damn slow. But being here with you is everything.
~courtney
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Thank YOU for being an inspiration to us all!