racial equity

Stand Up is a five-year movement to organize parents and students in failing middle and high schools in East Austin, TX. Parents and students are trained to identify issues of institutional racism on their campuses, gather data about the issues, and take action to change policies and practices that keep students of color, immigrant and Spanish-speaking students, and poor students from successfully graduating high school.

Funding cuts have required Austin Voices to reduce the number of campuses where parents and students are organized. Consequently, the organization seeks to fully restore Stand Up organizers on all high-need campuses, provide stipends for student and parent organizers, and to equip trainings and action projects. Stand Up will also build Austin Voices' capacity to work with Spanish-speaking participants using a fully bilingual and bicultural approach - bringing African-American and Latino parents and students together for change, and providing a school district model for the best ways to reach parents and youth in culturally-responsive ways.