Virtual Webinar (Registration Required)
Summary
The Summer Freedom School is 5-week program that will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from July 9, 2024, until August 8, 2024. Each workshop last an hour and a half, from 6:00 - 7:30 pm MST (5:00 - 6:30 pm PST) with exception of two workshops.
REGISTRATION IS CLOSED. If you are interested in 2025 Freedom Schools please reach out to [email protected]
Since the founding of the Nation, structures of inequality deeply rooted in racism and white supremacy have perpetuated unequal outcomes for Black, Indigenous and other people of color. In the school setting, intentional and unintentional policies and practices have led to further inequality in American society based on skin color, class, and gender.
Attacks on academic freedom to remove or discourage the teaching of race, history, and gender in public schools have further suppressed our collective ability to build a future where all people regardless of race, religion or gender can flourish and be treated as equals.
“It will feel like home! A safe space to share thoughts." -Freedom School Alumni
To affirmatively push back on the assaults to academic freedom, teaching, and learning, the ACLU of Idaho’s Summer Freedom School Program aims to educate, inspire, organize, and integrate youth into the movement for justice. The Summer Freedom School is a 5-week program that will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from July 9, 2024, until August 8, 2024. Each workshop last an hour and a half, from 6:00 - 7:30 pm MST (5:00 - 6:30 pm PST) with exception of two workshops that are extended to last two hours. A celebration gathering will be held on August 9, 2024 to end the program. Successful participants will receive a stipend of $125 for completing the 5-week program. These workshop sessions will be online.
Who can apply?
We encourage youth in high school and college (ages 16-25 years old) to apply.
Space is limited, Apply today!
The deadline to apply to the Summer Freedom School Program is FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2024.
Why Freedom Schools?
In 1964 the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) organized their Freedom Summer campaign. Its main objective was to end the political disenfranchisement of African Americans in the Deep South.
“This is definitely a great opportunity for anyone that is looking to learn more about how to get involved and learn how to use your voice." --Freedom School Alumni
CORE, SNCC and NAACP also established 30 Freedom Schools in towns throughout Mississippi. They were established to not only teach basic subjects like reading and math, but also focused on democratic principles and organizing for social change.Volunteers taught in the schools and the curriculum included black history and the philosophy of the civil rights movement.
We carry this historical grounding with us as we seek to push back on assaults to academic freedom while educating and inspiring youth into the movement for justice and freedom.
Freedom School Curriculum
7/9: Intro. to Freedom School Program
Meet the staff, participants, and review the goals of the program. Learn the historical connections of the Freedom Schools of the Civil Rights Movement and parallels with today’s movement for justice.
7/11: ACLU History & Issues
Learn about critical civil liberties and civil rights issues at the forefront of the ACLU of Idaho’s strategic priorities. Engage with staff working to protect and advance these rights and learn how you can integrate into already existing campaigns.
7/16: Power and Oppression
Learn how power and systems of oppression affect us, and why they exist. Connect your personal understanding and experience with the systems of oppression. Learn how organizing can be used to fight against oppression.
7/18: Roots of Racism
Learn about the different types of racism, and how racism affects our communities and everyday lives. Deepen your analysis of how institutional racism affects communities of color.
7/23: Power Analysis *extended
Engage in a discussion about power and organizing. Who has power in our society? Where does power come from? Is power good or bad? Learn how to use a power analysis tool for organizing.
7/25: Self-care *extended
Reflect on your personal road to leadership and imagine what is possible when we immerse ourselves in community-based work. Learn tips for self-care as an act of long-term investment in ourselves to engage in community work.
7/30: White Supremacy
Understand the history of white supremacy and its role in the construction of the United States. Discuss our experiences with white supremacy, race, and racism. Create our own narratives to shift perspectives toward a more healing world.
8/1: Storytelling as Activism
Learn about the dangers of telling, or retelling, the dominant view of a single story of how the world works. Shift to understanding how to use the power of storytelling as a form of activism and positive social change for the benefit of all.
8/6: Know your Rights the Public Education System: Students, Parents and Teachers
In this ACLU of Idaho workshop, we will provide information for students, parents and teachers on their rights in the education system, focusing on the concept of Academic Freedom and issues. Come learn about your rights as a student of Color, a student
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