Coalition for Antiracism at Rosa Parks

Vision Statement

Currently, the experiences and educational outcomes of students of color and white students at Rosa Parks are inequitable. The experiences of many students of color are impacted by systemic racism at our school. Therefore, as a community, our goal is to eliminate negative racialized educational and social experiences. When each member of our community is treated equitably, we create an environment where all students, families and staff can thrive and be joyful.

What are Meetings on the Bridge?

A cross-cultural dialogue about challenging social issues for the benefit of our students and community. The goal is to create a school environment where every student's culture is known, respected, valued, appreciated, and used to provide access to a positive schooling experience. Collaboration between educators and families is fostered through respect, care, trust, inclusiveness, empowerment and collective responsibility.

2024-2025 Meetings on the Bridge

This school year’s meeting series will help provide families with the language of antiracism.

Who We Are

We are a group of caregivers, faculty, and staff. We span grade levels and Rosa Parks stakeholder groups such as School Site Council (SSC), African Descent Advisory Council (ADAC), BUSD Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI), Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Read more about our goals and vision in the Rosa Parks Racial Equity Outcome Plan.

Why is this important work?
This work is essential to the achievement and wellbeing of all Rosa Parks students because it fosters a productive classroom environment where students are engaged, contributing and learning.

"How Educational Equity Benefits All Students"

"Achievement gap in Berkeley schools has long been among the nation's very worst"

"Most recent California School Dashboard results showing Rosa Parks achievement gap"

We need you! 

Want to get involved? Email antiracism@rosaparkelementary.org to learn more about how you can join us in carrying forward this work.

Storytelling Project

We recognize that the voices currently contributing to this work are limited. In an effort to expand the voices sharing their lived racialized experiences, last spring we set out to start collecting stories. Throughout the year we continue to collect stories from around the Rosa Parks community--from caregivers, students, faculty, staff, and community members--about both positive and negative racialized experiences of our community members.

If you or someone you know would like to share your story, please reach out to antiracism@rosaparkselementary.org and we will connect. You can also let your classroom teacher know and they can connect us directly.

Where We’ve Been

Spring 2020 —— A group of us started wondering, what if the important work of racial affinity groups had a collective space for community, sharing, and uplifting? How could this work happen in a shared community?

Spring 2021 —— A steering committee came together of caregivers and staff from around Rosa Parks to start exploring how racism is experienced and observed at Rosa Parks. Emphasis was and continues to be placed on racial diversity and lived experience on this steering committee.

School Year 2021-22 —— With funding from administration and the PTA, the steering committee began working with Ms. Pamela Harrison-Small, a longtime BUSD diversity, equity, and social equity strategist to co-create a Desired Racial Equity Outcome Plan to guide the work of the school for the next 3-5 years and beyond. The committee co-created the first draft of the Desired Racial Equity Outcome Plan.

School Year 2022-23 —— We held Meetings on the Bridge and an Equity Study Circle to build community and create a shared understanding and language for the work. We also collected stories of the positive and negative racialized experiences of Rosa Parks community members.

School Year 2023-24 —— Our group contributed to the Fall Community Meeting in which we held circles to discuss our lived experiences. We also continued Meetings on the Bridge with topics including Windows and Mirrors in Children's Books, Celebrating African American History, and a panel event, Co-Creating Racial Equity at Rosa Parks - Words Become Stories.