Alexandria COEDs are immigrants and first generation Americans, the first students in Virginia to participate in COED, and the first college-bound students in their families.
Amidst the furor of the tide of anti-immigrant legislation that is testing the nature of communities across the nation and the uncertainty following the recent disclosure that their high school ranks among the nation’s worst, seven Alexandria juniors signed a six-year commitment dedicating their youth and education to building strong communities on Tuesday May 25, 2010.
In doing so, they will join the ranks of an exclusive national cohort of students that receives rigorous academic and technical support throughout the remainder of their education. The local initiative is called Community Organizing for Education and Democracy (COED) and run by Tenants and Workers United.
“COED is about cultivating traditionally marginalized students as agents of change by engaging them through a combination of community organizing internships, training, and academic support,” says Esteban Garces, COED coordinator for Tenants and Workers United, “Over the past year, these students have been field tested and tried for their ability to succeed academically and to push others into action around social justice issues.”
COED is run by Tenants and Workers United with support from the following organizations: New World Foundation, Posse Foundation, Young Elected Officials Network, and Social Justice Leadership.
Amidst the furor of the tide of anti-immigrant legislation that is testing the nature of communities across the nation and the uncertainty following the recent disclosure that their high school ranks among the nation’s worst, seven Alexandria juniors signed a six-year commitment dedicating their youth and education to building strong communities on Tuesday May 25, 2010.
In doing so, they will join the ranks of an exclusive national cohort of students that receives rigorous academic and technical support throughout the remainder of their education. The local initiative is called Community Organizing for Education and Democracy (COED) and run by Tenants and Workers United.
“COED is about cultivating traditionally marginalized students as agents of change by engaging them through a combination of community organizing internships, training, and academic support,” says Esteban Garces, COED coordinator for Tenants and Workers United, “Over the past year, these students have been field tested and tried for their ability to succeed academically and to push others into action around social justice issues.”
COED is run by Tenants and Workers United with support from the following organizations: New World Foundation, Posse Foundation, Young Elected Officials Network, and Social Justice Leadership.