THE PLANNING FOR THE 2016 SOS COALITION PEOPLE’S MARCH FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION & SOCIAL JUSTICE IS WELL UNDERWAY. BELOW ARE THE DETAILS FOR JULY 8TH-10TH, BUT THE BIG NEWS IS THAT THE MARCH AND RALLY WILL BE AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL AND THE SOS ACTIVISTS CONFERENCE WILL BE AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY! OUR COALITION OF GRASSROOTS GROUPS, UNION ORGANIZATIONS, AND ACTIVISTS IS GROWING, SO JOIN THE MASS GATHERING OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS WHO ARE RALLYING AND MARCHING IN SUPPORT OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE THIS SUMMER!

Meet us in DC, and celebrate democracy by living it!
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July 8th ~ Rally & March at the Lincoln Memorial

  • 10:30 a.m. – Pre-rally festivities on the big stage and in the crowd
  • 12:00 p.m. – Rally
  • 2:30 p.m. – March to The Ellipse

Speakers and performers include:
Diane RavitchJonathan KozolRev. William J. Barber II, Jamaal BowmanDenisha JonesRuth RodriguezBishop John SeldersYouth DreamersJesse HagopianGus MoralesBrett BighamUnited Opt OutJulian Vasquez HeiligYohuru WilliamsLisa Rudley, Jitu Brown, Dyett Hunger Strikers, Tanaisa Brown, Barbara Madeloni, Sam Anderson, Mike Klonsky, Michelle Gunderson, Jeremy DudleyBarry Lane, Family von BATs, The BAT Band, Terry Moore, DC Labor Chorus…and more!

Grand marshals include: Jesse Turner, Detroit Federation of Teachers, Washington Teachers Union (DC), Chicago Teachers Union, and Youth! 

Need transportation information for the rally, march, and conference? Click now!

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July 9th ~ SOS Coalition Activists Conference at Howard University

Join us in strategizing for continued activism in our home communities and beyond at The Save Our Schools Activists Conference: New & Experienced Organizers Working for Public Education & Communities. Attend activist workshops for individuals and groups (including families and youth) so we can return to our communities as leaders, organizers, participants, artists, and/or performers. This event is designed for new, emerging, and seasoned activists, and it includes numerous activities and sessions for children and youth!

8:00 –      Registration (continental breakfast provided)

8:30 –      Morning Welcome & Keynote: Jitu Brown

9:45 –      1st Breakout Session

10:45 –    Coffee break

11:00 –    2nd Breakout Session

12:15 –    Lunch & Performances (boxed lunch provided)

1:15 –      3rd Breakout Session

2:30 –     4th Breakout Session

4:00 –     Afternoon Keynote & Closing: Bishop John Selders, Jr.

5:00 –    Reception (beverages and appetizers provided)

Speakers and collaborators at the event are local, national, and international organizers of all ages who will facilitate our work in developing campaigns in hometowns via grassroots work, social media, the arts, and a deep commitment to the voice of the public being heard. Workshop topics and facilitators include:

  • The Need For Black & Latino Community Control – Sam Anderson, NYC Coalition for Public Education, & Ruth Rodriguez
  • Using the Power of Your Voice to Promote Social Justice & Unionism – Sonya Romero
  • The Struggle for Democratic Schools with Deb MeierJonathan Kozol, & Mike Klonsky
  • Youth Organizing Youth – Tanaisa Brown & the Newark Students Union
  • Moving the Opt Out/Test Refusal Movement Forward – Melissa Tomlinson
  • Special Education Advocacy – Julie Borst, Nancy Bailey, & Terry Kalb
  • The Dyett Hunger Strikers
  • Lessons Learned from Dreaming – The Youth Dreamers
  • NEW LENS – The Student Led Film Group from Baltimore
  • Collaborative Community Fighting & Winning Against Privatization – Michelle Fine
  • TFA 5 Years Later – David Greene, Chad Sommer, Emma Howland-Bolton, Julian Vasquez Heilig, & Tina Andres
  • Broadening the Aims of Opt Out – United Opt Out National Admins
  • Testing, Assessment, and Accountability – Monty Neill from FairTest
  • Activist School Board Members and Unionists Working Together for Social Justice in Schools and Communities – Bess Altwerger & Erika Strauss Chavarria
  • Black Lives Are More Than a Score – Jesse Hagopian
  • History Lessons for High Impact Actions – Troy Grant
  • Social Media and the Education Revolution – BATs Admins
  • Social Justice Teaching – Michelle Bollinger
  • Equal Opportunity Now: Fighting to Defend Public Education in Detroit and Across the Nation – Nicole Conaway & Tania Kappner
  • Hip Hop Advocacy – Jeremy Dudley (Dudley aka Origin)

Activities for children include:

  • Making Your Voice Heard: Spoken Word Poetry – Newark Students Union
  • Martial Arts as Social Justice – Ricardo Rosa & Tracey Drum
  • Yoga in Every Classroom! – Julianna Dauble
  • Let’s Write a Song for Our Schools Together – Terry Moore & Becca Ritchie
  • “That’s not fair!!” – Rick Meyer & Bess Altwerger
  • Cooperative Games and Sports
  • Artful Resistance, Reading, & Response
  • Read Aloud for Social Justice

Need transportation information for the rally, march, and conference? Click now!

July 10th ~ Coalition Summit Work Session

This is an opportunity for coalition organization members, as well as new and experienced organizers, to convene over a breakfast planning session. This will be a working session where we will debrief and begin planning and organizing the next steps for the movement.

Are you eager to help us do the work to save our schools? Join us!

Help us build the movement!

  1. Endorse the 2016 event and our demands (see our demands and current endorsements)
  2. Publicize the 2016 event through your organizations and listserves
    • Social Media Publicity Blitz & Thunder Clap Packet – for May 9th!
    • Event MEME #1
    • Speaker & Entertainer MEMEs
    • SOS Coalition for Action Promo Video (coming soon)
  3. Share the event fliers, and mobilize in your area to help bring people to the event
    • SOS Coalition Event Flier #1
    • SOS Coalition Event Flier #2
    • SOS Coalition Event Flier #3
    • SOS Coalition Flier in Spanish
    • SOS Coalition Event Flier #4
    • Rally & March Flier
    • Conference Flier
  4. Provide financial support for the 2016 event and/or scholarships to deserving attendees
  5. Help plan the 2016 event by joining the Coalition for Action Steering Committee or one of its sub-committees. Contact Bob George at (708) 692-5818.
  6. Join the Coalition’s Facebook Community for the most recent updates on the event!
  7. Follow the Coalition on Twitter: SOSCoalition4Action and our handle is @SOSDC2016
  8. Tabling for the July 8th event: individuals, organizations, and vendors who would like to have a table at the march and rally site, click here to apply.