Mobilize, in a nutshell, is a nonprofit targeting Millenials (born 1976-1996) -- providing ways for them to identify problems and propose solutions facing this generation. This year, they are hosting a Summit, called Target 2020, whereby students submit proposals on how they would increase college completion rates in their community. At the Summit in June, held in Miami Beach, the students themselves will vote on the best proposals and the winners will receive up to $7,500 to implement their project.
I'm rooting for my 305 Rise participants, who are brainstorming some great ideas, including:
Creating a mentoring program for aging-out foster youth high school seniors by developing college informational sessions and tutoring sessions at MDC and partnering with local community organizations, such as Miami Bridge and the Community Partnership for the Homeless.
Other organizations partnering with Mobilize.org include:
- YouthBuild USA
- Public Allies
- Catalyst Miami
- MDC's Institute for Civic Engagement & Democracy (Center for Community Involvement)
Do you have ideas on how you would increase college completion at your school? You can share your voice and apply to attend the Target 2020 Summit here.
That's amazing Jessica! I really liked how you put all of our projects into one cohesive structure. Just as mentioned in the Workshop, we all have different ideas, but in some way they are all related. Thank you for your support and assistance! We really needed that.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the appreciation, Jenny. Yes, I agree with you that the core essence of each is simply closing the information gap that people of color face to enable them to succeed in college. Check out http://www.educationmattersproject.org/education-center/stastistics for some interesting achievement gap stats that you might be interested in.
DeleteKeep up the good work and don't be shy about asking for help. I'm totally dedicated to your success.
Oh the achievement gap....I have heard this catch phrase too many times w/ Teach For America and sadly much more work will need to continue to be done to close it. I admire projects that allow people of color to brainstorm ideas that would allow them to help themselves. Learning is more meaningful to communities of color if you allow them to be self-sufficient. So in short, I love the work that you are doing. Can't wait to read more posts. http://chezahree.blogspot.com/
DeleteThat's exactly it, Ces'Ari! There is so much reform needed in our educational system. Also, what we learned at the Latino Leadership Initiative was that leadership is taking responsibility for enabling OTHERS to achieve a common purpose in the face of uncertainty. My common purpose with mi gente (my first generation students) is success and completion of their education. It's the way forward for our fellow Latinos/as. I'm looking forward to your posts too! :)
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