Writing Samples
Below are previous writing samples. They vary from academic work to press releases.
Work
Press Release
CPS Students are at Board President Del Valle’s home to demand #CopOutCPS
Today the Chicago Board of Education, appointed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot, is voting on a motion to end the $33 million contract with the Chicago Police Department that funds 180 police stationed in Chicago Public Schools.
Youth had tried to schedule a meeting with President del Valle before the vote, but were unsuccessful. They arrived at 10:00am this morning to ensure that he heard their voices before he votes. Students are currently holding a teach-in and preparing to testify virtually at the Board of Education meeting. “Miguel, we are outside your house, spending the first week of our summer vacation protesting for our lives. This contract is racist and anti-Black. You took an oath. This is your responsibility to fix.” said Ana Tendaji, a youth organizer with Assata’s Daughters who helped organize the teach-in.
For years, students have been demanding investment in restorative justice and the removal of police from their schools. The coalition published a report on their website that highlights the harm caused by police in schools. Young people are demanding the $33 million from the intergovernmental agreement be invested in their schools for additional support. The #PoliceFreeSchools coalition’s demands include: support for undocumented students and students in temporary living situations, technology accesibility for every CPS student, and assistance for families struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
“We don’t want a better trained cop, we want a nurse and a social worker. With $33 million we could have 317 social workers, 314 school psychologists, or 322 nurses. We are just asking for the Board to listen to young people and create real safety for us,” said Marlenne Garcia, student from Hancock College Prep and member of the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council.
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Bilingual Students Demand Smaller Class Sizes and Resources Amidst Looming Strike
Supported by teachers, bilingual students are calling for resources for bilingual services
Press Release
In contract negotiations, students are demanding their voices and demands be centered. With schools that are overflowing with more than 30 students per class, bilingual students are left behind. In the country’s third largest school district, nearly one in five Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students are English Language Learners. A leading factor is the lack of bilingual education funding, particularly for teachers in CPS. According to the Chicago Reporter, in 2017 at least two dozen schools that required bilingual teachers had none.
translate materials on their own time. Limited resources means school staff is asked to translate for parents during special education meetings.
Chicago Youth Call for #PoliceFreeSchools and Investment in Counselors and Social Workers
With a new Mayor promising investment in neighborhood public schools, students are demanding a real commitment to restorative justice practices, not School Resource Officers .
Press Release
On June 13th, Mayor Lightfoot questioned the utility of police presence in Chicago Public Schools. According to the SunTimes, she emphasized the need to invest in trained personnel who can de escalate conflict and address the needs of students. On Thursday, CPS students will respond with a press conference and call for the removal of police and put forward a vision for public education in Chicago that relies on counselors, social workers, and librarians who can help youth learn new skills, aid in mental health crises, and provide a safe, supportive space.
Cancer -- Children’s Most Deadly Killer, Yet Least Funded
Academic Work
Did you know that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month?
Childhood cancer is the number one killer of children by disease in the U.S. It is also the least funded type of cancer. Childhood cancer receives about four percent of all federal cancer research funding. This leaves children with limited treatment options, enduring rounds of adult strength chemotherapy.
Each year in the U.S., an estimated 15,780 children aged 0-19 are diagnosed with cancer.
Team Lilly Foundation Goes Gold With Amazon For September
Academic Work
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. Sept. 1, 2019 - Amazon will donate $1 million to Team Lilly Foundation to raise awareness about childhood cancer and empower customers to do the same. For the month of September, Amazon will roll out gold packaging for customers and donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to Team Lilly Foundation.
As part of the Go Gold initiative, Amazon will offer three youth from the Team Lilly Foundation a tour of their Los Angeles Facility where they will be given an opportunity to ship packages to fellow cancer patients.
“The full time responsibility of caring for my fragile child became a carrier no mother plans for. From living inside the glass and learning the true meaning of love and strength I learned we are only as strong as those around us who hold us up when our knees grow weak,” said President Trish Johnson.
PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING
ACADEMIC PORTFOLIO
This portfolio was made in PRAD 255 at DePaul University. The client was the Team Lilly Foundation based out of San Bernadino, California.
Click for complete portfolio.
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