RACIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE

Multiple grants ranging from $100 to $2,500 will be available to CCS teachers, students, and other CCS community leaders who seek to implement projects that directly challenge racism and promote social justice. The intent of this grant is to plant seeds toward an anti-racist future. While racism is inextricably linked to our country’s past and present; it does not need to be part of our future. In this current transformative period, schools are on the forefront of creating meaningful and powerful responses to injustices in our society.  Not only should teachers, students and others in the community be applauded for their efforts in combatting racism and social injustice, they should be supported in multiple ways.  The purpose of this grant is to provide monetary assistance for such projects.  All grant projects should be completed by May 14, 2021. Collaboration between teachers, students, parents, staff, and community members in preparing and implementing the proposal is encouraged. 

EXAMPLES

The examples below are meant to spark applicants’ own creative ideas and should not be viewed as the menu of available options:   

1. Create original art: 

   Paint a mural—at your school or in the community--highlighting the contributions of African Americans.

   Erect a statue or memorial honoring an African American who has served Columbus or Ohio exceptionally well.

   Create a video with music and images that affirm Black power and culture. Post on social media.

2. Conduct oral histories with members of your community who will provide counter-stories to the stories that have pervaded our white-dominated history books and media. Publish their stories at a community-wide event or on social media.  

3. Write anti-racist curricula/rewrite your textbook: Examine a unit of your textbook for bias; whose story is centered? Whose story is omitted? Revise the unit to center the voices and stories of those who have been continually oppressed. 

4. Organize or join a demonstration or town hall meeting. Organize a campaign to encourage people to vote in the November election. 

5. Initiate a critical consciousness-raising group:

   • Start a reading group among peers or colleagues. 

   • Institute a speakers’ series.

It is important to note that the funders are looking for proposals that address real social inequities, meaningfully involve students, and promote innovative ways to bring about social consciousness and change.  Projects that are centered around campaigning for individuals will not be approved.  While the primary focus of this grant is on race, proposals that address inequities of other marginalized groups (e.g. LGBTQ, immigrants, and intersectionalities) will also be considered.