Whenever I begin projects with my students, I always make sure that they are connected to current events and to the neighborhood or community where my students come from. When I sat down to think about advocacy projects for my students, I immediately thought of the Black Lives Matter Movement. Students have been exposed to it for a year or two now, and it has become a familiar movement, even for 5th graders. This movement connects with current events, and was a perfect connection to the community as well. Like most urban areas, our students are seeing increases in crimes by police officers, racially profiled and motivated actions, and added fears of being treated unfairly.
When referencing and talking about the Black Lives Matter Movement, I wanted my scholars to begin to process it in ways that they could affect change. Not only should they be connected to it, but they should also call themselves to action, regardless of their age. The goal of the advocacy project was to allow students to study, learn, and form opinions on the Black Lives Matter Movement. They would then use those opinions and feelings in the "March on Morial." The outcomes of the March were threefold. Scholars met with neighborhood residents and discussed plans of action to support the neighborhood moving forward. The students then actually marched for their rights. Finally, students wrote proposals to local leaders encouraging them to support the Black Lives Matter Movement.
On the following pages, you will find resources and examples of advocacy at work in my classroom. Students formed opinions and support for Black Lives Matter and moved to action by marching on the neighborhood and creating plans to move forward.
Scholars in my room were given the tools above so that they could learn about collective assets they could use to navigate injustice in this country. Learning about Black Lives Matter and the actual principles they stand for rather than watch in the news was vital to showing my students exactly what they stood for. Going into advocacy efforts with only the stories we see on TV are not helpful if we wish to truly understand the motivations behind a movement. After learning about these principles and ways of thinking, students put their research and words into action by marching through the neighborhood. They then wrote letters to community members and conducted interviews so they could find next steps to improving their communities. From responses and reflections on the following pages, scholars showed over and over their increased pride in cultural identity.