This Saturday, 2/16: March As One
For this week’s OBSERVE post, W.O.R.D Ink implores Angelenos to March As One this Saturday, February 16, 2013! Stand by educators, families, and public education advocates participating in a crucial community march and rally to drive voter registration and turn out for our March 5th school board and mayoral elections, to raise awareness about unequal access to high quality education, and to ask our candidates to listen to the community and commit to strengthening our public education system.
Be A Part of L.A. History
Educational inequality is one of the greatest civil rights issues of our time. On March 5th, you can do something about this disparity, when you help to elect our next mayor, as well as candidates to three crucial school board seats. In our last similar city election on school board members, only 14% of 1.6 million registered voters actually voted (just 230,000 people). Today there are 5.6 million registered voters in Los Angeles, with 1.5 million eligible but unregistered. With population growth, if only the same 230,000 voted again, just 4% of all eligible voters would be actively shaping the direction of education policy in Los Angeles!
If education is an issue close to your heart, please consider participating in some way, and definitely VOTE on MARCH 5TH to make a statement to our incoming leadership that education must be a priority.
About March As One
The Lead Organizer for March as One, Beatrice Viramontes, is a Teach For America Los Angeles ’08 alumna. She is working hard with her team to mobilize as many school communities as possible, and would love for you and your school community to participate in the march as well as to educate students about its mission, so that parents and families can become civically engaged in this important election.
Funding & Participation
Bea and her team are looking to raise $50,000 to make this march and rally for education a reality. This Saturday, they are expecting over 5,000 people to participate. Where are the funds going?
- $25,000 to provide buses to at least 50 district schools to transport students, families, and supporters to the event
- $10,000 for the printing and distribution of information pamphlets that include both school board and mayoral candidate profiles and platform details
- $15,000 to cover location rental and associated costs, legal costs, and promotion leading up to the march
If you would like to commit to organizing students and families, or would like to learn more about supporting this march in general, check out the March As One website or email bea@marchasone.com directly.
Be part of the 5,000 strong marching as one for education equity!
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