Fundraiser for Racial and Social Equity

George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery are only the most recent and visible victims of police brutality and racial violence in America. As the national movement to protect and elevate Black lives has been reignited at an unprecedented level, we, the Highlander Justice Coalition — an independent group of Lake Highland alumni — have decided to activate our community in Central Florida in response to these murders. As a group with few black members and more wealth than most, we have a unique responsibility to join this fight. With our platform, we must acknowledge our presence in Orlando and address its adverse effects on Black and Brown communities across the city. By leveraging our privilege justly, we have the capacity to support local and national anti-racist movements that center Black communities, youth, teachers, families, and activists.

Though it’s only a start, the Brick by Brick fundraiser seeks to mobilize a community of Lake Highland affiliates — and those adjacent to this community — to raise $22,400 for a host of equity-seeking organizations. $22,400 is the cost of tuition for one year of Upper School at LHPS. This sum of money will be equally split and distributed to four organizations, each with its own local or national theme (see below). It’s apparent there is much work to do in our capacity as LHPS affiliates to bridge racialized wealth and class disparities in and beyond Orlando. But brick by brick, Highlander by Highlander, we can start to unify for change.

If you would like to continue to be part of our discussion on driving change in our community and/or would like to sign your name on the growing list of Highlanders committed to this cause, please fill out this brief form: https://forms.gle/erWY6v4FM4u46Pch7

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So where is your money going? After careful research and much discussion, we have chosen four organizations, both local in Central Florida and national, to which we will donate these funds equally. Your donations will go towards advancing the missions and visions of each of these incredible, anti-racist groups and will be used at their own organizational discretion. Upon meeting or surpassing our goal, the money we raise will be withdrawn by Eshan Tarneja and split into four donations to be given directly to these organizations via their own donation platforms on their websites. For donations from businesses on this fundraiser's behalf that must directly go to these organizations, we will be including those amounts in our goal by matching them with temporary donations of the same amount to this GoFundMe. These filler donations, inputted as "[Company name] filler donation," will be returned to us once direct donations to each of the four organizations have been proven to our organizers by the business themselves.

Local organizations:

1. Central Florida Urban League: “[Our mission is to] end generational poverty by empowering Central Floridians to achieve social and economic equality through education, employment, and entrepreneurship.” (Learn more at: https://www.cful.org/about_us)

2. New Image Youth Center: Founded in 2004 by Dr. Shanta Barton-Stubbs as “a safe-haven for Orlando youth,” “our mission is to change the path of at-risk youth through education and example.” (Learn more at: https://newimageyouth.org/about-us/)

National organizations:

3. LGBTQ Freedom Fund: Raises awareness and money to post bail for the secure release of LGBTQ prisoners, who are jailed at a disproportionate rate to heterosexual Americans and immigrants. (Learn more at: https://www.lgbtqfund.org/about-us)

4. Fair Fight: Founded by Stacey Abrams, “Fair Fight brings awareness to the public on election reform, advocates for election reform at all levels, and engages in other voter education programs and communications.” (Learn more at: https://fairfight.com/about-fair-fight/)

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Disclaimer: The organizers of this fundraiser do not represent Lake Highland Preparatory School, nor is the fundraiser on behalf of LHPS.