Oakland International High School, a public school for newly arrived immigrant and refugee students, is facing massive budget cuts that risk students’ access to critical support services. Please help us raise money to help students retain access to these services!

WHO ARE WE?

We are a group of neighbors in Temescal, Oakland who have been working for the past year to support students at OIHS, a newcomer school in our neighborhood. Through various efforts, our goal is to support, uplift, aid, & protect our newly immigrated neighbors. The organizers of this fundraiser (Lasha & Dusty) are in direct relationship with teachers and staff at the school and are organizing this fundraiser with their permission.

WHAT IS THIS CAMPAIGN ABOUT?

OIHS is a public high school for newcomer students that has been providing vital support to young immigrants since 2007 both inside and outside the classroom. In addition to offering a multilingual, culturally diverse education, the school provides a food bank for students and families, financial support for transportation and emergency housing, and, up until now, intensive case management services for each student.

However, due to recent budget cuts and loss of longtime funding, OIHS is at risk of losing an essential case manager. We are asking for your help to maintain students’ access to casework services. These services keep students safe, cared for, and help them navigate the systems in the US.

WHY IS CASE MANAGEMENT IMPORTANT?

Case work at OIHS involves supporting students with things like assembling paperwork for asylum applications, applying for work permits, communicating with students’ immigration attorneys, securing housing, finding a doctor, or connecting with a therapist. These all involve working within complex bureaucratic systems that English language learners cannot navigate on their own, and from which they are often intentionally excluded. Without this support, students often end up missing school due to fear of immigration enforcement, lack of financial stability, and lack of motivation.

OIHS serves 246 newly-arrived immigrant students from 28 countries, ranging in age from 14-21. Over 96% of the students qualify for free/reduced lunch, the highest poverty rate of any OUSD high school. 6% of the students arrived as refugees or asylees fleeing some of the world’s most violent conflicts, and roughly 47% are unaccompanied minors formerly incarcerated by immigration authorities navigating deportation proceedings. At least 35% of the families speak a primary language at home that is considered a “minority language” in Oakland, and 31% of students arrive at OIHS with a gap of two years or more in their formal education.

OIHS is committed to hiring case managers multilingual and multicultural people whose lived experiences mirror those of their students. Through this connection, case managers provide vital emotional support that can’t be quantified, and students are able to open up about their needs and get connected to resources.

Every dollar raised, even if short of our goal, will go to funding direct wellness services and case management for OIHS students and families.

If you live in Temescal or you ever spend money visiting the many trendy restaurants and bars here -- please consider donating to support students here as well. Thank you! We keep each other cared for & safe!

If you'd like to do a tax deductible donation, you can donate at https://giving.gofundme.com/campaign/809282/donate.