Resources for LA Students
Tax deductible
We have made our social media posts, we’ve had the conversations and now it’s time to take action. To that end, we’re seeking your help to raise funds to be used in their entirety to purchase laptops and other relevant supplies that can help students in need better navigate distance learning.
Dr. Byron Young is a child psychiatrist working for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (and founder of Doing It Well ) and Dontae Rayford is a technology business development executive with extensive experience across the tech landscape. The two initially met in New York, have collaborated on numerous projects over the past few years and share a deep passion for helping underprivileged students.
The inspiration for this fundraiser was an article written by Paloma Esquivel and Howard Blume for the Los Angeles Times. In the article, the authors pointed out the following:
“Nearly every category of students — sorted by race, income and learning needs — included large numbers who did not regularly participate in distance learning. But low-income students and Black and Latino students showed participation rates between 10 and 20 percentage points lower than white and Asian peers.”
While there are undoubtedly numerous factors that contribute to a given student’s engagement with online learning portals, we see an immediate opportunity to make a small dent in stemming any gaps related to unreliable devices and/or inconsistent access to a device. Our understanding of the fallout from the pandemic continues to take shape week over week, but it is readily apparent that prolonged school closures related to Coronavirus will only serve to further compound challenges that negatively impact the learning outcomes from Black and Latinx students.
Every single dollar from the fundraiser will be spent on procuring and distributing laptop devices, tablets or other needs currently being experienced by students impacted by Southern California school closures. We will update all donors and device distribution will be tracked publicly for all to see.
This effort is being driven in conjunction with our brothers Saleem Kirkland (Brilliantly Black ) and James Woods (Feel Free 2 Feel Free ). The team sees this as a small effort to counter the many shapes and sizes of ripple waves stemming from COVID-19. We identify with the circumstances that so many of these students are navigating and know that there were no shortage of small, kind gestures that helped to make our journeys a reality. We hope this campaign can serve as a small testament to our commitment to nurturing and spreading love in the communities that made us who we are today.
We do hope that many of you will be able to join us in this effort, so thank you so much in advance for any support that you’re able to offer. And regardless of whether or not you’re able to give, please help us spread the word on your favorite neighborhood social media platform...IG, Facebook, Twitter, and, yes, even TikTok.
More about Feel Free 2 Feel Free (sponsoring non-profit)
FF2FF began to help youth develop culturally competent tools needed to create a personal practice of wellness. FF2FF works to develop positive school environments that connect students, adults and their schools/programs for the building of healthy and strong communities.
FF2FF has served hundreds of youth at over 20 different programs and schools settings. It has been dedicated to improving its products and services to make an impact on the lives of the youth and community it serves.
Article References
https://edsource.org/2020/thousands-of-los-angeles-high-school-students-are-not-accessing-online-learning-during-school-closures/627448
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-07-16/latino-and-black-students-hard-hit-with-disparities-in-their-struggle-with-online-learning
Dr. Byron Young is a child psychiatrist working for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (and founder of Doing It Well ) and Dontae Rayford is a technology business development executive with extensive experience across the tech landscape. The two initially met in New York, have collaborated on numerous projects over the past few years and share a deep passion for helping underprivileged students.
The inspiration for this fundraiser was an article written by Paloma Esquivel and Howard Blume for the Los Angeles Times. In the article, the authors pointed out the following:
“Nearly every category of students — sorted by race, income and learning needs — included large numbers who did not regularly participate in distance learning. But low-income students and Black and Latino students showed participation rates between 10 and 20 percentage points lower than white and Asian peers.”
While there are undoubtedly numerous factors that contribute to a given student’s engagement with online learning portals, we see an immediate opportunity to make a small dent in stemming any gaps related to unreliable devices and/or inconsistent access to a device. Our understanding of the fallout from the pandemic continues to take shape week over week, but it is readily apparent that prolonged school closures related to Coronavirus will only serve to further compound challenges that negatively impact the learning outcomes from Black and Latinx students.
Every single dollar from the fundraiser will be spent on procuring and distributing laptop devices, tablets or other needs currently being experienced by students impacted by Southern California school closures. We will update all donors and device distribution will be tracked publicly for all to see.
This effort is being driven in conjunction with our brothers Saleem Kirkland (Brilliantly Black ) and James Woods (Feel Free 2 Feel Free ). The team sees this as a small effort to counter the many shapes and sizes of ripple waves stemming from COVID-19. We identify with the circumstances that so many of these students are navigating and know that there were no shortage of small, kind gestures that helped to make our journeys a reality. We hope this campaign can serve as a small testament to our commitment to nurturing and spreading love in the communities that made us who we are today.
We do hope that many of you will be able to join us in this effort, so thank you so much in advance for any support that you’re able to offer. And regardless of whether or not you’re able to give, please help us spread the word on your favorite neighborhood social media platform...IG, Facebook, Twitter, and, yes, even TikTok.
More about Feel Free 2 Feel Free (sponsoring non-profit)
FF2FF began to help youth develop culturally competent tools needed to create a personal practice of wellness. FF2FF works to develop positive school environments that connect students, adults and their schools/programs for the building of healthy and strong communities.
FF2FF has served hundreds of youth at over 20 different programs and schools settings. It has been dedicated to improving its products and services to make an impact on the lives of the youth and community it serves.
Article References
https://edsource.org/2020/thousands-of-los-angeles-high-school-students-are-not-accessing-online-learning-during-school-closures/627448
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-07-16/latino-and-black-students-hard-hit-with-disparities-in-their-struggle-with-online-learning
Fundraising team: Brilliantly Black x Doing It Well (4)
James Woods
Organizer
Corona, CA
Feel Free To Feel Free (Feel Free 2 Feel Free)
Beneficiary
Dontae Rayford
Team member
Saleem Kirkland
Team member
Byron Young
Team member