We're committed to empowering both Black educators and students. Our program focuses on recruiting and retaining aspiring Black teachers—who currently make up just 6% of the U.S. public school teaching workforce (2020-21 data)—equipped to support all students with a multicultural curriculum and pedagogy. 

We also cultivate the agency of Black middle and high school students through relevant ethnic studies curricula and create pathways to college and career success with immersive experiences. Ultimately, we aim to build a sustainable student-to-teacher pipeline within our partner schools and districts.

NBEW's approach involves:

• Building a pipeline of Black educators in 6th-12th grade schools 
• Empowering educational leadership that positions Black educators as leaders in educational change.
• Addressing systemic issues: Tackling challenges like urban planning's impact on education and rebuilding educational pipelines in underserved Black communities.

The organization's programs include:

• High school Ethnic Studies courses: Taught by Black educators.
• Credentialing and graduate studies opportunities: Enabling educators to become credential teachers while earning a master’s degree.
• Social science and English Language Arts programs: Focused on critical thinking, equity, and justice.

Project Sankofa builds an ecosystem of support for Black students in racially isolated communities through AASP, led by credentialing teachers from our NBEW program. Partnering schools receive:

• Access to culturally relevant "Black &" curriculum
• Facilitated workshops
• Educational field trips

Implementation requires dedicated class time for curriculum integration and school commitment to supporting communication, programming, and field trips. While Project Sankofa oversees NBEW teachers, schools must provide on-campus support by pairing them with an administrator or teacher.

• College & Career Exposure: AASP students gain exposure to and begin building connections with colleges and local industry sites that will assist in the formulation of their plans post-high school.
• Wellness Support: An onsite counseling or social work professional is available to support AASP students' well-being through one-on-one, small groups, and on-call support.
• Family Workshops: AASP facilitates quarterly workshops for the entire family. The workshops include a variety of opportunities and resources around community engagement and college awareness. 
• Community Restorative Circles: Provide safe space for students to build, strengthen, and restore relationships through equal opportunity sharing and listening.