Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion OSA was conceived to expand opportunity in a city with substantial and entrenched inequities. Over the past several years in particular, OSA has been working to break down barriers to access for prospective students who may not have had formal arts training, but who would thrive at OSA. In 2020, beyond providing artistic preparatory training through our Step it Up program, OSA established an enrollment preference for low-income Oakland families to minimize the opportunity gap created by a growing wealth disparity in the city. In 2021, OSA saw growth in economic diversity among students as more than half (52%) of OSA’s new sixth graders previously attended Title I elementary schools (schools in which children from low-income families make up at least 40 percent of enrollment). OSA is committed to embedding a spirit of inclusivity into the academic, artistic and social fabric of the school. In 2021, OSA welcomed Kala Stepter as our Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Coordinator, to lead this transformational and ongoing work. OSA also convened an Equity Task Force and began implementation of strategic initiatives to close opportunity gaps and build a more equitable school environment. These included: • Providing JEDI-focused professional development for all staff • Reviewing policies and practices to promote the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty and staff • Updating curriculum to ensure both cultural relevance and rigor • Empowering students and families of all affinity groups • Implementing restorative justice practices • Unpacking the long-term impacts of systemic racism on the school community This year, as OSA develops our 3-year Strategic Plan, our leadership team is grounding each workstream of the plan in the school’s commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion so that OSA grows in a way that is culturally responsive to and inclusive of all students’ cultures, backgrounds, identities, and learning differences.
J UST I C E, EQUI TY, DI V E R S I TY, AND INCLU SION MISSION: To cultivate an environment where the entire OSA community—students, families, and staff— is empowered to learn about, grow in, and celebrate the diverse identities and cultures of themselves and others. Together, we will combat oppressive systems in our communities to ignite transformational change toward justice through empathy, collaboration, intentionality, and courage.
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