AYPAL's 2nd Annual #WeHere Fundraiser!

Dear community, 

My name is Nhi Truong, I am an AYPAL alumna and current teacher at ARISE High School. During my teenage years,  when I was desperately searching for an after-school program, my best friend Lean  introduced me to AYPAL.  I came into AYPAL not expecting much, but it provided me with the social and political home that I have been searching for! I joined an influential community where we engaged in political workshops, led community campaigns, participated in protests and rallies. AYPAL has instilled the social justice fire in me that I have been missing. Those skills have shaped  to become a teacher and organizer today! 

I'm excited to lead this year's alumni fundraiser campaign. Please join me in supporting AYPAL by donating any amount you can; any dollar counts! If you are an AYPAL alumni, you know that powerful impact that AYPAL has on you, please support so we can keep this movement strong! 

Last year, you helped AYPAL raise over $10K from the community to support the launch of our #WeHere campaign! Check out last year's fundraiser here!

We are replicating our goal of raising $10K again this year! 

This was a huge showing of support for underrepresented youth in this city. Please see the #WeHere highlight video above with footage of youth confronting decision makers on a number of issues ranging from data tracking to stopping unjust development that could displace hundreds of families and local businesses in our community. 

Over the past year #WeHere AYPAL youth leaders:

• Created and submitted a Memo highlighting a platform for just development from the perspective of young people to the City Planning Commission
• Published a youth report, disaggregating data for API youth in Oakland via a survey of over 400 API high school youth, get the free report: here
• Engaged a multi-racial community by leading multiple workshops with Oakland middle and high school students at youth conferences on gentrification, and ethnic studies 

In the coming year, AYPAL #WeHere will:

• Finalize and push a youth platform for just development in the city, in collaboration with other youth of color
• Contribute to the passing of resolutions similar to the data resolution youth won at OUSD last year, in San Francisco, and with other impacted communities of color here in Oakland. See our resolution win: here 
• Continue to organize our peers at school and community members to fight against gentrification and displacement, fight for racial equity in Oakland schools, and use culture as a tool for healing and changing our communities! + MORE! 

Young people are the courageous, creative, and hopeful leaders WE want to follow. You can play a role in our community supporting each other and making change together, instead of waiting for change to come. You can play a role in youth leading our community. 100% of this funding goes directly to youth by securing youth stipends for AYPAL core leaders.

Thank you so much for your continuous support and believing in our work!