First Freedom Schools Summer
July 6, 2015
Inaugural Freedom Schools at Rainier Beach High School
First Day of Social Action
August 14, 2015
Freedom Schools scholars organize a march to protest against 2.5-mile walk zone policy, marching from John Stanford Center to City Hall; launching a multi-year campaign ultimately leading to the Youth Orca Card Program which provides free ORCA cards for middle and high school students; walk zone policy reduced to 1 mile.
WA-BLOC is Founded
April 15, 2016
WA-BLOC is ‘founded’ after Urban Impact cancels summer Freedom Schools program abruptly. Scholars/community rally and want to continue Freedom Schools. Staff terminated from UI, raise 50K in 3 months to host Freedom Schools at Rainier Beach High School
Second Freedom Schools Summer
July 5, 2016
Host Freedom Schools at Rainier Beach HS Summer 2016 for the 2nd consecutive summer for 60 rising 9th and 10th graders- Tyra Griffith, Site Coordinator
WA-BLOC’s First School Year
August 22, 2016
Team decides to continue work as “WA-BLOC” and launch 2016-17 school year programming (Homework Center, BLOC Party, In-class support/co-teaching, academic mentoring, Food Justice Organizing) with a Personal Service Contract with SPS
Progress on Transit Justice
September 1, 2016
Transit Justice Organizing continues (Pilot program created by SPS, 50 RBHS students receive ORCA Card, attendance and grades tracked)
Restorative Justice at RBHS
January 9, 2017
EPIC Zero Youth Detention Grant funds first Restorative Justice Coordinator at Rainier Beach High School, Afam Ayika. WA-BLOC and Afam host multiple circle keeping trainings for youth and staff and begin implementing restorative justice into RBHS systems
WA-BLOC Mission + Vision Formed
January 11, 2017
WA-BLOC mission and vision co-created with students and community
New Freedom Schools Site Launched
May 1, 2017
Launched Freedom Schools at Summit Sierra in partnership with Seattle University (Led by Darozyl) and continued Freedom Schools at RBHS for 3rd consecutive summer
WA-BLOC Logo Created
November 14, 2017
WA-BLOC Logo created by student Vien Truong
4th Annual BLOC Party + Undoing Racism PD at RBHS
March 23, 2018
Jerrell, Ifrah, Zion lead Undoing Racism PD for RBHS staff the same week as the 4th annual BLOC Party
K-12 Freedom Schools Summer
April 2, 2018
Launched Freedom Schools at South Shore Elementary School and continued Freedom Schools at RBHS for 4th consecutive summer
No New Youth Jail Anthem
April 13, 2018
No New Youth Jail Anthem written, produced, and filmed by RBHS Freedom Schools Scholars
Orca Cards for ALL
September 3, 2018
Youth Orca Program “created”—ALL SPS High School students receive free, year-round ORCA Cards after years of advocacy
Restorative Justice Programming at RBHS Launched
September 10, 2018
Launched BSK Restorative Justice Programming at RBHS through BSK grant
BLOC Mentor Group Established
September 17, 2018
Makaelah Smith launches Black Girl Magic mentor group
Fifth Annual BLOC Party
March 27, 2019
Hosted 5th annual BLOC Party at RBHS featuring over 40 different community and youth-led social justice themed workshops
New Fiscal Sponsor
April 1, 2019
Fully transitioned to Rainier Valley Corps as new fiscal sponsor
Fifth Annual Freedom Schools Hiring
April 26, 2019
27 place-based college-aged students hired for Freedom Schools 2019
New Freedom Schools Partnership
July 8, 2019
Launched Freedom Schools at Emerson Elementary and continued Freedom Schools at RBHS for 5th consecutive summer
New BLOC Mentor Group Established
September 18, 2019
Launched Don’t Judge Me mentor group
Restorative Justice Expanded
September 23, 2019
Launched Restorative Justice at Emerson Elementary School
Pushout Film Showing
February 5, 2020
Co-hosted the film “Pushout” and lead conversations about the criminalization of black girls in schools with RBHS students and staff
Feed the Beach
March 13, 2020
Launched Feed the Beach food justice program as an emergency response to school closures
COVID-19 Financial Relief
March 27, 2020
Provided $50k in emergency relief checks to 50 Emerson Elementary and Rainier Beach HS families
Weekly Grocery Delivery
March 30, 2020
Began weekly grocery delivery to 40 families in the Rainier Beach neighborhood
Virtual Restorative Justice
May 23, 2020
Launched virtual RJ healing circles
Organizing to Remove SEO’s From Schools
June 3, 2020
Partnered with youth-led activist group Black Minds Matter and FEEST Seattle to apply pressure to Seattle School Board to permanently remove School Emphasis Officers (SEOs) from schools
Seattle School Board Permanently Removes SEO’s From Schools
June 24, 2020
Seattle School Board permanently removes SEO’s from schools and indefinitely ends their relationship with the Seattle Police Department due to youth and community applied pressure
The First Virtual Freedom Schools
July 6, 2020
Launched Freedom Schools virtually at Rainier Beach HS and Emerson Elementary
Financial Sponsorship of BMM
July 31, 2020
Became financial sponsor for youth-led activist group Black Minds Matter
