BLOC ORGANIZING
BLOC Organizing
BLOC Organizing is an element of our work that seeks to elevate youth voice and to mobilize our SE Seattle community in building collective power and impacting long-term systems change. WA-BLOC supports student driven activism through our summer Freedom Schools program and direct action campaigns during the school year, resulting in significant policy change in our city and region over the years. Shown below are examples of youth-driven movements that we have been honored to support over the years.
Youth Transit Justice Campaign
In 2015, Freedom Schools scholars addressed Seattle Public Schools’ inequitable walk-zone policy and called for free transportation for all public high school students. At the time, the walk zone policy dictated that only students who lived beyond 2.5 miles were eligible for free transportation subsidized by the district. The policy disproportionately impacted low income students and families who could not afford a monthly metro pass and did not have access to personal transportation. Through a catalyzing 1.7 mile march from Seattle Public Schools headquarters to City Hall in downtown Seattle on July 31st 2015, Rainier Beach scholars not only advocated for safe, reliable ways to get to school, jobs, and after-school activities, but also highlighted a crucial connection that administrators had been missing: lack of transportation was a contributing factor to the school’s exclusionary discipline practices (students who arrived late received tardies, suspensions, and even expulsions) and the school to prison pipeline.
After continued organizing and advocacy efforts led by students, the City of Seattle finally approved 3,000 ORCA cards for qualifying students in 2016. Two years later (2018), Mayor Durkan announced the creation of the youth ORCA program, providing free transit for high school youth and distributing over 15,000 ORCA cards, a direct result of student organizing via our summer program. In 2021, the City of Seattle expanded this program to include middle school students - 24,000 students! Last year (2022) the program was expanded for all King County Youth.
South Seattle Emerald 2015 article
Seattle City Council approves free bus passes for high-school students, Seattle Times, June 25, 2018 Durkan credited students at Rainier Beach High School, who have lobbied for free transit passes for years.“Our students’ advocacy gave power to this idea that we are now able to make a reality,” she said.
A Student Led Movement for Transit Justice Pays Off, Seattle P-I, March 1, 2016 Includes radio interview with students leading the movement.
Free ORCA cards going to Seattle high schoolers this year, KOMO News, July 11, 2018
“Today’s announcement comes after three years of continued advocacy from students, and I was proud to champion them then and now,” Councilmember Mike O’Brien said. "All students should have access to affordable, reliable and safe transportation options for getting to school and all their activities. They should be able to learn without the burden of travel, and today’s ORCA card announcement does exactly that."
ORCA Opportunity Program, City of Seattle
Campaign to Remove Police from Seattle Public Schools and Invest in Culturally Responsive Mental Health Supports
At the height of the George Floyd rebellion in 2020, student organization and Rainier Beach HS students, Black Minds Matter, led a successful campaign to remove police from Seattle Public Schools. This effort was part of a wave of youth-led campaigns around the country to address police violence against young people.
WA-BLOC partnered with Black Minds Matter and FEEST to gather nearly 20,000 signatures and presented our petition to the Seattle School Board. After students presented their case, the Seattle School Board voted to end its contract with the Seattle Police Department.
No New Youth Jail Campaign
… “To the folks who are currently locked up, I would say: have hope. Have hope, because some people are in the mindset that they are stuck up in this path and that they can't change and turn into something positive. And they feel this way because of how people treat them. Instead of jail cells, in this building could go resources for families, could be something that help the youth.
To the people who are building this jail, I would say: educate yourselves. Educate yourselves on how this is having an effect on people. It's feeding the school-to-prison pipeline. Finally, I would just say: have hope and support us youth. Support us, because sometimes we need to know that there's someone there for us and we can be positive and do things that are good."
"What's your name?"
"Yobach!"
"Where you from?"
"SOOOUFEND --"