Charlia Acree: Bravery Builds Community

February 13, 2023

A Black female born and raised in the United States cannot easily escape being othered. I have never truly felt safe, so I learned quickly to be brave. In any community, I stand out for all the ways I don’t fit in and possibly more for the ways that I do. In predominantly white spaces, […]

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India Patrick: One of Many

February 13, 2023

Since the day my son Charles came into this world, I’ve advocated for him to receive all the resources he deserves to live a great life. My advocacy only strengthened when psychiatrists diagnosed Charles at two years old with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), a behavioral disability that causes him to act out and defy authoritative […]

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Jeanette Staton: Communication with parents should not be an afterthought

February 13, 2023

Imagine sitting at your breakfast table on a Saturday morning. You see the sun shining through the windows, hear feel-good music playing from the radio, and take that deep breath of relief that only a weekend morning can bring.  Then, you notice an email from your child’s teacher, and suddenly, that calm and cool Saturday […]

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Monique Cole: #ParentPower at DCPVCW

January 20, 2023

I attended my first PAVE meeting in December 2019.  I was certain that I was passionate about educational outcomes, but I was still unaware about the work of PAVE as an organization. Nevertheless, during that first meeting, I saw just how serious parents were about their children’s education and the education of other children throughout the […]

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Kirsten Pelzer-Clark: The Last Straw

January 13, 2023

My family is no stranger to the impact mental health issues have on a home.  Ten years ago, my husband gained full custody of his nine-year-old son. Though my husband’s relationship with his ex-wife felt unsalvageable, his son maintained a relationship with his mom.  However, between the custody battle and the constant bi-weekly move from […]

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Zulma Barrera: What we need – A perspective from an immigrant parent

December 19, 2022

Zulma’s blog post was originally published by the D.C. Policy Center for their D.C. Voices publication. You can read the full article HERE. My daughter was in kindergarten when I first noticed she was struggling in school.      The work the teacher assigned was challenging for her, and her confidence level was low. When […]

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Kisha Clark: It Hits Different In Your House

November 22, 2022

Mental health has always been an important issue to me. But now, after experiences with my daughter that I detailed in the Washington Post, and experiences in my own community, I see more clearly how critical school-based mental health resources are. Mental health plays a crucial role in how students show up to school, and […]

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