***Apply to join our virtual fellowship by Friday, August 30th at 1PM CT***
Table of Contents
At Vocal Justice, our mission is to position youth who are proximate to injustice as leaders for social change. We prioritize serving students who are not yet thriving academically, as those students tend to be the most neglected when it comes to leadership development programs.
We built a culturally sustaining youth leadership curriculum, focused on social justice and storytelling. Through our curriculum, high schoolers and middle schoolers, particularly Black and Brown youth, come to recognize the power of their authentic voices and learn how to use them to advocate for social change — wherever they choose to lead in life.
We provide our curriculum to about 25-30 teachers each year to facilitate at their school, preferably as part of an existing class. Some teachers facilitate our curriculum after school. Additionally, we pay them to provide data and feedback on our program offerings, while also helping us to make connections to other educators and administrators to expand our impact.
To date, we’ve reached over 150 educators and 2000 young people across the country. Students, teachers, and school leaders alike have shared their appreciation for our program, which provides a safe space for youth to explore their intersecting identities, build community with peers, and learn about and advocate for liberation.
Our curriculum is rooted in culturally sustaining pedagogy and aligns with Common Core, Social and Emotional Learning competencies, and Social Justice Standards.
<aside> 🔉 “Vocal Justice is not just another program or something for the students to do. This program has been so instrumental in giving my students a voice on issues that they may not be able to speak about elsewhere. The curriculum was phenomenal and aligned to a lot of issues that have taken place in Mississippi. My students were able to relate and have open discussions about their feelings in a safe, accepting, and calm space.” ‘23 Teacher Fellow
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Requirements
We are excited to select our fifth cohort of teacher fellows. Between September 2024 and May 2025, fellows will implement weekly one-hour lessons with a consistent group of 15+ students. Fellows must join monthly professional learning sessions, too, all of which are virtual.
The fellowship is open to middle and high school educators in Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL), Detroit (MI), Jackson (MS), New Orleans (LA), and Oakland (CA). (Educators located in surrounding areas of these cities are welcome to apply too.)
Eligibility
To be eligible for the teacher fellowship, applicants must meet all of the following requirements: