$30,000 /2012, 2013
Chicago, IL
Jhatayn Travis, Executive Director
Website: www.kocoonline.org
$30,000 renewal grants in 2012 and 2013 will enable Kenwood Oakland Community Organization (KOCO) to organize youth and adults in low-income predominantly Black residents in the Mid-South neighborhoods of Chicago to improve the quality of neighborhood schools and increase high school graduation rates. KOCO parent and youth leaders organize for the creation of an elected school board, stronger local school councils, and community driven school transformation processes. As a lead member of Communities Organized for Democracy in Education (CODE), KOCO helped introduce state legislation to create an elected school board and to put a moratorium on Chicago school closings. As the school district maneuvered to close 25 Mid-South schools, KOCO engaged the school leadership to help them organize themselves to resist the district’s efforts to close their schools, reducing the closure list to 5 schools. Over the next two years, KOCO will continue to actively working with parent, youth, and community leaders in the neighborhood and in coalition with other organizations around Chicago to impact public policy in relation to quality education for all students. KOCO is a member of the Chicago Teachers Union community board, an active member of the Grow Your Own Illinois (GYO), Voices of Youth in Chicago Education (VOYCE) and the LIFE campaign, a coalition with 12 community based organizations to advocate for affordable housing, youth investment, anti-hunger and public safety issues