FIELD NOTES
Thriving leaders. Thriving organizations. Thriving youth.


February 2021
Greetings YDEKC Members and Friends:

As we work towards building educational systems that support the whole child and ensure our Black, Indigenous, and youth of color thrive, community partners play a critical role. Check out YDEKC’s Whole Child, Whole Day Mini-Grant Report for examples of partners in the Road Map Region who are leading with racial equity and supporting the whole child in partnership with families, youth, and community.

With schools seeking new kinds of community partnerships, existing partners adapting their services to meet current needs and pandemic-driven restrictions, and the opportunity for all of us to rethink our shared goals and approach to partnership, my colleague Kelly Riffer from School’s Out Washington and I put our heads together last fall to figure out what resources we could offer to the field.

FEATURED YDEKC MEMBER - ACE
This month we are glad to highlight The Academy for Creating Excellence (ACE), and it's CEO and YDEKC Advisory Board member, Willie Seals III. Founded in 2012, ACE's vision is to prepare men of color for excellence through the core values of FAMILY, ACADEMICS, MOTIVATION, and ENVIRONMENT (FAME).

In the fall, ACE was one of several organizations to receive investment from the Seattle Family, Education, Preschool and Promise (FEPP) in recognition of ACE's track record, positive and intergenerational impact on boys and men of color and ability to continue essential supports through the dual pandemics of racism and COVID-19. Check out this article about the City of Seattle's investments, and ACE's charge to engage over 300 Black students, educators, community volunteers and parents.

ACE’s mission is to provide high quality services in support of men of color. Fostering safe spaces to facilitate their growth to best understand themselves as viable world citizens.