The STAND UP meeting on October 17th was a great event that drew in almost 300 people from all over northern California. The event opened with a performance by Sacramento High School students Keiona Williamson and Janera Montero; they discussed the struggles for African Americans and Latinos in the education system. Eric Lerum, the Vice President of National Policy for StudentsFirst was at the event to lay out Mayor Kevin Johnson’s education policy agenda. The Natomas Charter School’s Blackrock Dance Company performed a contemporary dance routine to Florence and the Machine’s “Dog Days are Over.” Nik Howard, the director of the Mayor’s third grade reading initiative, Sacramento Reads!, discussed the progress that it has made since the August 24th launch. Mayor Kevin Johnson gave a review of the previous speakers that STAND UP has hosted over the past months, followed by a great introduction of Dr. Steve Perry. The featured speaker, Dr. Steve Perry, brought an undeniable energy to Sacramento last Monday. Dr. Perry discussed how every child deserves a good education, and if an education is not good enough for your own child, then it is not good enough for any child. He engaged in a question and answer session following his talk and discussed issues such as masculinity, fighting against failing schools, and engaging in education as a community. If you were at the event we hope you enjoyed it, and if you were unable to make it we hope to see you at the next one!
