To Whom Much is Given. Much is Required: Reflections on Leading Reparations for Black Students and Families in the Oakland Unified School District

Abstract

To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required.

Luke 12:48

This capstone tells the story of an Oakland-raised leader returning home to advance one of the United States’ first reparatory efforts by a public school system. In March 2021, the Oakland Unified School District’s (OUSD) Board of Education adopted the Reparations for Black Students Resolution. This capstone will share reflections of listening, learning, and leading in the context of the community I call home. As a Doctoral Resident, I partnered with the Superintendent, District and community leaders to implement the Reparations for Black Students Resolution. I chronicle the opportunities, challenges, and complexities of actualizing shared leadership and governance between a public school district and a coalition of community leaders. Moreover, I explore how educational reparations can be achieved in public education and detail how a grassroots organizing effort led OUSD to launch a Citywide Listening Campaign and Black Students and Families Thriving Task Force. This capstone focuses on elements of power, authority and environmental conditions for collaborative leadership in complex circumstances. I describe and analyze my leadership in developing and implementing a large-scale systems change process rooted in the diverse experiences and perspectives of Black Oaklanders. I braid together my inquiry and analysis through the historically nuanced context of harm, repair, and healing, concluding with reflections and recommendations for leaders and systems committed to advancing racial justice.