Black Parent Union advocates for our youth
Organization strives to make parent involvement the law
Tony Hicks, founder of the Black Parent Union, is an educational consultant specializing in parent and community involvement, who has worked in the public schools for more than 24 years. He has worked in the classroom, serving on councils/committees, coordinating the activities of parent liaisons, conducting workshops, training staff, hosting a cable television show, and leading instructional audits.
The Black Parent Union (BPU) informs, defends, supports, and empowers parents to be proactive leaders through collaborative actions.
The mission of the BPU is to unite Black groups into a cohesive collaborative network to discuss and challenge educational policies and practices that impact Black families and the educational outcomes of Black children from pre-K through 12th grade.
The call for an independent BPU started out as a line item in the Black Educational Civil Rights Agenda (BECRA). The BECRA was collaboratively drafted in 2006 by a group of Black educational organizations, educators, parents, administrators, school board members, civil rights organizations, and community activists to address the systemic inequities in public education that contribute to the educational underachievement of Black students.
The BPU was launched at the Western Regional Council on Educating Black Children (WRCEBC) conference in 2009. Attendees discussed the need for Black parents to come together in unity and solidarity to empower themselves to advocate for their children.
“The biggest challenge that we have experienced so far has been getting other organizations that are essentially trying to do the same thing that we are doing, to come together. African Americans are a minority, and we need to do things together if we want to see lasting results,” said Hicks.
The BPU meets on the fourth Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. at various locations and is open to parents from all school districts. It is a welcoming setting, where parents network to help and support each other, share information and receive training on how to effectively navigate the educational system. All Black parents are encouraged to join.
The BPU doesn’t have a building of its own yet, therefore, next month the meeting will be moved to Marguerite LaMotte’s District 1 field office at 5351 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles.
In honor of Juneteenth, rather than holding the meeting on the usual fourth, Saturday it will be moved up to June 18 at 10 a.m.
“People can communicate with the group through our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Black-Parent-Union or Tony Hicks can be contacted directly at tonyhicks32@yahoo.com or by phone at (310) 720-2798.
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After spending eight years in the state Legislature, I can tell you that here in Sacramento, there’s no shortage of good intentions. But what we are lacking is a track record of good results.
Great Beginnings for Black Babies (GBBB) Executive Director Rae Jones has been selected one of the 2013 26th District SHeroes by Senator Curren D. Price Jr. and was honored at a February luncheon.
Serving since 2009 at the helm of GBBB, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the healthy development and growth of African American babies and their families, Jones was honored as one of the “extraordinary women who are committed to their professions and communities,” according to Sen. Price.
The Institute for Black Parenting embarked 37 years ago on one of the most difficult and pressing social-service issues in placing orphaned Black children into stable households.
She’s a praying woman who faithfully attends Sunday school and morning service every week, along with Tuesday night prayer and Bible study. She wakes up every morning and prays for the family and prepares breakfast for her household full of grandbabies. She struggles to make ends meet on her measly Social Security check and government funds. Not to mention her health isn’t the best.
She’s that grandmother who has paid her dues, raised her own children and is now raising her children’s children.
