The Parent Revolution focuses on the well-being of underrepresented families. Jay Artis- Wright leads the “parent-organized” nonprofit, a collective community unified under the mission for change.
They speak life into the best educational standards for all children in California. Their work holds a level of hope, to be a vision of success for anyone searching for the best, for their children.
Guardianship exposes a deeper level of care and compassion for humanity. When one becomes responsible for another developing life, a new sense of awareness presents itself. The Parent Revolution recognizes the importance in exposing children to the best available educational opportunities, and its impact on their future.
The framework shared on their official website states, “Parent Revolution’s mMission is to ensure that families, especially those from historically underserved communities, can use their power to secure an excellent education for their children, children in their community, and all children in California.”
On March 16, 2019, The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) closed all the schools, due to the growth in severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. An elevated level of protection must be established.
Preexisting issues were exasperated during this time. The “digital divide” and the lack of support found on the wrong side of the poverty line had a meteoric effect on the world of many families.
Coronavirus left institutions vulnerable, it changed the course of daily life. The educational needs for children shifted, because of what their future might look like.
There is a long history of imbalances found in the education system in this country; the remnants of past prejudices and institutionalized racism pulsates in communities of color. There has been evidence concluding there is an educational gap among students, based on their race.
“The Educational Opportunity Monitoring Project,” is a collection of research findings, conducted by Stanford Center of Education Policy Analysis (Cepa).
“One potential explanation for racial achievement gaps is that they are largely due to socioeconomic disparities between White, Black, and Hispanic families. Black and Hispanic children’s parents typically have lower incomes and lower levels of educational attainment than white children’s parents.”
The Parent revolution recognized this truth and dedicated many waking moments to changing it, for their children, their surrounding community, and their future. This organization works with parents, “to create individual, local, and systemic change with their choices and with their voices.” They played a major role in passing and implementing California’s historic Parent Empowerment Act,” helping families at nine different low-performing schools to make major changes through community organizing.”
At the helm of the Parent Revolution, Artis- Wright holds all institutions handling academic achievement, accountable for their capability to teach and educate, in any condition.
As an advocate for the right to quality of education, Artis-Wright spent two decades standing firmly in her vision of the best education being provided to all students. She worked in public and private settings, taking on responsibilities that intersected advocacy with leadership.
Artis-Wright has dedicated her energy to developing a strong foundation between teachers and parents. Many times, Artis-Wright created spaces for the practice of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Her work has been seen in many different forms, Artis-Wright was a director of Upward Bound programs, legislative consultant, and advocate for child safety in the entertainment industry.
The former director of Upward Bound shared her feelings in a press release statement, she stated, “I watched parents put pressure on a powerful media conglomerate- and they listened!”
Artis-Wright continued, “I realized the unique power that happened when an adult advocated for their child…”
“I imagined how great it would be if I could get more parents to influence stakeholders in the same fashion that I witnessed and did a complete career shift,” Artis-Wright said.
Using her passion to guide her, Artis-Wright held senior level positions in nonprofits that focused on education. Organizations like Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE), Teach for America’s Partner organization, and charter school trade associations all benefited from the talents of Artis-Wright.
While lending her skills at LEE, Artis-Wright played a significant role in recruiting former teachers and leaders of policy and created an opportunity for them to be involved in school board elections.
In Parent Revolution, Artis-Wright connects with members of the organization, and applies a “muti-pronged” strategy to support families with children in public schools throughout California. They provide multiple resources, to give families more choices and opportunities for their voices to be heard.
Through the Choice4LA program, parents are given an armor of information, to protect their rights among bigger educational institutions. It allows working class families to find better opportunities for their children.
Current displays of advocacy include a lawsuit against LAUSD. Shaw v. LAUSD was filed in 2019, the case described the gaps in education, due to the procedures exercised during the first viral spread of COVID-19. “The district is failing students by offering less instructional time to students compared with other large districts in California and cutting the hours that teachers are required to work,” according to a report found in the L.A. Times.
The ruling for the case was carried out in October 2021. The court ruled in favor of LAUSD, by stating the issue around the challenges with distance learning were moot, since educational practices have returned to the classroom. Parent revolution is looking to challenge the ruling and continue to speak out against inadequate educational practices that keep children from having the brightest future possible.
