2023 Summer NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER

NURTURING EDUCATIONAL EQUITY

As back to school season begins, SFA is again excited about the new school year. We want nothing more than for every student to have a fair chance and the support they need to succeed. We understand that the possibility of a quality education prepares our young people for the future that, and in many ways, holds the keys to the rest of their lives.

And so we start the new year enthused by the prospect of helping prepare another cohort of high school and college students for what lies ahead. By providing the guidance our participants need, San Francisco Achievers works to close both the opportunity and the achievement gap which, let’s face it, became more complex with the Supreme Court’s ruling on Affirmative Action.

While no one can be sure how colleges and universities will respond, we understand the necessity of a college education.

We BELIEVE that all students should be afforded the opportunity. We UNDERSTAND the challenges that African American young men face, and we are COMMITTED to changing those outcomes despite the ruling!

DO YOU KNOW

Studies show educational attainment is a direct predictor of many of life’s outcomes; a college degree shapes employment opportunities as well as related benefits, including income and access to healthcare, but also impacts social and psychological well being.
Currently, black men graduate at the lowest rate. Pre-college preparedness, limited access to financial aid and scholarships, and the struggles balancing full time work and family responsibilities are predominant causes. Children raised in households in which their parents do not possess a post-secondary degree typically follow the same path – leading to a cycle of poverty.

SFA’s Culture of Continuation framework, a support system that spans up to a nine year cycle – provides not only guidance, but necessary mentoring and support from high school through college that many black males traditionally do not have access to. Our work offsets many of the inherent inequalities black males historically face leading up to and through postsecondary education.

Through our approach to educational attainment, San Francisco Achievers increases the probability that more Black young men will secure a postsecondary degree, thereby reducing under-unemployment, poverty, and health inequities within the black community and, importantly, our city as a whole. We have the power to change the narrative.
Through our approach to educational attainment, San Francisco Achievers increases the probability that more Black young men will secure a postsecondary degree, thereby reducing under-unemployment, poverty, and health inequities within the black community and, importantly, our city as a whole. We have the power to change the narrative.

For more information on how our programs support college readiness and completion visit:
https://www.sfachievers.org/achievers-hs-program-page/

Christopher Hayes
2022 - 2023 SFA Scholar

It is an easy inclination to think of school as business – very transactional. One of the lessons SFA taught early on is about the value of connections. Meeting new people and discovering new ideas in a way that didn’t seem possible before.
Understanding his life experiences as a black male, Christopher inherently felt the need to find community and support as he plotted his path towards post secondary education. Believing that there had to be others that shared his mindset, he set out to surround himself in a community that would uplift his spirit while expanding his mind.
It is an easy inclination to think of school as business – very transactional. One of the lessons SFA taught early on is about the value of connections. Meeting new people and discovering new ideas in a way that didn’t seem possible before.
Understanding his life experiences as a black male, Christopher inherently felt the need to find community and support as he plotted his path towards post secondary education. Believing that there had to be others that shared his mindset, he set out to surround himself in a community that would uplift his spirit while expanding his mind.

Christopher Hayes
2022 - 2023 SFA Scholar

Christopher Hayes
2022 - 2023 SFA Scholar

That search led him to San Francisco Achievers where he was accepted into the Achievers High School program in 2022. As his tenure with SFA unfolded, he began to see the parallels that unbeknownst to him were there all along – many of his friends at school were already involved with SFA, and his current employer at that time had strong ties with SFA having worked together in the past. Christopher was subsequently accepted as a Scholar – receiving a college scholarship for the 2022 school year. Christopher credits his success in the last two years of his high school education to the supportive environment fostered by SFA coupled with his own diligence. The financial resources provided by the SFA Scholarship opened more opportunities than he initially envisioned as well. Heading into his sophomore year at Portland State University, Christopher was able to secure a position as a Residents

Assistant in on campus housing. In his RA position, surrounded by his peers, Christopher hopes to continue building the connections that have become the impetus for his educational advancement.

The financial resources provided by the SFA Scholarship opened more opportunities than he initially envisioned as well. Heading into his sophomore year at Portland State University, Christopher was able to secure a position as a Residents assistant in on campus housing. In his RA position, surrounded by his peers, Christopher hopes to continue building the connections that have become the impetus for his educational advancement.

Christopher Hayes
2022 - 2023 SFA Scholar

That search led him to San Francisco Achievers where he was accepted into the Achievers High School program in 2022. As his tenure with SFA unfolded, he began to see the parallels that unbeknownst to him were there all along – many of his friends at school were already involved with SFA, and his current employer at that time had strong ties with SFA having worked together in the past. Christopher was subsequently accepted as a Scholar – receiving a college scholarship for the 2022 school year. Christopher credits his success in the last two years of his high school education to the supportive environment fostered by SFA coupled with his own diligence. The financial resources provided by the SFA Scholarship opened more opportunities than he initially envisioned as well. Heading into his sophomore year at Portland State University, Christopher was able to secure a position as a Residents
Assistant in on campus housing. In his RA position, surrounded by his peers, Christopher hopes to continue building the connections that have become the impetus for his educational advancement.
Assistant in on campus housing. In his RA position, surrounded by his peers, Christopher hopes to continue building the connections that have become the impetus for his educational advancement.
When I joined SFA it felt like something bigger than myself – something I didn’t feel with other scholarships. It usually feels like business. With SFA it feels more like a family – a brotherhood. Without the SFA Scholarship, the RA position opportunity wouldn’t have been an option for me.

DO YOU KNOW

In a historic decision that upended decades of its own precedents, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively ended race-conscious admission programs at colleges and universities across the country.
The impact of the decision may see a significant decrease in racial and ethnic diversity in higher educational institutions – a place where black males are already a severe minority – a mere 12% of college enrollment are black males. The ramifications stretch beyond higher education and the implications may be felt across educational, social, and employment opportunities for a percentage of the population that consistently faces systemic barriers to progress.
Understanding the impact the current political environment may have on our Achievers and Scholars we are committed to ensure our programs align with and meet these challenges head on.
Understanding the impact the current political environment may have on our Achievers and Scholars we are committed to ensure our programs align with and meet these challenges head on.

Fall 2023 (SY 2023 - 2024) Education and the Supreme Court Ruling (Affirmative Action)

Colleges and universities are reevaluating long standing hallmarks of their admissions processes. Last month’s Supreme Court decision severely limits, if not effectively ends, the use of affirmative action in college admissions and has caused postsecondary institutions to figure out how to attract a diverse student body in a world without affirmative action.

The historic ruling was the latest in a series of challenges to the role of race in university admissions, and stands to have a broader set of implications. A postsecondary education is an important pathway to individual advancement; a college degree increases the likelihood of securing a career and paves the way to financial stability. However, the benefits of a postsecondary degree do not end there—there are public benefits.

Fall 2023 (SY 2023 - 2024) Education and the Supreme Court Ruling (Affirmative Action)

ED \ POV

Colleges and universities are reevaluating long standing hallmarks of their admissions processes. Last month’s Supreme Court decision severely limits, if not effectively ends, the use of affirmative action in college admissions and has caused postsecondary institutions to figure out how to attract a diverse student body in a world without affirmative action.
The historic ruling was the latest in a series of challenges to the role of race in university admissions, and stands to have a broader set of implications. A postsecondary education is an important pathway to individual advancement; a college degree increases the likelihood of securing a career and paves the way to financial stability. However, the benefits of a postsecondary degree do not end there—there are public benefits.

ED \ POV

Increases in postsecondary attainment produce more productive economies which in turn create higher standards of living. In short, societies benefit from a well-educated populace. On average, college graduates pay 82% more in taxes than high school graduates. Social support program spending likewise is significantly lower for individuals who obtain college degrees – for example, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation among individuals with high school diplomas is four times greater than those with BA/S degrees or higher!

For 15 years, SFA has been dedicated to bridging the opportunity gap, to assuring more African American young men are able to pursue and fulfill their postsecondary aspirations, to removing the hurdles that trouble their prospect, life chances, and ability to give back to the City and communities they love. Since SFA’s founding, our fierce commitment to our mission hasn’t faltered; and we will not be deterred by the Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action ruling, in fact the decision steels our resolve.

The Supreme Court ruling may have made the prospect of college more difficult for segments of our community. Colleges and universities seeking to offer preference to poor children who do not have the same advantages and therefore, are unable to compile the same academic records, is a worthy and admirable endeavor, however, those ambitions cannot be realized without the effort of organizations such as SFA.

The Supreme Court ruling may have made the prospect of college more difficult for segments of our community. Colleges and universities seeking to offer preference to poor children who do not have the same advantages and therefore, are unable to compile the same academic records, is a worthy and admirable endeavor, however, those ambitions cannot be realized without the effort of organizations such as SFA.

Gregg Zaire & Carlton Colbert

DONOR HIGHLIGHT

THE TRUE MEANING OF MENTORSHIP

Growing up, Carlton would tell you that his challenges significantly outweighed his opportunities. Raised by an older brother in a setting that demanded a stern hand, Carlton struggled to feel seen and understood. Not until his involvement in Summer Search, Bay Area mentoring program, did he find the recognition and appreciation he needed. The program offered Carlton the kind of interaction that helped him develop his sense of purpose and confidence; enabled him to thrive, overcome a number of challenges, and find his ‘voice’.

DONOR HIGHLIGHT

THE TRUE MEANING OF MENTORSHIP

Gregg Zaire & Carlton Colbert

Growing up, Carlton would tell you that his challenges significantly outweighed his opportunities. Raised by an older brother in a setting that demanded a stern hand, Carlton struggled to feel seen and understood. Not until his involvement in Summer Search, Bay Area mentoring program, did he find the recognition and appreciation he needed. The program offered Carlton the kind of interaction that helped him develop his sense of purpose and confidence; enabled him to thrive, overcome a number of challenges, and find his ‘voice’.

Gregg Zaire & Carlton Colbert

It is through Summer Search that Carlton was introduced to David Winton owner of Winton Dupont Films. David recognized Carlton’s need for recognition and appreciation, and so decided to invite him to learn the ropes; Carlton readily admits that David “taught me everything I know about audio/visual,” which is a testament to the power of mentoring. The relationship was tremendously impactful. Not only did it bolster Carlton’s sense of confidence and spur his personal and professional growth, it encouraged him to start his own business.

Now, as the owner of a successful audio visual company, he travels worldwide capturing footage at major events.  One of the recent highlights of his career involved working with San Francisco based Adobe where he recounts his surprise at seeing a “sea of black and brown faces at every level – everywhere.” 

It was at that moment that Carlton understood how mentorship had led him here and how it serves to pave a similar path for other young black men. Through his past connection with Summer Search, Carlton was encouraged to pay it forward by the Executive Director. He was asked if he’d like to donate to San Francisco Achievers, which would help the organization further the programming, exposure and mentorship opportunities the organization offers to black young men. Carlton proudly stepped up, becoming not only SFA’s newest donor but pledging also to serve as a mentor!

It was at that moment that Carlton understood how mentorship had led him here and how it serves to pave a similar path for other young black men. Through his past connection with Summer Search, Carlton was encouraged to pay it forward by the Executive Director. He was asked if he’d like to donate to San Francisco Achievers, which would help the organization further the programming, exposure and mentorship opportunities the organization offers to black young men. Carlton proudly stepped up, becoming not only SFA’s newest donor but pledging also to serve as a mentor!

Join the Movement

Volunteer

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your time. For more information
please write an email to
contact@sfachievers.org

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Help a Scholar personally
throughout their academic and
professional career. For more
information please write an email to
contact@sfachievers.org

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