2010 is just around the corner, and the Education for Liberation Network is gearing up for a fantastic year. We need your help to make it a success.

Despite the weak economy, we had a very productive 2009—the national Free Minds, Free People conference in Houston, the Social Justice Expo for high school students in New York, the launch of our new community site online, the social justice lesson plan book and the teaching materials added to our database. And we are looking forward to an even stronger 2010. Here are just some of the things on the agenda:

• Planning for Free Minds, Free People 2011— In 2010 we will choose a host city for our third national conference on education for liberation and send out a new call for workshop proposals. Learn more about this powerful conference.
• Social Justice Expo—This second annual event in New York gives high school students the chance to display social justice projects they completed during the year. We co-organize it with New York City schools.
• Support for National Student Bill of Rights—One of the wonderful outcomes of the Free Minds, Free People conference was that it catalyzed a group of high school students around the country to develop a National Student Bill of Rights. The network is supporting these students. Look out for this campaign at the US Social Forum in June!
• How Did They Do That?—This project will document the work of groups doing replicable, inexpensive, innovative social justice education projects. The documentation will take the form of online how-to kits illustrated with photos, video, audio and graphics. We will launch with profiles of projects by teacher organizing groups.
• Planning to Change the World—The social justice lesson plan book for the 2010-2011 school year is already underway. Next year’s book, our third edition, will be packed with more anniversaries, birthdays, resources and tips for teachers.

It takes investment from the people most committed to liberatory education to make these things happen.  Please wish the network a Happy New Year by making a financial contribution. Our donations campaign last year raised $1,080. Our goal this year is to raise $2,000 by Monday, December 21. Can you help us reach our goal?

Click the Happy New Year button to contribute or visit http://www.nycharities.org/donate/c_donate.asp?CharityCode=2048 or see below for information about how to contribute by check. If each member of the network donated only $2, we would surpass our goal! Check out our great thank you gifts below.

A contribution to the network goes a long way. As a large network with lean staff and little overhead, we accomplish a lot on a very small budget. We achieve this through strategic partnerships with allies and through the hard work of network volunteers. The effect of your contribution is multiplied because it impacts not only the network, but the many organizations and individuals across the country our work helps support.

And this year we have some great thank you gifts for donations of $30 or more to let you know how much we appreciate your support. They a

• Off The Subject: The Words of Lyrical Circle of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol edited by Khary Lazarre-White. This is a collection of poetry from the spoken word collective of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol, a youth organization in Harlem.
• Philippine Book of Days This is a date book (no year) featuring artwork from some of the most well known Filipino artists.
• Planning to Change the World: A Lesson Plan Book for Social Justice Teachers This is a plan book for teachers who believe their students can and will change the world. It has everything you would expect from a teacher's lesson plan book, plus dozens of resources and tips to help teachers integrate ideas of social justice into their classrooms.
• So Much Reform, So Little Change: The Persistence of Failure in Urban Schools by Charles M. Payne This frank and courageous book explores the persistence of failure in today’s urban schools. At its heart is the argument that most education policy discussions are disconnected from the daily realities of urban schools, especially those in poor and beleaguered neighborhoods.
• Why Did This Happen? Content, Perspective, Dialogue: A Workshop Model for Developing Young People’s Writing by Susan Wilcox. This book shares The Brotherhood/Sister Sol’s transformative writing and critical thinking approach, the Content, Perspective, Dialogue Workshop Model.

We have limited quantities of each thank you gift so please donate early.

Please invest in the future of liberatory education today by making as generous a contribution as you are able.

To donate online click here: http://www.nycharities.org/donate/c_donate.asp?CharityCode=2048

Please make checks payable to The Brotherhood/Sister Sol (the network’s fiscal sponsor). Mail the check to: Tara Mack, Education for Liberation Network, 316 Clinton Avenue, #B, Brooklyn, NY 11205.