Last week, we got the opportunity to present work-in-progress clips from American Promise at the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) Symposium in Washington, DC.

The response from the audience of parent advocates was overwhelming. Many parents recognized their children’s experiences onscreen. Several expressed how refreshing it was to see middle class stories of black male achievement brought to light and reflect the complexity of the African American experience today. After the presentation, we got a great deal of interest in arranging grassroots screening events at BAEO chapters around the country.

We also learned more about the work of BAEO throughout the three-day Symposium. This year, the Symposium was combined with BAEO’s Annual Seminar for Educational Policy and Parental Choice for elected officials, bringing together grassroots groups and policymakers for an empowering discussion. Highlights included an in-depth examination of the success of black-led charter schools, and new teaching strategies for closing the achievement gap.

Our sincere thanks to BAEO for including American Promise in this vital, ongoing discussion of how to ensure all parents have access to excellent educational options for their children.

(Visit our Kickstarter page and check out our update video from the BAEO Symposium)