Who Is In The Space

We understand that alone, Student U cannot adequately honor the legacy of the W.G. Pearson School and William Gaston Pearson to fulfill its vision for Durham. Therefore, Student U has sought partners to join together at The W.G. Pearson Center to combat systemic racism and structural inequalities in service of a Durham where all children can succeed. Individually, tenants of The Center will continue their work to achieve their desired goals. Collectively, tenants will form a consortium of like-minded organizations, sharing best practices and advocating for policies and investments to enhance systems, which enable all people to thrive. Below are the first cohort of tenants who we are lucky to have as partners. We look forward to announcing more tenants in the near future.

Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100)

Founded in 2013, BYP100 (Black Youth Project 100) is a member-based organization of Black youth activists creating justice and freedom for all Black people. They do this through building a network focused on transformative leadership development, direct action organizing, advocacy, and political education using a Black queer feminist lens. BYP100 envisions a world where all Black people have economic, social, political, and educational freedom. For more information visit https://byp100.org/ or contact BYP100 at info@byp100.org.

Durham Children's Initiative

DCI’s mission is to create a pipeline of high-quality services spanning from birth through college or career for children, youth, and families living in Durham, North Carolina. For more information visit dci-nc.org

DPS Foundation

The DPS Foundation is a community-led effort to accelerate the transformation of Durham Public Schools for success and equity for every student. Their mission is to catalyze big ideas and foster community engagement that will accelerate the transformation of the Durham Public Schools to ensure success and equity for every student. For more information visit bullcityschools.org.

Office on Youth

The Office on Youth is a division in the City Manager’s Office that provides direction on youth initiatives in Durham. The office works with youth, City and County staff, elected officials, and community partners to elevate youth voices and enhance services and programs for youth. For more information visit durhamnc.gov.

Rebuild Fellowship

Rebuild’s mission is to advance the Kingdom of God by making disciples who receive, respond, and reproduce The Gospel of Jesus Christ, for the welfare of the city of Durham and surrounding communities. They have a deep desire to make sure neighbors feel welcomed and at home in the building by leading and hosting gatherings at The Center to build relationships with our direct community. Join Rebuild Fellowship for a Sunday service at The W.G. Pearson Center, or email info@rebuildchurch.com for more information.

Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF)

SAF develops the leadership of college students from diverse backgrounds, giving them the opportunity to work directly with farmworkers in the Carolinas. Their mission is to bring students and farmworkers together to learn about each other’s lives, share resources and skills, improve conditions for farmworkers, and build diverse coalitions working for social change. Learn more by visiting saf-unite.org/

Student U

The mission of Student U is to empower students in the Durham Public Schools to own their education by developing the academic skills and personal well-being necessary to succeed in college and beyond. Student U is committed to utilizing The Center in a manner that both honors its history in the Hayti community and best serves Durham. At The Center, Student U will continue to provide its holistic after-school programming, also known as second shift programming, which has led to significant academic gains for 550 Durham students. As a result of the additional space, Student U will be able to collaborate with the Durham community to expand the reach of its best practices to better serve the citizens of Durham County. To invest, volunteer or apply to be a student or teacher at Student U please visit studentudurham.org.

Village of Wisdom

VOW describes itself as “a family-organizing and advocacy entity working to eliminate racial injustices in schools. To this end, we develop tools and resources that students, parents and teachers use to create learning environments for Black and Brown learners.” We are excited to have VOW in our village with their passion for empowering families with tools to successfully advocate for their children in schools. To get involved with Village of Wisdom, please contact Taylor M. Webber-Fields, Lead Organizer at twebberfields@villageofwisdom.org

we are

The purpose of we are (working to extend anti-racist education) is to equip students, parents, and educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand the complexity of racism and to extend anti-racist education with the ultimate goal of dismantling systemic racism. Using a combination of week-long summer camps for students, professional development for teachers, and workshops for parents, we are provides a three pronged approach to addressing racial inequities in schools. To get involved with We Are, please contact  we.are@duke.edu or visit weare-nc.org.