redefinED atlanta prioritizes work that addresses the systems that have historically oppressed Black, Latinx, and under-resourced communities, anchoring our efforts in K-12 public education. 

We know systemic racial inequities persist as significant barriers to a thriving Atlanta. We believe that community members’ knowledge, experiences, and strengths are essential in improving it. Since our launch in 2016, we have invested over $20 million to build community power and catalyze change for schools.

As a part of our commitment to create equitable opportunities for students in Atlanta Public Schools (APS), we adopted participatory grantmaking practices in our 2020-2025 strategic plan. The inaugural Atlanta Reimagining and Innovating for Schools Everywhere (A.R.I.S.E.) participatory fund launched in 2022. 

The fund is a grant managed by participants in our A.R.I.S.E. Fellowship, a nine-month program that aims to grow community power and influence by exploring the levers that drive systemic change for all of Atlanta’s children. 

Through the fellowship, participants learn about the history of the APS district, explore student achievement trends, and identify opportunities to partner with communities to grant funds for community-driven solutions. Ultimately, graduates of this program are able to clearly articulate their dedication, goals, and role in advocating for positive change in public education.

The 2024 ARISE Fund is a one-year $150,000 grant to support Atlanta Public Schools’ career and college readiness goals for the Carver Cluster’s middle and high school students. The investment aims to provide wrap-around support that helps students excel academically and leads to achievement at home and beyond. Wrap-around services include: 

• Summer learning and experiences that develop curiosity, skills, and knowledge (i.e. Work-based learning)
• Out-of-school/after-school learning (i.e. literacy support, tutoring, discovery, and exploratory project/problem-based learning)
• SAT/ACT and ASVAB prep and support
• Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship
• Mentorship and apprenticeship for college and career (ie. Technical and trade opportunities)

The grant criteria, application, issue area of focus, and community of impact were developed and selected by community members participating in the A.R.I.S.E. Fellowship. 

This year’s A.R.I.S.E. Fund Grantees include:

Close Ties Leadership Program is a 501c3 nonprofit that equips Black boys with the skills and experiences necessary to lead in the pathways of their choice by providing early exposure to college and career opportunities, in-school mentorship, and individualized social-emotional support. The A.R.I.S.E. Fund will support college tours where they expose middle school Black boys to at least five colleges throughout the school year with quarterly local college tours and annual long-distance college tours. Each college tour is led by a current Black male student who shares his steps to be accepted and his experiences while on campus so that our boys can see themselves following similar paths.

National Black Arts Festival builds bridges into schools through accessible, inclusive arts programs that expose students to opportunities in the creative industries – Atlanta’s fastest-growing job sector. NBAF helps students develop knowledge and skills that support academic success and prepare them to participate in the creative economy fully. The A.R.I.S.E. Fund will support students currently involved in NABF through mental, physical and social wellbeing and providing authentic learning through real-world experiences.

RE:IMAGINE ATL is dedicated to fostering pathways for marginalized youth to access paid opportunities within the film and creative media industry. Their vision is cultivating a nurturing, inclusive, and equitable environment that empowers emerging talent, ensuring sustained opportunities for future generations.  The A.R.I.S.E. Fund will support their Embrace the Mess program, which guides students in the Carver Cluster through storytelling and focuses on literacy skills. Led by teaching artists, students learn screenwriting, production, and post-production, working in teams to develop projects. The program includes peer reviews and trust-building exercises, preparing students for post-secondary education or other paths with transferable skills in a supportive setting.

Congratulations to the second cohort of A.R.I.S.E. alums and the three grantee organizations: Close Ties Program, National Black Arts Festival and RE:IMAGINE ATL. 

Meet our 2024 A.R.I.S.E. Fellows

We are excited to move into our third year of the A.R.I.S.E. Fellowship and have selected the community members who will make up Cohort 3. Each member represents a cluster from the APS school district. This year’s fellows include:

• Jimmie Lee – Carver Cluster, Atlanta Public Schools
• Lola Green – Douglass and South Atlanta Clusters, Urban Indigo Foundation
• Roy Cogdell III – Douglass Cluster, Grove Park Foundation, Inc. 
• Davida Huntley – All APS Clusters, City of Atlanta
• Egypt Noboa – South Atlanta Cluster, Global Village Project
• Honesty Brennan – North Atlanta, Midtown and Washington Clusters, Young Entrepreneurs of Atlanta Foundation
• Kayla Sledge – South Atlanta Cluster, The Kindezi Schools
• Aireane Montgomery – All Clusters, Educators for Equity and Justice
• Joshua Moore – North Atlanta Cluster, Community Advocate
• Safa Asfaw – South Atlanta Cluster, Friends of the Park

To learn more about the A.R.I.S.E. Fellowship and fund, please visit www.redefinEDatlanta.org.