Title
Honoring and recognizing the life, work, and accomplishments of Rochelle Nichols-Solomon, whose dedication to serving, teaching, and advocating for students and marginalized peoples has improved the lives of people across the City of Philadelphia.
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WHEREAS, Nichols-Solomon ha0s dedicated more than 50 years to improving educational experiences and outcomes for Black and brown public school students and their families, bettering the lives and communities of countless Philadelphians; and
WHEREAS, Nichols-Solomon was inspired by her mother Mamie Nichols, a community activist who was revered in her Point Breeze community as a tireless organizer for neighborhood preservation and improved the quality of life in working-class neighborhoods across the city. Mamie Nichols also founded the first Home and School organization at her children's elementary school; and
WHEREAS, Nichols-Solomon and other progressive educators noticed that the issues most important to urban schools were often left out of the conversation at national conferences, and therefore in 1993 founded the Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform, an organization focused on community organizing and the vital intersection of schools and community; and
WHEREAS, Nichols-Solomon consistently worked to engage young people in her organizing, and during her time on the board of Youth United for Change, aimed to position young people, not as "window-dressing" for education initiatives, but as decision-makers and experts who could lead in serious ways; and
WHEREAS, Nichols-Solomon helped steer the legal battle for education justice, serving on the board of the Education Law Center where she fought for full and fair funding for schools, advocated for more fair treatment for Asian students, and worked toward greater integration of legal efforts with grassroots organizations and the broader education movement; and
WHEREAS, from 2016 until 2023, Nichols-Solomon led the School Advisory Council of Samu...
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