Local Leader Spotlight

Organizing for Justice: An Interview with Sharon Smith

As communities mourn the gutting of our public education system, I sat down with a long-time Newark resident and community organizer, Sharon Smith, to discuss her experiences advocating for social and educational justice in Newark. Sharon’s decades of community organizing reveal two key messages that can serve as a resource during seemingly unprecedented times: first, the current assault on inclusive, community-controlled education has been years in the making; second, for just as many years, Newark community members have resisted this assault and successfully organized for a public school system that prioritizes people over power and profit. Read the full article here.

Sharon Smith and Newark Teachers Union leader Michael Dixon attend a rally at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on the 60th anniversary of Brown V. Board of Education.