The Marcus Foster Education Institute announced last week that it is seeking community leader nominations.
The Marcus Foster Education Institute is an organization founded by Oakland Unified School District's first Black superintendent, and is focused on leading and partnering in work that helps advance systematic change and educational equity for Black, Latino, Indigenous communities, and students from non-wealthy families.
In 1973, Marcus Foster founded the Oakland Education Fund, which was the first of its kind in the nation. Months after launching, he was assassinated by an extremist group. The organization's name was changed to the Marcus Foster Education Institute in honor of his work.
Foster guided an era of innovation in education for the students of Oakland by encouraging teachers, students, parents, community members and businesses to find creative instructional solutions to address barriers for community's well-being and success, according to the MFEI.
Throughout the years, the foundation has partnered with school districts, nonprofits, and corporations throughout the Bay Area to develop and implement far-reaching strategies that will create equitable educational systems.
The institute's "100 for the 100th" campaign, a part of a yearlong series of events to mark MFEI's 50th anniversary, will celebrate leaders who have supported the well-being and progress of students and families from historically marginalized communities, a foundation press release said.
