All For NC Newsletter
Insights and Updates from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation
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A Note from Joy
Greetings,
Next week, in High Point, there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Sylvia Mendez Newcomers School, the first public school in North Carolina to be named after someone of Latinx* descent.
Sylvia Mendez grew up in California in the 1940s. When her parents tried to enroll her in a local public school, they were denied and told they needed to enroll at a school “specifically for Mexican Americans.”
In response, Mendez's family filed and won a lawsuit challenging school segregation, which paved the way for the Brown vs. Board of Education decision at the U.S. Supreme Court.
So, why am I telling you this now?
Sylvia Mendez’s story, like the stories of many Latinx people, is under-told. (In fact, I didn’t know it before this month’s Latinx Education Summit in Greensboro.)
September kicks off Hispanic* Heritage Month, a time for us to celebrate the diverse histories, cultures and contributions of the Latinx community in NC and across the country.
These stories are central to who we are as North Carolinians and as Americans. Telling them matters.
I am thrilled that a North Carolina public school carries Sylvia Mendez’s name. And I hope the next generation of North Carolinians grows up knowing the stories of Mendez and other Latinx leaders who have shaped our country for the better.
All For NC,
Joy Vermillion Heinsohn
Executive Director
*In this case, ZSR is using the terms Latinx and Hispanic interchangeably. ZSR strives to be inclusive in our language, and we recognize that broad descriptions of race and ethnicity are imperfect.
Get Inspired
Stories of hope and action from ZSR grantees and partners
- Southeast Sustainability Directors Network launched the Local Infrastructure Hub, which will provide technical assistance to local communities to help them successfully access federal funding. This project aims to advance climate and racial wealth equity in North Carolina and other southern states.
- With public schools in a state of emergency, Public School Strong is organizing local parents to fight back. Public School Strong has members in 40 counties across NC. The Winston-Salem Forsyth County chapter is working to call attention to the diversion of public funding for private schools and to show their support for public education.
- Built in the 1930s, Highway 52 in Winston-Salem displaced Black communities and continues to separate the city along racial lines. United Way of Forsyth County held an event called Bridging 52, bringing together community members to learn about historical disparities exacerbated by the construction of Highway 52, celebrate how far the community has come and continue discussing ways to address inequities that persist today.
- Workers in North Carolina are organizing for safe conditions, fair pay and respect for their rights. United for a Fair Economy highlighted lessons learned from recent efforts across the state, from Asheville to Charlotte to Durham and beyond.
- During her summer internship with Public Schools First NC, UNC-Charlotte student Mariah Manley attended a rally sponsored by Every Child NC, where she gave a personal speech about how public schools have shaped her life. Mariah’s experience, which was part of the Nonprofit Internship Program (NPIP), caught the attention of her university, which recently profiled her story.
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