Responsive Education for Access, Community, and Hope (REACH) Program

In 2020, we received our second AANAPISI grant to fund the the Responsive Education for Access, Community, and Hope (REACH) Program. REACH was created to improve and expand the SF State’s capacity to eliminate an equity gap in college access, persistence, and completion.

REACH is a comprehensive set of culturally responsive and equity-minded access, awareness, and financial literacy strategies designed to improve college access, persistence, and completion of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AA&PI) and low-income (LI) students. In REACH, we utilize the following framework:

  • Responsive - This project will use an equity minded, culturally and community responsive pedagogy where students learn and appreciate their cultural and social capital to discover a sense of purpose and act toward social justice. (Ginwright and Cammarota 2007, Yosso 2005)
     
  • Education - Responsive education is rooted in critical pedagogy and Ethnic Studies and provides a framework on how we build and sustain the REACH program. (Freire 1970; Bowles and Gintis 1976; hooks 1994; Kozol 1991; Shor 1992)
     
  • Access - The ARC of Ethnic Studies is grounded within self-Determination aimed at challenging Eurocentric curriculum in education and using an Ethnic Studies lens to respond to educational inequities. (Collier and Gonzalez 2009; Ethnic Studies Principles 1968)
     
  • Community - In building community, Yosso (2005) describes a counter space as an academic and social space that fosters and validates identities and learning of students of color within a hostile racial campus climate.
     
  • Hope - Is instrumental in transforming a future society that resists traditional political sectarianism towards radical forms of love and freedom.

REACH is partnering with local high schools and community colleges to support local students with culturally responsive outreach workshops and events. The REACH Outreach Specialist and Peer Mentors are developing multiple culturally responsive workshops on applying to, funding, navigating, and surviving college. Meet our Peer Mentors for Spring 2022.

The REACH Outreach Specialist and Peer Mentors are developing equity-minded financial literacy strategies designed to improve college access, persistence, and completion for current and potential SF State students. They are available to do multiple financial literacy workshops in SF State classes.

REACH Peer Mentors support high school and college students and will provide SF State students experience  in the field of education, advising, outreach, and community building. The REACH peer mentor program will provide students with an exceptional opportunity for a hands-on service learning experience.  As mentors, students will apply what they have learned in the classroom within the broader community. In partnership with the Director, Outreach Specialist, and Student Success Coordinator, REACH Peer Mentors will help  co create curriculum and lesson plans, facilitate workshops to raise college awareness, serve as guides for high school and community college students, act as role models, and support all REACH program activities.

During the Fall and Spring semesters we host monthly Reflection, Action, and Praxis (RAP) sessions that contextualize students in terms of their existence, position, and how they learn about global issues that affect them locally and personally. RAP Sessions  encourage dialogue to reflect on a situation and create critical solutions to confront the problem. These sessions will bring high school and community college students that are interested in applying to SF State onto our campus.

Our AA&PI Summer Leadership Institute is for high school students to develop skills to become leaders in their schools and communities. Students will hear from people engaged in work that address the needs of various AA&PI communities throughout the state and earn 1 unit of college credit! Stay tuned for more information about Summer 2022.