In July 2026, Innovate’s team and parents came together to advance high-quality education in our public schools. Here are a few examples of our July organizing work in action.
Innovate parents came together in Westlake-Pico Union to take part in a LAUSD budget training. These exercises help families understand how they can use their voices to influence future budget discussions.
Parent leaders in Los Angeles held a research meeting with Dr. Lourdes Ramirez-Ortiz, LAUSD’s Superintendent of Region East to identify ways in which parent leaders from South East Los Angeles can collaborate with LAUSD’s Region East. Research meetings provide an opportunity for parent leaders to ask questions, share family experiences, and learn directly from educational decision-makers so they can advocate for meaningful change.
Parents from East Palo Alto came together for an end-of-the-school-year celebration. They were joined by parents from Redwood City and staff from the Ravenswood City School District. Leaders were excited to celebrate their ongoing partnership with the school district and reflect on all the work accomplished throughout the year. More to come on this partnership, stay tuned!
In Redwood City, parents met with Roxana Franco, Partnerships Coordinator at Friends for Youth, an organization that works with underserved youth through mentorship and community relationships. During this meeting, parents learned about the resources and community programs available to families and continued to build strong partnerships with a powerful community organization in Redwood City.
Innovate was invited to present at an East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring (EPATT) workshop for parents. EPATT is a free after-school program that supports college and career readiness. The workshop focused on practical ways families can support their elementary and middle school students in literacy and math at home. Innovate will lead a second workshop in the coming weeks.
Innovate was present at Stanford’s Beyond the Science: Real-World Impact Through Community and Regional Partnerships discussion. In this space, Belén Farmer Martínez, our Vice President of Organizing in the Bay Area shared the work Innovate is doing alongside Innovate’s AIEP parent navigators, who are parent leaders that receive stipends and training in order to follow a “promotora” or “peer-to-peer” model where they can support other families through the AIEP tool, helping parents better understand, navigate, and advocate for their children’s educational needs.
Innovate attended the 2026 LAUSD Opening of School event, where LAUSD Superintendent Andrés E. Chait highlighted the district’s focus on “Coalition, Trust, Community.” Students from various high schools showcased their musical talents through inspiring performances. It was a wonderful event, and we are excited to kick off the 2026–27 school year.