The rise model
Our History
RISE was co-founded in 2012 by three Latinas who grew up and were educated in Colorado. Our work was inspired by the Co-Founders, who, as women of color, teachers, and organizers, saw the importance of holistic family engagement where families were no longer tokenized but truly put at the forefront of the movement for educational equity. Just like Dr. King led the Civil Rights Movement, and Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez led the Farm Workers Movement, we believe that those most impacted by educational inequity must organize and lead the movement for change. In both Aurora and America, those most impacted are Black, Indigenous, Latino, immigrant, and refugee families; therefore, they must be at the forefront of the movement for educational equity.
Hear the story from one of those co-founders in the TEDxMileHigh talk below!
How families will transform our broken school system
"Families don't care about their children's education." That's what Veronica Crespin-Palmer heard from fellow educators, but she knew from experience that it wasn't true. In this inspiring talk, she explains what's possible when teachers, administrators, and superintendents empower low-income families and families of color to support their children's learning at home & lead the movement for educational equity.
our Model
RISE runs one holistic program with three unique phases to educate, engage, and empower families. We work with low-income families, families of color, and refugee and immigrant communities to put those most impacted by the opportunity gap at the forefront of the movement for educational equity.
We Educate families about the realities of the opportunity gap, their role in ending it, and how they can support their children’s academic success.
We Engage families in coalitions, teach them tools of community organizing, and support them in implementing solutions to improve our public school system.
We Empower families to take on leadership roles at decision-making tables, ensuring that education leaders are reflective of, and responsive to the community.
At RISE, I’ve learned not only essential skills such as leadership, decision making, and organizing skills but I also learned a lot about myself.
- Gissele Bueno Castañeda