Black Lives Matter: A Message of Solidarity

Dear Families,

At such a critical time in our nation’s history, Kweller Prep stands in solidarity with the heartbroken families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and countless other victims of senseless brutality in America. Kweller Prep offers support to our beloved Black students, peers, parents, tutors, and support staff. We recognize that institutionalized racism is a systemic issue that disproportionately impacts Black communities across the country. We are committed to healing, however uncomfortable those discussions might be. We will listen, learn, and join the fight against injustice. Kweller Prep stands strong in the ongoing struggle against chronic inequality and racism in America. United, we will work towards a larger goal of compassion, inclusion, and justice for all.

Kweller Prep affirms that Black Lives Matter. As a tutoring center, we accept the responsibility of nurturing young minds and do not take this charge lightly. While we do not have all the answers, we are committed to doing more on our part in the hope of a radical transformation in our society. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

For more than a decade, Kweller Prep has had the honor to work with diverse communities throughout New York City. We have helped thousands of students successfully navigate admissions to middle school, high school, college, and graduate school programs. Our learning program is based in Queens, the most diverse borough, home to generations of immigrant families in New York City, and the area hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic. The children we serve represent different races, religions, and socioeconomic backgrounds. What brings us together is a shared love of learning and a joyous celebration of all our differences as we shape our nation’s next generation of leaders. Through our academic programs, we are dedicated to transforming lives and lifting communities. Our tutors reflect these values and play an invaluable role as translators, educators, mentors, and guidance counselors.

We are committed to doing the hard work within our own organization to effect change. Throughout the years, Kweller Prep has directly co-sponsored outreach events and offered scholarships to Black students in need. We have invited organizations such as Prep for Prep, Teak, and A Better Chance to bring materials and speak directly with talented students of color about their programs. With the abrupt change to online learning, we extended free webinars to our entire email distribution list, not just enrolled students. We have hosted virtual high school and college info nights as well as scholarship webinars and shall continue to expand our efforts to serve students of color better. This past winter, Kweller Prep co-sponsored 100 students, many who never attended prep schools before. We have set up go-fund-me campaigns encouraging families to sponsor Black and Latinx students in need of our SHSAT program. We launched the First in Family Fund and teamed up to co-sponsor SAT prep courses. These are just some of our initiatives. We can and will do much more.

As a learning institute, we want to provide every student, no matter their background, with the valuable tools to achieve and speak out against injustice when they see it. We encourage families to tell us what more we can do to serve as an instrument for change. Thank you for entrusting your children with us as we deepen our commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion.

At this time, we want to invite students at all levels to participate in a creative expression that we will post on our website. The theme for this exercise is: What Does A More Just World Look Like To You? Students of all ages are invited to contribute a written narrative, an original poem, a drawing, a photograph – anything that you think speaks to the important notion of a more inclusive and kinder world. We will feature all submitted work on the Kweller Prep blog. Our goal is to provide a safe space to begin to process many of our thoughts, as well as begin the necessary steps towards important discussions in our communities.

It is only through the process of reflection that we can build the necessary steps towards healing and racial equality.

Please Submit Your Writing PieceHere