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Solidarity in Action • Bill Lann Lee, Former Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights • Akiyu Hatano, Educator • Frank Wu, Law Profesor • Butch Wing, Activist • Nobuko Miyamoto, Artist • The Struggle for Justice: A Timeline of Asian American and African American history • Washington Journal: Black Like Us

Teaching Consciousness

Akiyu Hatano, founder of the West Oakland Community School

By Ji Hyun Lim

Akiyu Hatano, who helped found of West Oakland Community School (WOCS), believes in empowering her students with education and an awareness of their potential. Unlike most public schools, West Oakland Community School prides itself on a program that fuses a core curriculum with African American history and culture.

Hatano finds similarities between her students and herself. As an ethnic Korean in Japan, she experienced the injustices of being labeled as someone from a culturally inferior race. “Koreans couldn’t become Japanese citizens, they were ostracized, not accepted in public schools,” Hatano said. In 1977, she and her family immigrated to the United States to start a new life. Eventually, Hatano received a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in education at Harvard University, and a teaching credential from San Francisco State University to pursue her career in education.

“I was looking to do work with populations of young people who are under-served, and I was drawn to working with African Americans for that reason,” Hatano said.

Since its opening in 1999, WOCS has graduated 50 6th-grade students, and this year it serves the same youth with a 7th grade curriculum. The student/teacher ratio is 10:1 and the school employs 12 people, seven of whom are full-time staff members. WOCS is subjected to all state regulations and tests; all teachers must have credentials and funds are based on attendance. As a charter school, WOCS has the flexibility to propose and plan a budget, do its own hiring, set its own curriculum, and attract its own students.

“We do not discriminate on the basis of race, background or ethnicity. This is an alternative for African American students. Parents are interested when their history and culture are honored,” said Hatano.

The curriculum includes seven courses: social studies, math, science, physical education, leadership development, literacy development and an advisory class. In addition to the core curriculum, they are required to take enrichment classes twice a week. These classes may include basic Spanish, drama, computer literacy and visual arts. The WOCS staff encourages students to ask critical questions about their heritage, for example, in African American literature, scientific discoveries and historical events. Students are taught to look at an issue and see how it impacts them.

Hatano and co-director Majorie Wilkes envision WOCS evolving into an organization that educates and serves community and family needs. Unfortunately, the lack of funds and an accurate understanding of the community needs are the two greatest obstacles to expanding WOCS. Private sources such as corporations, foundations, and individual donors provide for 50 to 60 percent of their budget; the state funds the other 40 to 50 percent.

“The co-director does all the fundraising,” Hatano said. “For her alone to raise all that money is tremendous.”

Partnerships with other organizations have supported WOCS. The “I Have a Dream Foundation” adopts students from K-12, guarantees college scholarships for all graduates, and provides African American mentors from U.C. Berkeley. The foundation also provides counseling and mental health services. Parent volunteers and academic support from the Ann Martin Learning Center also assist the school.

“Lessons we have learned [in school] are applicable to other communities,” Hatano said. “Some conditions are similar in Asian families; educational struggles are similar, and more communities of color need to be carving out a space of their own.”