Latest news with #Gabriel
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Commemorating 1990 in solidarity
During the Siege of Kanehsatake in 1990, Ellen Katsi'tsakwas Gabriel would speak at night with the men on the front lines after wrapping up the day's negotiations. One of the men, Richard Two-Axe - 'Boltpin' - had a saying. You can break one arrow very easily, but if you take a bunch of arrows, you cannot break them. 'That's what solidarity is,' said Gabriel, speaking to more than 200 people assembled at Place du Canada in Tiohtià:ke on July 11 to mark the 35th anniversary of the Siege. The commemoration was not merely a remembrance, but a call to action that highlighted the pivotal importance of solidarity. 'I really think that if we understand one another and have a relationship with one another, maybe we'll stop killing one another, and we can bring children up in a world that is safe for them,' said Gabriel. As such, the rally featured speeches not only from Kanehsata'kehró:non and Kahnawa'kehró:non, but also the Palestinian Youth Movement and other speakers who are not Indigenous to Turtle Island. The speakers, gathering at Place du Canada, also made clear that the fight against the government for the recognition of Kanien'kehá:ka rights and territory is not over. 'As oppressed people, we are stronger than our colonizer because we resist constantly, and it may not be shown evident on a daily basis, but it's in our hearts and our minds. It's that courage and strength and the resilience to be able to say 'throw what you want at me, my ancestors are walking with me. You cannot defeat my ancestors,'' said Gabriel. Despite the government's efforts to assimilate Onkwehón:we, Indigenous people are not ashamed of who they are, Gabriel said. 'We hold our heads high because we won, in a sense, simply because there was solidarity with all of you, with all of the people that you heard today,' she said. The rally also sought to highlight 16 calls to action directed at the governments of Canada and Quebec and to Canadian institutions and the public at large. Wanda Gabriel, one of the organizers of the rally along with Ellen, summarized a few of them to the crowd - for Canada to negotiate in good faith to return stolen homelands, to eliminate policies that violate and exclude rights to self-determination, and for institutions and the public to seek better education on the root causes and history behind the 1990 Kanehsatake and Kahnawake Siege. 'We are awake, but there has been a cost to the awakening. While the world remembers the barricades, we remember what it cost our community: mistrust, divisions, and wounds that have not healed. When the land is insecure, the people are insecure,' said Wanda. 'When governments profit from our exploitation, safety is impossible. The Kanehsatake Resistance was not just a standoff; it was a reckoning.' She went on to describe how Canada has not honoured the findings of commission reports since then that have identified root causes, already known to the Kanien'kehá:ka who had been fighting for their land and sovereignty, before directly addressing the young minds in the crowd. 'I want to say to our young people, you are not here just to listen,' said Wanda. 'You are here to pick up the work. You are the next barricade, but this time it won't be built with logs and tires, but with knowledge, unity, and courage.' Kahnawa'kehró:non Allison Deer attended the rally with guests of hers from Six Nations of the Grand River who were in town for the powwow. 'I thought the venue location (Canada Place) was appropriate as the challenge is still with the federal government. It was important to let the general population know that the disputed lands are still not in the possession of the people in Kanehsatake, and that more work needs to be done,' she said. 'My key takeaway is that our true strength lies in cultivating a thoughtful and open-minded approach by using a good mind - this is our way. Our resilience is rooted in peace, diplomacy, and unity.' Joe Deom, spokesperson for the Mohawk Nation at Kahnawake, spoke at the event to recall his experience of 1990. 'We had to deal with the Army and also the politicians from Quebec who were determined to annihilate us in Kahnawake and also in Kanehsatake,' said Deom. 'Throughout that whole summer, I tell people that I never had so much fun in my life. There were times when things got really serious, but we prevailed through all that.' However, he said, while the encroachment of the Oka Golf Club was halted, the larger land issues remain unresolved. 'I was asked several times today, what's the purpose of this commemoration?' he said. 'The men in Kahnawake, we have a small group that raise our flags near the bridge to remind the motorists that we're still here and we're still alive and kicking. That's what this is all about because a lot of you people today were not even born in 1990, or maybe you were very young, so you don't know the whole story behind what happened in 1990.' Others also spoke to share their stories. One was Kahentinetha Horn, who recalled how a member of the Canadian military stabbed her 14-year-old daughter, Waneek Horn-Miller, in the chest. She called for an investigation to finally take place. 'They sent in the Canadian Army to deal with us, and they keep saying and telling the world and everybody that we're citizens of Canada, and yet they sent their soldiers against us,' said Horn, reminding the crowd that this land belongs to its Indigenous peoples. 'We never gave it up,' she said. Another who spoke was Wendy Mayo, the wife of the late Richard Two-Axe, who died in 2003. Two-Axe, who grew up in New York, had been one of the Kanien'kehá:ka held captive in the Onen'to:kon Treatment Centre and transported to custody in Farnham. His thick New York accent made him a particular target, Mayo said, because the authorities were demanding on that basis that he confess a connection to the American Indian Movement (AIM). Mayo visited him with their three-year-old daughter every day until his release a month later. 'We were treated like we were killers, criminals,' she said. 'They escorted us to the bathroom almost with a gun on our back each time that we went there.' The summer had been a painful episode for the family, with the couple apart and scarcely able to communicate outside of the news media. Mayo's 15-year-old son, meanwhile, became a man overnight, she said. She recalled the incident on Tekakwitha Island, when the military landed. 'When the island happened, it happened so quick that my son came running. He said 'they're going to tear gas you.' I was holding (my daughter) in my arms, and when the first thing went off, all of a sudden we're at the water, and my daughter wasn't in my arms any longer,' she said. 'I swear to god, I thought I dropped her, and all the while it was my son that grabbed her and went running and put her under his hood because the tear gas was all over, and not to mention it was right beside a hospital.' It was in the final moments of the rally that Ellen recalled Two-Axe's saying, not long before inviting those assembled to take part in a round dance to the sound of the drum, which she described as the heartbeat of the people, performed by Spirit Wolf. 'That's what solidarity is,' said Ellen about the bunch of arrows. 'That's what that solidarity is about, and together we cannot be broken.' marcus@ Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Error! 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Metro
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
TV fans can now binge ‘must-watch' crime drama after season 2 is confirmed
It's always a solid vote of confidence for a TV show when it gets a season two renewal before the first has even aired. UKTV confirmed that work is already underway on the second instalment of new crime drama Bookish, just as the first season's six episodes dropped on U&Alibi. Set after the Second World War, the drama stars (and was created by) Mark Gatiss, who plays the eccentric secondhand bookshop owner Gabriel Book (a surname and job combination that means much wordplay ensues). Since Gatiss also co-created the classic crime-busting show Sherlock, he's clearly developed a taste for mystery-solving, as his character Gabriel sets about piecing together a series of whodunnits. Armed with a letter from Prime Minister Winston Churchill that allows him to investigate crime scenes despite being a civilian, Gabriel is much like Holmes before him and helps London's coppers on the beat to see what only he has twigged. The old-fashioned drama isn't overly cosy in its crime, nor is it terribly dark, but the show does have serious themes, with debonair Gabriel hiding his sexuality behind a lavender marriage to wife Trottie (Bridgerton's Polly Walker). Set in 1946, this is an era where being openly gay was criminalised. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Gabriel takes on three cases across the new show, with the first being an investigation into some mysterious remains which have been discovered near a bomb site. Co-written with journalist Matthew Sweet, Bookish gives viewers a series of clues so that they can try and crack the case alongside Gabriel – rather than pulling the culprit out of thin air. While the show has only been out to watch on U&Alibi (available via Sky and NOW) for a day, several avid TV-watchers have already got stuck in to the episodes and shared their takes online. Sharing a glowing review on Google, Lorna Mitchell said Bookish was 'absolutely excellent'. More Trending They added: 'Really enjoyed this. Nice storyline and very likeable characters. Not the usual run of the mill detective series.' Steve Mepham had similar thoughts, writing: 'Brilliant acting, a great story and wonderful setting. Mr Gatiss has produced a little gem.' 'Brilliant fun and clever writing, a must watch, light hearted whodunit!,' raved Dan C. View More » Bookish is available to watch on U&Alibi. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: One of Pride and Prejudice's most iconic scenes 'won't be in Netflix reboot' MORE: Netflix has me hooked on this 'naughty' hidden gem Spanish period drama MORE: I spent 10 years getting my second film made – it's a Scottish samurai Western
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN names biggest X-factor for Oregon Ducks in 2025 season
The Oregon Ducks football team has expectations of becoming a playoff team and competing for a national championship in 2025, building off of the success that they found a year ago. A lot of the team and their talent are well-known quantities. We know how good Matayo Uiagalelei is. We know how good Kenyon Sadiq is and others on this stacked roster. But there's one question mark that needs to be answered, and unfortunately for Oregon, that question resides at the quarterback position. Redshirt sophomore Dante Moore is going to have the reins of Oregon football in his hands. He was one of the highest recruits in the Class of 2023 when Oregon recruited him before he chose UCLA, presumably for playing time. He got it, and it didn't go great for the true freshman. Moore had an up-and-down year, starting in five games while throwing 11 TDs and 9 INTs. But he wasn't anything near what the Bruins hoped he would be. After a coaching change, it was a foregone conclusion that Moore would look for greener pastures, but his decision to come to Oregon was unprecedented in this day and age, where playing time is Priority No. 1. Moore knew he would redshirt the 2024 season and learn under Dillon Gabriel. He came to Eugene anyway. Flash forward to 2025 and Moore has the chance to show everyone that becoming a Duck was a genius maneuver. This goes one of two ways. Moore will continue to be that good, but not great, quarterback he was at UCLA, or, which is what the Ducks hope and need, he will become the quarterback everyone thought he would be coming out of the prep ranks. According to ESPN, the answer to that question could be the key to the entire Duck season in 2025. "Dan Lanning's team is so deep and well-rounded that it's hard to say the Ducks' success this season will hinge entirely on Moore. And yet, since the Ducks' lineage of quarterbacks (Justin Herbert, Bo Nix, and Dillon Gabriel) has buoyed Oregon's offense in recent years, Moore has some big shoes to fill," said ESPN writer Paolo Uggetti. "The 20-year-old sophomore spent a year learning under Gabriel and offensive coordinator Will Stein after getting thrown into the fire as a true freshman starter during his lone season at UCLA. This time, the stage will be much bigger and the pressure much higher." There's no reason to believe Moore won't be the quarterback the Ducks need him to be. He studied under one of the longest-tenured signal callers in college football history in Gabriel. Lanning and Stein have also demonstrated their expertise in developing quarterbacks at Oregon. They're 2-for-2 with Nix and Gabriel. Moore could easily make it a trifecta. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
CNN
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
From summer school to language class, Education Department freezes leave students bereft of learning lifelines
Desperation crept into Sylvia's voice as she rattled off all the ways her life would become more difficult if a free learning program that her son attends during the summer shuts its doors. A single mother, Sylvia works as a janitor and is the sole breadwinner for her family which includes her 10-year-old as well as her ailing mother. 'I cannot sleep at night,' said Sylvia, who spoke to CNN through a translator as she picked up her son, Gabriel, at the end of a long shift. 'Gabriel is asking, 'Mom, why you are crying? Why are you crying, mom?'' She has been crying, she said, because she knows that the glue that keeps it all together — a nonprofit program that allows her son to have a safe place to stay, warm meals and a chance to learn English — is being targeted by the Trump administration. She declined to give her last name, citing privacy concerns amid the current political climate. Aspire Afterschool Learning, where Gabriel spends his days during the summer school break in Arlington, Virginia, is one of more than 10,000 summer and after-school programs across the country that has been pushed into a state of perilous uncertainty after the Department of Education abruptly paused the grant it depends on to keep things running. The fund, called 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC), is a federal program that was among a huge swath of nearly $7 billion of education grants that the department suddenly froze this month, with little notice. The halt came amid a review that alleged the money was being used to promote 'leftwing' ideologies. It comes as the Trump administration is seeking to dismantle the Department of Education, with mass layoffs underway and severe funding cuts under consideration. Much of the money goes towards programs that serve some of the US' poorest children. On Monday, some two dozen Democratic-led states sued the Department of Education in federal court to release the funds, which had already been approved by Congress and were supposed to have been disbursed to the states on July 1st. But the squeeze is already forcing many summer programs to scramble to stay open, even as schools and educational schemes are bracing for deeper impacts in the fall. The paused funding for K-12 programs included money for teacher education and recruitment, English language programs, student enrichment and nonprofit learning centers that partner with schools, among other initiatives. They are delivered through grant programs like 21st CCLC, with state education agencies distributing the money to grantees, including school districts and nonprofits that run free enrichment programs or work with schools to put on programming throughout the year. One day prior to the date the funds were to be released, the Department of Education instead sent a letter saying that money is not coming, pending a review. 'The Department will not be issuing Grant Award Notifications obligating funds for these programs on July 1 prior to completing that review,' it said. 'The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President's priorities and the Department's statutory responsibilities.' The impact of the freeze is already being felt as it has caused many programs to question whether they will be able to stay open this summer. 'It feels like we're punishing a whole lot of students,' said Paula Fynboh, who runs Aspire, which provides programming throughout the year. She is cobbling together money to keep the summer school running through student-run lemonade stands and other fundraising efforts. But if the money continues to be withheld come the fall, she will have to tell 25 families now in the program that their children will not be able to return. Many nonprofits are facing similar odds. 'They can try and keep their doors open an extra few days and extra few weeks and maybe if they're lucky they have rainy day fund but you know that's a Band-Aid that isn't going to last forever,' said Jodi Grant, executive director of the Afterschool Alliance, a national nonprofit advocacy organization. 'If these funds are blocked, the fallout will be swift and devastating,' said Jim Clark, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of America, the nation's largest after-school youth program. Many sites are also in the midst of running their summer camps and programs, and nearly a fifth (17%) of the Boys and Girls Club network is funded by the 21st CCLC grant, according to the Afterschool Alliance. Up to 926 Boys & Girls Club centers, serving more than 220,000 kids, could be forced to close if the funds are not released, Clark said. Many of them are from underserved communities, and 'will lose access to essential supports like healthy meals, caring mentors, and safe spaces during the most vulnerable hours of the day,' he added. Addie Nardi, who runs a Boys & Girls Club in a rural part of Maryland about 90 minutes from Washington, DC, said the sudden funding freeze this month felt like 'a kick to the gut'— but the shock was 'secondary, almost, to the concern of how we were going to be able to continue to serve these kids.' If the funds don't come through, the site will likely permanently close, leaving elementary students and their families without one of their only options for support in the area, Nardi said. There is no timeline for when the Department of Education review will be completed and if the money will ever start up again. The impetus for the pause came from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which described it as part of an 'ongoing programmatic review of education funding.' In a statement, OMB raised concerns about how some of the funds may have been used by schools. 'Initial findings show that many of these grant programs have been grossly misused to subsidize a radical leftwing agenda. In one case, NY public schools used English Language Acquisition funds to promote illegal immigrant advocacy organizations. In another, Washington state used funds to direct illegal immigrants towards scholarships intended for American students. In yet another, School Improvement funds were used to conduct a seminar on 'queer resistance in the arts.'' OMB did not provide documentation about their claims when asked by CNN. Grant, of Afterschool Alliance, says the move feels extreme. 'Nobody even knows what they're reviewing,' Grant said, 'If there's a specific program that they're concerned about, they should be investigating that program but not holding up funding for all of these other kids across the country.' Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers union, said the freeze of funds already approved by Congress for this summer is particularly damaging. The Department of Education's move is 'hurting children and creating chaos,' she said. Beyond the immediate threat to summer schools vying to stay open now, school districts and nonprofit education programs are bracing for more hardship into the school year. According to an analysis by the New America Foundation, a Washington, DC, think tank, school districts will lose an average of $220,289 if the funds continue to be withheld. Some stand to lose millions, with the poorest districts suffering the most. 'Districts serving high-poverty student populations (those where over 25 percent of children live in poverty) will lose over five times as much funding per pupil as low-poverty school districts (those where fewer than 10 percent of children live in poverty),' according to New America's analysis. 'The 100 school districts facing the biggest cuts on a per-pupil basis have an average child poverty rate of 24.4 percent, much higher than the national average of 15.3 percent.' Many school districts work with outside organizations to use federal grants to run after-school care or offer academic support for children from low-income families. Aspire in Virginia, for example, runs after-school programs at a community center and two local schools that serve many low-income families. Ninety-nine percent of Aspire's students are from families of color, and more than 90% are living below the poverty line. Over three-quarters speak a language other than English at home. Colorful posters line the walls at the community center where Aspire holds its programs, available to kids from 3rd to 8th grade. In one room, an arts and crafts project making masks was taking place, and in another, it was 'pirate day' where teachers dressed as pirates were fielding questions. Some students and former students who have come back as volunteers are serving snacks: On the day CNN visited, it was pineapples and blueberry muffins. The program regularly wraps up and discreetly sends home any leftovers to families in the program who would otherwise go without food. Kids who participate in the program earn points for academic and social achievements — and the difference it makes shows. 'I feel, like, happy because I now, I know how to read,' shared Monserrat, a little girl from Bolivia who is entering 4th grade in the fall. She joined Aspire a year ago, when her family moved to the US. She likes Aspire more than her regular school, she said, because she feels more competent and gets extra support. April, a rising 4th grader, said that Aspire helped her with her English, and now, she even helps translate for her parents. (April and Monserrat's parents asked that their last names not be used to protect their privacy.) When asked for thoughts on their experiences at Aspire, the girls raised both arms high above their heads, with two enthusiastic thumbs-up, flashing wide smiles. The states suing the Department of Education are asking the court to issue a preliminary injunction to unfreeze the funds immediately in at least some states. Fynboh said she fears the day Aspire will have to close. 'Walking by an empty classroom every day is going to be hard,' said Fynboh. 'We know these kids and we know their parents, their faces, their names, their stories, their gifts, their talents, and we know which ones are going to lose access to the program. And that's just heartbreaking.'
CNN
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
From summer school to language class, Education Department freezes leave students bereft of learning lifelines
Desperation crept into Sylvia's voice as she rattled off all the ways her life would become more difficult if a free learning program that her son attends during the summer shuts its doors. A single mother, Sylvia works as a janitor and is the sole breadwinner for her family which includes her 10-year-old as well as her ailing mother. 'I cannot sleep at night,' said Sylvia, who spoke to CNN through a translator as she picked up her son, Gabriel, at the end of a long shift. 'Gabriel is asking, 'Mom, why you are crying? Why are you crying, mom?'' She has been crying, she said, because she knows that the glue that keeps it all together — a nonprofit program that allows her son to have a safe place to stay, warm meals and a chance to learn English — is being targeted by the Trump administration. She declined to give her last name, citing privacy concerns amid the current political climate. Aspire Afterschool Learning, where Gabriel spends his days during the summer school break in Arlington, Virginia, is one of more than 10,000 summer and after-school programs across the country that has been pushed into a state of perilous uncertainty after the Department of Education abruptly paused the grant it depends on to keep things running. The fund, called 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC), is a federal program that was among a huge swath of nearly $7 billion of education grants that the department suddenly froze this month, with little notice. The halt came amid a review that alleged the money was being used to promote 'leftwing' ideologies. It comes as the Trump administration is seeking to dismantle the Department of Education, with mass layoffs underway and severe funding cuts under consideration. Much of the money goes towards programs that serve some of the US' poorest children. On Monday, some two dozen Democratic-led states sued the Department of Education in federal court to release the funds, which had already been approved by Congress and were supposed to have been disbursed to the states on July 1st. But the squeeze is already forcing many summer programs to scramble to stay open, even as schools and educational schemes are bracing for deeper impacts in the fall. The paused funding for K-12 programs included money for teacher education and recruitment, English language programs, student enrichment and nonprofit learning centers that partner with schools, among other initiatives. They are delivered through grant programs like 21st CCLC, with state education agencies distributing the money to grantees, including school districts and nonprofits that run free enrichment programs or work with schools to put on programming throughout the year. One day prior to the date the funds were to be released, the Department of Education instead sent a letter saying that money is not coming, pending a review. 'The Department will not be issuing Grant Award Notifications obligating funds for these programs on July 1 prior to completing that review,' it said. 'The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President's priorities and the Department's statutory responsibilities.' The impact of the freeze is already being felt as it has caused many programs to question whether they will be able to stay open this summer. 'It feels like we're punishing a whole lot of students,' said Paula Fynboh, who runs Aspire, which provides programming throughout the year. She is cobbling together money to keep the summer school running through student-run lemonade stands and other fundraising efforts. But if the money continues to be withheld come the fall, she will have to tell 25 families now in the program that their children will not be able to return. Many nonprofits are facing similar odds. 'They can try and keep their doors open an extra few days and extra few weeks and maybe if they're lucky they have rainy day fund but you know that's a Band-Aid that isn't going to last forever,' said Jodi Grant, executive director of the Afterschool Alliance, a national nonprofit advocacy organization. 'If these funds are blocked, the fallout will be swift and devastating,' said Jim Clark, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of America, the nation's largest after-school youth program. Many sites are also in the midst of running their summer camps and programs, and nearly a fifth (17%) of the Boys and Girls Club network is funded by the 21st CCLC grant, according to the Afterschool Alliance. Up to 926 Boys & Girls Club centers, serving more than 220,000 kids, could be forced to close if the funds are not released, Clark said. Many of them are from underserved communities, and 'will lose access to essential supports like healthy meals, caring mentors, and safe spaces during the most vulnerable hours of the day,' he added. Addie Nardi, who runs a Boys & Girls Club in a rural part of Maryland about 90 minutes from Washington, DC, said the sudden funding freeze this month felt like 'a kick to the gut'— but the shock was 'secondary, almost, to the concern of how we were going to be able to continue to serve these kids.' If the funds don't come through, the site will likely permanently close, leaving elementary students and their families without one of their only options for support in the area, Nardi said. There is no timeline for when the Department of Education review will be completed and if the money will ever start up again. The impetus for the pause came from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which described it as part of an 'ongoing programmatic review of education funding.' In a statement, OMB raised concerns about how some of the funds may have been used by schools. 'Initial findings show that many of these grant programs have been grossly misused to subsidize a radical leftwing agenda. In one case, NY public schools used English Language Acquisition funds to promote illegal immigrant advocacy organizations. In another, Washington state used funds to direct illegal immigrants towards scholarships intended for American students. In yet another, School Improvement funds were used to conduct a seminar on 'queer resistance in the arts.'' OMB did not provide documentation about their claims when asked by CNN. Grant, of Afterschool Alliance, says the move feels extreme. 'Nobody even knows what they're reviewing,' Grant said, 'If there's a specific program that they're concerned about, they should be investigating that program but not holding up funding for all of these other kids across the country.' Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers union, said the freeze of funds already approved by Congress for this summer is particularly damaging. The Department of Education's move is 'hurting children and creating chaos,' she said. Beyond the immediate threat to summer schools vying to stay open now, school districts and nonprofit education programs are bracing for more hardship into the school year. According to an analysis by the New America Foundation, a Washington, DC, think tank, school districts will lose an average of $220,289 if the funds continue to be withheld. Some stand to lose millions, with the poorest districts suffering the most. 'Districts serving high-poverty student populations (those where over 25 percent of children live in poverty) will lose over five times as much funding per pupil as low-poverty school districts (those where fewer than 10 percent of children live in poverty),' according to New America's analysis. 'The 100 school districts facing the biggest cuts on a per-pupil basis have an average child poverty rate of 24.4 percent, much higher than the national average of 15.3 percent.' Many school districts work with outside organizations to use federal grants to run after-school care or offer academic support for children from low-income families. Aspire in Virginia, for example, runs after-school programs at a community center and two local schools that serve many low-income families. Ninety-nine percent of Aspire's students are from families of color, and more than 90% are living below the poverty line. Over three-quarters speak a language other than English at home. Colorful posters line the walls at the community center where Aspire holds its programs, available to kids from 3rd to 8th grade. In one room, an arts and crafts project making masks was taking place, and in another, it was 'pirate day' where teachers dressed as pirates were fielding questions. Some students and former students who have come back as volunteers are serving snacks: On the day CNN visited, it was pineapples and blueberry muffins. The program regularly wraps up and discreetly sends home any leftovers to families in the program who would otherwise go without food. Kids who participate in the program earn points for academic and social achievements — and the difference it makes shows. 'I feel, like, happy because I now, I know how to read,' shared Monserrat, a little girl from Bolivia who is entering 4th grade in the fall. She joined Aspire a year ago, when her family moved to the US. She likes Aspire more than her regular school, she said, because she feels more competent and gets extra support. April, a rising 4th grader, said that Aspire helped her with her English, and now, she even helps translate for her parents. (April and Monserrat's parents asked that their last names not be used to protect their privacy.) When asked for thoughts on their experiences at Aspire, the girls raised both arms high above their heads, with two enthusiastic thumbs-up, flashing wide smiles. The states suing the Department of Education are asking the court to issue a preliminary injunction to unfreeze the funds immediately in at least some states. Fynboh said she fears the day Aspire will have to close. 'Walking by an empty classroom every day is going to be hard,' said Fynboh. 'We know these kids and we know their parents, their faces, their names, their stories, their gifts, their talents, and we know which ones are going to lose access to the program. And that's just heartbreaking.'
