One of the challenges facing all high school students in Oakland right now is the lack of knowledge about their A-G requirements. Unfortunately, this leads nearly 2/3 of Black and Brown students in Oakland to not being A-G eligible by the end of their senior year and blocking their opportunities to attend a 4-year college.
Fortunately for me, Oakland Unity High School created an A-G pathway at the beginning of my freshman year. This pathway required me to get a “C or Higher” grade in each of my core classes (English, Math, Science, History, Language, Art, and a year of Electives). Like many of my peers, I didn’t know what the A-G requirements were either. Since my high school placed an emphasis on going to college, the school made sure we all were scoring a “C or Higher”. Due to this, once I arrived in my senior year I was eligible to apply to different UC’s and CSU’s. Ultimately this allowed me to be the first generation college student that I am today. This is one of the reasons why I am a Youth Organizer for FIA, advocating for A-G today.
We are excited to share our new A-G video with our community. Hear what FIA Oakland parent and youth leaders have to say about college access. Learn how they built power and influence to change Oakland education. Please like and leave a comment on our youtube channel!

Javier Barraza
Lead Youth Organizer
Families in Action for Quality Education