Genius & Joy Launch Event - A Night of Comedy for Harlem D3 School Equity

$50 off promo code: Jaguars

$75 off promo code: HarlemFam

$100 off promo code (free!): HD3community

GENIUS & JOY

The Genius & Joy project will leverage the power of entertainment media to activate new, innovative funding channels for the participating Harlem elementary/middle schools within NYC District 3. STEAM enrichment program and communal aid funding will be raised with the help of mass media deliverables, then equitably distributed to the participating Harlem D3 public schools.

This critical support won't end with striking a check. United by this fund, the individual school buildings will have a platform to connect, share resources, and work together to strengthen our community's public schools. The Genius & Joy platform will unite school leaders and community partners to help identify untapped resources for enrichment programs in expressive arts, entrepreneurship, and STEM learning. Then, we'll go a step further to support schools without existing PTA infrastructure with fiscal sponsorship needed to establish a modality to receive and manage Genius and Joy funding.

If we believe in the infinite potential of our Harlem youth, it is our collective responsibility to not only meet their basic needs but nurture their Genius and Joy. Together, we can do this by fortifying the Herculean efforts of the parent and-educator communities who authentically understand the diverse needs of their school communities and treasure the inherent gifts of every student in every D3 Harlem public school.

THE NEED FOR YOUR SUPPORT HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER

Public School Funding in Crisis

• In 2022, Mayor Adams and the NYC city council chose to cut the New York City Department of Education budget by more than 370 million dollars.
• This has disproportionately impacted District 3 schools in Harlem, all of which are classified as Title 1.
• Budget cuts have and will create-
  
  • Staff shortages due to funding shortfalls- over-stretching existing teachers
  • Closure of enrichment programs
• Public School Funding is directly tied to student enrollment. With New York City public schools historically under-enrolled, many Harlem families relocated their children to schools with more resources in midtown or the Upper West Side, exacerbating the funding shortfalls and further depleting Harlem schools of the human resources to meet these challenges.

The Good News

• The six title-one schools in the Harlem section of D3 are full of passionate, dedicated educators who with your help, can transcend these challenges!
• With our collective action, we can show our Harlem youth that we believe in the infinite potential of community and that an accessible, high-quality, and fully public education can change lives and end cycles of poverty.

What can we do about it?

Join us as we Dream big! Imagine if our overburdened teachers and parents had the resources they needed to overcome their capacity and enrollment challenges.

The vision

• Ensure easily accessible, high-quality, fully-public education for all by filling the funding gaps that would allow Harlem D3 schools to activate the STEAM enrichment programs that will unleash Genius & Joy.
• Harness the collective action of schools and communities by sharing institutional knowledge, communal wisdom, and the mobilization of resources among Harlem’s D3 schools.

Founding Partner Sponsors

Kind Neighbor Sponsors