Pasadena School District Launches Innovative Pan-African Immersive Storytelling Academy

The Pasadena Unified School District announced Friday the launch of its Pan-African Immersive Storytelling Academy, a pioneering educational initiative designed to provide a comprehensive Pan-African curriculum tailored specifically for Black students. The previous night, the PUSD Board of Education unanimously approved the recommendations presented by the Black Student and Family Task Force about launching the Academy.

The PUSD statement said the Academy aims to nurture critical thinking, creativity, and digital literacy skills while celebrating the rich diversity of Pan-African cultures and histories.

The curriculum and educational program will encompass the histories, cultures, and experiences not just of continental Africa, but also of people of African descent around the globe.

The launch follows a year’s worth of collaboration among the African American Parent Council (AAPC), the Black Student and Family Task Force, Equation 2 Success, and PUSD.

“PUSD’s Black Student and Family Task Force is the framework and foundation for the Pan African Immersive Storytelling Academy, which celebrates African cultures and histories and gives our students culturally relevant tools,” Dr. Elizabeth Blanco, PUSD Superintendent, said. “It strengthens our students’ sense of belonging and creates pathways for Black students to succeed. I am grateful for the work of the Task Force and look forward to collaborating with our teachers, parents, caregivers, and community.”

The academy will offer hands-on learning experiences, collaborative projects, and experiential activities, as well as professional development opportunities for educators. The incubation period will begin in the 2024-2025 school year, with the official opening of the first 6th-grade cohort planned for the 2025-2026 school year.

“I am thrilled about the potential of the Pan African Immersive Storytelling Academy to revolutionize education for all students in the Pasadena Unified School District,” PUSD Board member Michelle Richardson Bailey said.

Dr. Kimi Wilson, CEO of Equation 2 Success, said she has always been eager to collaborate with other community partners in developing the groundbreaking academy “that will unlock new pathways to academic excellence by igniting students’ passion for storytelling rooted in their cultural heritage.”

Board of Education President Kimberly Kenne and Board Member Patrice McKenzie also expressed their support for the new Academy that will address some of the historical challenges faced by Black students and families in Pasadena and within the PUSD system.

The PUSD statement said the Academy is going through an incubation period for the 2024-2025 school year, and the first 6th-grade cohort will open during the  2025-2026 school year.