Jada Curry
University of San FranciscoMs. Jada Curry is a University of San Francisco student pursuing her B.S. in Physics and Minor in Astronomy. As a graduate of San Francisco public schools, her commitment to education equity is integrated into how she lives her life. Jada has worked as a tutor and site lead with our Engage San Francisco Literacy program since 2017. As a site lead, she supervises and mentors her peers with job responsibilities that include: enacting cultural humility and responsiveness; scheduling and relationship building with school and community partners; tutoring effectiveness; conflict management and more. While working as a tutor Jada also makes time to work with the New Community Leadership Foundation (NCLF), a community-based organization whose mission is to “civically engage Black and other disenfranchised communities through cultural upliftment, bridging social gaps, historic preservation, economic development, personal growth and artistic empowerment.” In addition to working as a literacy tutor and community member with NCLF she also recently participated in NASA’s Mission Concept Academy, and works for the San Francisco General Foundation as a consultant. Recent writing by Jada can be found in the USF Alumni magazine, in her article “How Do We Create and Anti-Racist Future?”
Personal Statement
Improving the quality of education and lives in San Francisco’s disenfranchised communities has been central to my public service goals. As a previous ESL Coach and now as a Literacy Tutor throughout college, I’ve been able to support my student’s academic growth directly and build connections with educators. Through tutoring, I have been able to provide culturally centered teaching methods and gain more insight into the needs of educators and students. These insights combined with my lived experiences serve as the platform for my advocacy work as a Transitional Age Youth representative on the Oversight and Advisory Committee of my city’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families. This position allows me to take community input and direct it to the attention of legislators and funding sources to provide the necessary economic opportunities for communities to thrive. Beyond economic stability, care for the community as a whole is something I consider an essential improvement of life. I have been able to work in and with my community via non-profit organizations to provide culturally enriching events that bridge social gaps and preserve community history. Civic engagement and advocacy is the dynamic duo central to my community empowerment passion.