It’s a transformative program!
The San Francisco 49er’s Foundation has announced a new partnership with the Oakland Unified School District’s (OUSD) African American Female Excellence (AAFE) program, 49ers.com reports. The program falls under the school district’s Office of Equity, focusing on city-wide programming and events that are integrated into the student’s school schedule. AAFE will now serve as a legacy partner with the 49ers Foundation who will provide operational support and $100,000 of annual funding for the program. The Oakland Unified School District is the first in the nation to operate a program centered around supporting Black girls as a city-wide strategy.
“After more than 30 years of community impact work and over $60 million invested back into Bay Area communities, we couldn’t be more excited to finally expand our impact into Oakland for East Bay youth. By implementing classes and programs specifically for African American girls into the school day, AAFE helps Oakland schools prioritize Black youth development. We look forward to aiding their mission in any way that we can,” said Justin Prettyman, Executive Director of the 49ers Foundation.
The organization combed through more than 90 applications after putting out a call for potential nonprofit legacy partners. A selection committee and the 49ers Foundation Board of Directors and executives all chose AAFE, an organization currently serving more than 300 girls in elementary, middle and high school across the Oakland area. The resources provided by the new partnership will help the program to scale and increase their impact, OUSD Superintendent Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell saying they are excited.
“It means so much to [AAFE], our students, families, staff and our greater Oakland Community to be welcomed into the San Francisco 49ers Foundation family as their newest legacy beneficiary…We are excited to expand and deepen our programming for Black girls in the [OUSD]. This partnership will bring in unique resources and visibility to the important work we are embarking on to inspire and develop the next generation of young women leading our communities – near and far,” said Dr. Johnson-Trammell.
They will be looking to scale the program by 30%, increasing the students served to more than 400 over the next 3 years. AAFE Co-Founder Iminah Laura Ahmad said they are honored to be chosen for this partnership and thankful for the 49ers commitment to the city of Oakland.
“By providing culturally relevant and social emotionally-focused programs and services at our schools, and ensuring students have the tools they need to become strong readers and leaders, this critical support will increase our impact, widen access to our program and expand our legacy. We are honored by the 49ers Foundation supporting the success of our girls across Oakland. This truly shows the team is ‘Faithful to the Bay’ in a beautiful, meaningful and authentic way,” said Ahmad.
The 49ers Foundation now has a total of five legacy nonprofit partners including the San Francisco 49ers Academy, the 49ers STEM Leadership Institute, Fresh Lifelines for Youth, and City Year. Together, the partners helped to provide youth oriented initiatives that amplify the team’s commitment to “educat[ing] and empower[ing] Bay Area youth.”
For more information on the 49ers Foundation work, visit their website.
Cover photo: San Francisco 49ers Foundation partners with Oakland Unified School District to empower Black girls/Photo Courtesy of the Oakland Unified School District/African American Female Excellence program