Dear Friends,

This time last year, none of us could have imagined how the next year would progress, that we would be confined to our homes, unable to see friends and family, and faced with one tragedy and outrage after another in the fight for racial justice. In the face of the stress and uncertainty, I am incredibly proud of how much we at The Practice Space learned, grew, and improved. Instead of hiding from this new reality, we challenged ourselves to do things differently. And while I am proud of what we've accomplished, there is so much more work to be done, especially when it comes to contributing to a more just and equitable world.

We served more students in 2020 than we served in our first three years combined, and we ended the year serving our 1000th student! While the pandemic took away our ability to convene physically, we were instead able to expand our reach and improve access to participants and families who needed it most. Our summer camps went from serving 40 students across 4 summer camps to serving 40 students online in a single camp. In addition to retaining our students in West Contra Costa, we had students attend our programs from all over the country, from Colorado and New York, all the way to Kuwait. Since transportation was no longer an issue, we saw our students more regularly, which also led to increased growth and skill improvement. The online format also helped us reach families and organizations who needed our services the most, from the formerly incarcerated to first generation college students to people unemployed due to the pandemic. We increased our digital footprint, producing clear and inspirational written and video content to help people cope with their new reality, in addition to six public speaking curriculum guides to help with storytelling, self-advocacy, debate, and presentation. And we ended the year with the best gift of all: a team of six women and a new senior hire.

As we figure out what to do next, I continue to reflect on the world we envision, one in which diverse communities of youth and adults feel capable, cared for, and free. Every day, our students remind us that the world is not this way, but that The Practice Space helps them feel like they belong and that their voice is important. As two of our staff members put it best, "When we are made to feel powerless as children, it sticks with us for a lifetime. But when a child is empowered to use their voice, they are able to express who they are and have the courage to speak up when the moment calls." We remain dedicated to creating a world where this is possible for every person, especially if their voice has been underrepresented.