The Curly Code seeks to close the achievement gap among Black students here in NYC by taking a unique approach. As a first generation college graduate, an educator and a Black woman who has embraced her natural hair I created The Curly Code to equip Black students to become informed consumers of both beauty brands and higher education. The program prepares students to be educated consumers through a three step process. First they assess their own needs, they analyze the product they are purchasing and finally they assess whether the product has the capacity to meet those needs. There's overwhelming research that shows that students with positive self-concept outperform their peers grades K-12 and we seek to meet students where they are and give them the confidence to achieve their academic goals.
On Saturday June 19th, 2021 we are planning a 4 part event titled, Black Is Beautiful, Black is Brilliant. During this interactive event students will leave with the resources, information and tools necessary to create a basic healthy hair regimen and learn the basics of college admissions. To ensure we meet social distancing regulations the event will run twice in one day once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Students will receive mini lessons on natural hair and college admissions topics. They will be given case studies to help them apply their new knowledge and they will end each round with a game to further solidify their learning and build community with their peers.
Peerspace is on a mission to bring people together. We believe it is impossible to achieve that goal unless we also fight for equality and access to resources in the communities we serve.
Having a space to gather, create, and exchange ideas is an important part of any movement. In order to magnify voices that are often quieted, Peerspace will sponsor venues for people who challenge prejudice and fight for social justice and equality.
Each quarter, we will sponsor space for three projects that are relevant to our community. These projects can range from fundraisers and educational initiatives to art exhibits and photo series.
