Looking for a way to feel more connected to families in the building who look like your own? That was the mission of the annual National African American Parent Involvement Dinner, held on Tuesday, Feb. 25 in the South Cafeteria at Oak Park and River Forest High School. 

The event included music, poetry and dance performed by Kuumba Kids, which celebrates Caribbean and African traditions. Speeches were given by Principal Lynda Parker, Superintendent Gregory Johnson, Community Outreach Coordinator Ty Garland and representatives from African American Parents for Purposeful Leadership in Education (APPLE).

The event, designed to keep African American parents educated and involved in things happening in the building, had a lively atmosphere. The room was decked out in gold, a live band set a festive tone, and staff members warmly greeted visitors. The night concluded with a speech by author and cultural commentator Marc Supreme, who urged parents to “stay in your kids’ business.” 

Supreme has an extensive resume, working in college admissions and radio and publishing a book about postsecondary success titled “D@mn I Graduate in May.” Supreme has even taken the concepts in the book and created the DIGIM curriculum, which is used in several schools to help kids plan for success after high school. 

Supreme has also had experience working in both secondary and higher education. The Office of Equity and Student Success team partnered with Supreme and held an event during school for students on Feb. 25 with a positive speech about how to reach one’s goals after graduation. Students were engaged, laughing and asking questions the entire event, and when it was over Supreme had a line of students waiting to speak with him. 

During the event, Supreme shared this piece of advice with students: “College is a door to opportunity, not a seat to success.” Supreme stressed the importance of utilizing one’s education, experience and networking, with each college being “rich with resources.” Supreme advised students to “figure out what your dream is. Figure out what it takes to get there, and work backwards.”

Malika Stampley, parent of an OPRF senior, has been attending the NAAPID dinner every year since she moved to Oak Park and her daughter was a freshman. She described how moving to Oak Park can feel intimidating or isolating as the school is so big, but that through events such as the NAAPID dinner she found her sense of community. 

Stampley’s advice to other parents: “Find your people. Hold on tight to them, and don’t wait until your senior year to think about your next steps for career and or college.” Stampley continued, “The diverse community that is in Oak Park, we matter, and we have a voice and it’s going to be important…to stay in partnership and continue to celebrate and amplify the different voices that make up Oak Park.”

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Oak Park and River Forest High School will host its first-ever Arab-American Professionals Day in the auditorium on April 22 during 2nd and 3rd periods. 

Local Arab-American mentors and professionals will offer words of advice and answer questions OPRF students have about college and the workforce. “We are holding the event within the month of April, which is Arab-American Heritage month,” said Ty Garland, community outreach coordinator, adding, “We’re excited…all students are welcome.”

The event is sponsored by OPRF’s Office of Equity and Student Success, which hosts new cultural events every school year. In addition to inaugurating Arab-American Professionals Day, the OESS hosted the first-ever Hispanic Heritage dinner on Oct. 22.