Dear Friends & Partners:
For more than a week, we have witnessed a powerful outcry against injustice and systemic racism. Restore Education stands in solidarity with those facing the issue head on in the United States and around the world, because Black Lives Matter.
With the deepest sincerity, we acknowledge the shared pain, anguish, anger, and grief, and extend our unwavering support. We grieve the loss of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, the many others who came before them, and the unnamed victims of racial injustice. In this moment, we aim to lift up the voices of the Black community—We see your exhaustion, and we wholeheartedly take on the fight for change with you.
At Restore Education we believe education has the power to transform lives. In recent months, we have examined our recruitment practices to intentionally increase Black representation among our staff, volunteers, and board members. We practice culturally responsive curriculum and teaching methods, and are currently engaging in diversity, equity, and inclusion training for all staff. And we are committed to increasing access to our programs in the local Black community. We fully accept that advocacy is a learning process.
We pledge to use our privileged positionality and resources to create lasting change. We are committed to holding ourselves accountable to better serve our students and our community. We will continue to strive for equitable education and economic opportunity for all.
In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.” We recognize that justice goes beyond ending violence. We understand that educational, economic, and racial equity is the only pathway toward healing. We are committed to doing this work for our students, for our staff, and for our community.
Kelli Rhodes, Executive Director
“Together we can face any challenges as deep as the
ocean and as high as the sky.”
~Sonia Gandhi


Our San Pedro Learning Center might be quiet… but we are not!
Dear Friends & Partners:
While our offices have been closed, we have been reaching out to over 900 students. Many of them are struggling with basic needs such as food, shelter, and lost job opportunities. We have also seen an increased interest in our services. A GED and job training will be critical in the coming months as these individuals prepare to reenter the job market.
For our students who are able to continue learning, we have virtual teams, made up of staff and volunteer tutors, that deliver daily lessons and instruction. Our college and career advisors lead daily workshops centered around resume prep and job applications, unemployment filing assistance, college success, and more! Thankfully, all our staff are able to work from home and support students during this time. However, we know that many of our students don’t have the resources they need to continue their studies at home, specifically computers or internet access.
Recently, we distributed 60 refurbished laptops to students, in addition to textbooks, homework packets, calculators, and gift cards for emergency needs. We have also created a COVID-19 response fund to support students with emergency financial assistance for childcare and other bills. We have had over 200 applicants complete our online application and have transitioned to offering online career trainings this month!
If you are able at this time to help, any support towards purchasing additional laptops, textbooks, or the online services required to support our students would be greatly appreciated.
Please know that we are thinking of each of you. Working together, we can make a significant contribution to sustain our students, our fellow community members, through this crisis and ultimately come out stronger.
Kelli Rhodes, Executive Director

Jean Pierre, from the circus to university
Jean Pierre era un acróbata de circo, y a pesar de las desventuras que ahí vivió, decidió recuperar su vida y terminar sus estudios.
Jean Pierre was an acrobat at the circus, and despite the misadventures he went through there, he decided to reclaim his life and finish his studies.