The Organization For Positive Action and Leadership (OPAL) elected a new slate of officers to lead the organization through the 2020-2021 term: President, Tiffini Holmes; Vice President, Tameka Jackson; Secretary, Alyce Barry and Treasurer, Alex Morgan.
The new officers will lead the organization at a time when the Evanston City Council is in the process of hiring a new City Manager and District 65 welcomes a new superintendent. In accepting her position, Ms. Holmes emphasized that OPAL will continue its advocacy for Evanston’s Black students and families.
“Over the past five years, OPAL has led the way in pursuing the important and sometimes uncomfortable conversations that we must have in Evanston’s centers of power in order to improve the lives of our Black students,” said Ms. Holmes. “We cannot let up. In fact, we must be more vigilant than ever before to ensure we move beyond talk and start taking concrete action at District 65, 202 and city hall.”
As OPAL looks forward to the year ahead, the organization plans to focus on the achievement gap, remote learning, the city manager search, and the 2021 municipal elections.
Ms. Holmes and Ms. Jackson succeed former OPAL President Roger Williams and Vice President Oliver Ruff, who will continue to serve on the OPAL Board.