Dear Whitney,
Thank you for joining the fight to give every child across the country a quality education. Our current system is failing. Millions of students are losing their chance at the American dream and our country's role as a global leader is diminishing.
Together we can change that - but it's going to take hard work and dedication.
The Education Equality Project is a nonpartisan group of elected officials, civil rights leaders, and education reformers committed to tackling the long-standing barriers that have thwarted reform efforts for decades. And we need you to help get our message out. Please visit our new
website and spread the word to your friends and neighbors.
As we prepare for the inauguration of a new president, we need to show our elected leaders that we're ready for a new approach to our schools. That's why we're kicking off our efforts with a major rally in Washington, D.C., on Monday, January 19th. To learn more about the rally:
Our rally will take place on the day our nation celebrates the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the civil rights movement he represents. Forty years after Dr. King's assassination, and fifty-five years after Brown vs. Board of Education, we must confront the shameful inequities in our public schools.
Today, just 55 percent of African-American and 53 percent of Latino students graduate from high school, compared to 78 percent of white students. This gap has stark consequences for minority students. Academic outcomes translate into life outcomes: dropouts are more likely to be jobless or earn less; more likely to be incarcerated; and have shorter life expectancies.
Every one of us has a stake in improving the American educational system. That's why, on behalf of the Education Equality Project, we are excited you have signed up to join the fight. Now take the next step and help us spread the word:
Thank you for being part of this effort.
Sincerely,
Reverend Al Sharpton, President of the National Action Network
Joel I. Klein, Chancellor of New York City Schools
P.S. We hope to see you in Washington, but if you can't make it, look out for future opportunities to make a difference. And keep in touch with us at our
website. 
