Lillian Lopez, St. Elizabeth

I got involved with OCO when my youngest son was in the 1st grade at Jefferson Elementary.  Jefferson was severely overcrowded, which caused lot of problems like lack of security and cleanliness.  Because of the chaos, academic performance was not a priority for the administration. 

I was at an orientation for religious education classes for my son at St. Elizabeth Church when an OCO leader stood up and said "If you are a parent of a student at Jefferson School and have concerns about the school, please write you name and phone number on this sign in sheet.  We'll be meeting here at the church while our children attend catechism classes."   After my first OCO meeting at the church, I was hooked.  I had been president of the PTA and attended many meetings at the school and never heard parents speak honestly about what was going on with their children's education as they did in that OCO meeting.  One parent said that her son was in the 4th grade and could not read or write.  I was impressed with how the OCO organizer kept us on track and focused, and how he pushed us to have the courage to change things.  I was hooked.

Through OCO I have worked with parents from congregations across the city to push a district wide reform, so that my son could go to a school that is safe and clean, and where academics are the prioroty.

I couldn't live in Oakland without being an OCO leader.   Politicians  and community leaders respect me because I'm an OCO leader.  I'm hopeful about the future of Oakland because of OCO.  Because I'm an OCO leader, I feel like I can really make a positive difference in Oakland.  I love OCO.