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Legacy Builder
Legacy Builders Freedom School: Educating for Liberation
10-Month Youth Empowerment Program | Grades 6-12
Presented by: Legacy League of Black Women
Date: January 7, 2026
Our Mission
The Legacy Builders Freedom School, an initiative of the Legacy League of Black Women, honors the tradition of Black women as educators, organizers, and community leaders. Inspired by the Freedom Schools of the Civil Rights Movement, the program blends Africana studies, literacy, digital skills, and leadership development to help young people understand their history, affirm their identity, and build lasting legacies.
Through culturally affirming learning, mentorship, and hands-on social action, Legacy Builders prepares the next generation of changemakers to carry our stories, strength, and leadership forward.
Why a Freedom School?
  • Black youth deserve space to learn who they are and where they come from
  • Our traditional schools often erase or misrepresent Black history
  • This program gives Black youth tools to think critically, love themselves, and lead their communities
  • It's not just a class—it's a community, a healing space, and a movement
🖤 "If you know whence you came, there is really no limit to where you can go." — James Baldwin
What Is a Freedom School?
Inspired by
The 1964 Mississippi Freedom Schools (SNCC)
Continued by
The Black Panther Party's youth and education programs.
Modernized
For today's youth with art, activism, mental wellness, and organizing.
Safe Space
Joyful, unapologetically Black space for learning.
✨ Freedom Schools teach us not just facts—but how to be free.
Our Curriculum Framework: Identity → History → Systems → Movements → Care → Legacy
The Legacy Builders Freedom School is intentionally sequenced to move students from identity and grounding, through historical truth, into systems analysis, then movement building, collective care, and finally legacy and action. Each phase prepares students for the next.
Phase 1: Identity & Grounding (Month 1)
Question: Who am I? Who are we?
Students understand Blackness as a historical and cultural identity, learn the Freedom School tradition, establish community norms and voice. Students must first develop confidence, belonging, and identity before examining systems that affect them.
Outcome: Grounded learners who feel safe participating in dialogue.
Phase 2: Historical Truth & Resistance (Months 2–4)
Question: How did we get here—and how did we survive?
Students learn about African civilizations before colonization, study the construction of race, and explore enslaved resistance and abolition movements. Students replace distorted narratives with truth and agency, understanding that oppression was built intentionally and resisted constantly.
Outcome: Students recognize patterns of injustice and resilience.
Phase 3: Systems & Narrative Power Today (Months 5–6)
Question: How do systems operate today—and who controls the story?
Students analyze modern systems such as education, policing, housing, and environmental justice. They examine media representation and misinformation, and learn how narratives influence policy and public perception. Understanding systems first prepares them to understand why movements emerge.
Outcome: Students develop critical thinking and the ability to question power structures.
Phase 4: Movement Building & Youth Leadership (Months 7–8)
Question: How have people like me organized for change?
Students study youth-led movements, examine Civil Rights and Black Power organizing strategies, and learn about collective leadership and community action. Students now see movements as strategic responses to systems, not isolated historical events. History becomes instruction, not information.
Outcome: Students begin to see themselves as participants and potential leaders.
Phase 5: Health, Mental Health & Sustainability (Month 9)
Question: How do we stay whole while doing this work?
Students learn about mental and physical health in Black communities, understand stress, trauma, and burnout, and practice rest, resilience, and collective care.
Outcome: Students gain tools for sustainable leadership.
Phase 6: Legacy & Action (Month 10)
Question: What will I do with what I've learned?
Students design social action projects, reflect on leadership and responsibility, and present their ideas to families and community.
Outcome: Students leave with purpose, voice, and a sense of legacy.
Program Overview
Program Schedule
February to December (10 Months)
Saturdays, 2 hours per session
Location
Gotta Go Gaming Hub, 126 Linden Avenue, Jersey City, NJ
Curriculum & Activities
Includes art, journaling, books, community speakers, organizing, and healing
Learning Materials
Freedom Journals and core reading included
Monthly Curriculum
Sessions & Breakdowns
A 10-month journey through Black history, identity, healing, and power — 18 bi-weekly Saturday sessions from March 7 through January 17, with a summer break in July & August. Final Showcase: January 31.
Phase 1 — Identity & Foundations
Session 1 — March 7
Identity & the Construction of Race
Key Topics:
  • Freedom School introduction
  • Identity and belonging
  • Race as a social construct
Big Idea:
Race was created historically, but identity is shaped by culture, history, and community.
Purpose:
Students begin by exploring identity and understanding how ideas about race developed historically.
Phase 2 — Historical Truth
Session 2 — March 21
Africa Before Enslavement
Key Topics:
  • African civilizations
  • African global influence
  • Contributions to world history
Big Idea:
African history is rich and complex and did not begin with slavery.
Purpose:
Students gain a broader understanding of African history and global contributions.
Phase 1 — Identity & Foundations
Session 3 — April 4
Black Identity & Cultural Foundations
Key Topics:
  • Culture, heritage, and ancestry
  • The development of Black identity in America
Big Idea:
Black identity is rooted in culture, resilience, and shared history.
Purpose:
Students explore how culture, community, and history shape identity and belonging.
Phase 2 — Historical Truth
Session 4 — April 19
Slave Codes & Chattel Slavery
Key Topics:
  • The 1705 Virginia Slave Codes
  • Race written into law
  • Chattel slavery and hereditary bondage
Big Idea:
When race became law, it created systems that shaped American society.
Purpose:
Students examine how laws institutionalized racial hierarchy and created long-lasting systems of inequality.
Phase 3 — Resistance
Session 5 — May 2
Resistance & Abolition
Key Topics:
  • Enslaved resistance
  • Black abolitionists
  • Early freedom movements
Big Idea:
People have always resisted injustice and fought for freedom.
Purpose:
Students learn how individuals and movements challenged oppression.
Phase 3 — Resistance
Session 6 — May 16
Reconstruction & Backlash
Key Topics:
  • Reconstruction achievements
  • Expansion of Black political participation
  • The rise of Jim Crow laws
Big Idea:
Progress toward justice can be followed by backlash, but the struggle for equality continues.
Purpose:
Students examine how gains in civil rights have historically been challenged and contested.
Phase 4 — Systems & Power Today
Session 7 — May 30
Systems & Justice Today
Key Topics:
  • Education inequality
  • Housing discrimination
  • Mass incarceration
Big Idea:
Systems created in the past continue to influence opportunities today.
Purpose:
Students connect historical systems to modern social and economic inequalities.
Phase 4 — Systems & Power Today
Session 8 — June 13
Media, Narrative & Power
Key Topics:
  • Media representation
  • Bias and misinformation
  • Narrative influence
Big Idea:
Who controls the story often shapes how society understands history and current events.
Purpose:
Students learn how narratives influence perception, policy, and power.
July & August — No Sessions
Summer Break
Rest · Reflection · Preparation
  • No formal sessions in July or August
  • Students and facilitators have time for rest and reflection
  • Preparation for fall sessions resumes in September
The break is intentional. Leadership requires rest. We return in September ready to go deeper.
Phase 5 — Civil Rights & Legal Change
Session 9 — September 6
Civil Rights Movement: Organizing for Change
Key Topics:
  • Grassroots organizing
  • Youth activism
  • Movement strategies
Big Idea:
Ordinary people working together can create extraordinary change.
Purpose:
Students explore how social movements organize communities to challenge injustice.
Phase 5 — Civil Rights & Legal Change
Session 10 — September 20
Challenging the Law
Key Topics:
  • Brown v. Board of Education
  • Civil Rights Act of 1964
  • Voting Rights Act of 1965
Big Idea:
Laws can change when people organize, challenge injustice, and demand equality.
Purpose:
Students examine how activism and legal challenges led to major civil rights victories.
Phase 6 — Community Power
Session 11 — October 4
Black Power & Self-Determination
Key Topics:
  • Black Power movement
  • Cultural and political empowerment
Big Idea:
Communities can define their future and advocate for their own empowerment.
Purpose:
Students explore movements that emphasized community control and self-determination.
Phase 6 — Community Power
Session 12 — October 18
Community Survival Programs
Key Topics:
  • Programs created by Black organizations
  • Community-based solutions
Big Idea:
Communities can build institutions that support and uplift their people.
Purpose:
Students learn how communities created programs to address social and economic needs.
Phase 7 — Wellness & Collective Care
Session 13 — November 1
Health & Mental Health
Key Topics:
  • Mental health in Black communities
  • Stress, resilience, and wellness
Big Idea:
Caring for mental and physical health strengthens individuals and communities.
Purpose:
Students understand the importance of wellness and resilience in leadership and community life.
Phase 7 — Wellness & Collective Care
Session 14 — November 15
Collective Care
Key Topics:
  • Community healing
  • Support networks
Big Idea:
Communities become stronger when people support and care for one another.
Purpose:
Students explore the role of collective care and mutual support in sustaining communities.
Phase 8 — Leadership Development
Session 15 — December 6
Leadership Skills
Key Topics:
  • Leadership styles
  • Communication and organizing
Big Idea:
Leadership involves responsibility, service, and guiding others toward positive change.
Purpose:
Students begin developing leadership skills they can apply in their communities.
Phase 8 — Leadership Development
Session 16 — December 20
Community Action Planning
Key Topics:
  • Identifying community issues
  • Designing youth projects
Big Idea:
Young people can create solutions to problems in their communities.
Purpose:
Students begin planning projects that apply what they have learned throughout the program.
Phase 9 — Legacy
Session 17 — January 3
Legacy & Responsibility
Key Topics:
  • Understanding legacy
  • Personal responsibility
Big Idea:
Every generation has the responsibility to build a better future.
Purpose:
Students reflect on their role in shaping their communities and the future.
Phase 9 — Legacy
Session 18 — January 17
Youth Action Presentations
Key Topics:
  • Student project presentations
  • Reflection on learning and impact
Big Idea:
Knowledge becomes powerful when it is used to improve the world around us.
Purpose:
Students share their ideas and demonstrate what they have learned during the program.
Celebrate · Reflect · Lead Forward
Final Program Event
Legacy Builders Freedom School Showcase
January 31
  • Students present projects and learning to families and community members
  • Celebrate student learning and highlight youth leadership and community engagement
Empower Your Future: Register for Freedom School!
The Legacy Builders Freedom School is a completely free program, empowering youth with critical thinking, historical knowledge, and tools for social action. Join a vibrant community committed to building a brighter future for themselves and their communities.
Secure your spot today to embark on this transformative journey. Enrollment is limited, ensuring a personalized and impactful experience for every participant. Don't miss this opportunity!
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