Many high school students want to pursue their dreams, go to college and choose careers they love. But for students of color, a lack of resources and funding options can present barriers.
Dahni Austin of Boulder didn't let that stop her. Austin is one of 46 Colorado youth this year selected to receive scholarships from the Sachs Foundation, a Colorado Springs-based organization dedicated to helping Black students in Colorado achieve their goals. The top criteria the foundation uses to pick scholars each year are financial need and academic performance. Austin was awarded the Gertrude Lee Scholarship, which is granted to applicants who have impacted their community through service.
Austin began to leave an important mark on her community early on in high school. A field trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture during her freshman year of high school first inspired her to speak up. After visiting the museum, Austin and her classmates wanted to learn more about not only the history of slavery and racism but also their roots. The students faced a barrier, though: The school curriculum at the time required students to be juniors in order to take the African American history class at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College.
Austin and her fellow students didn't want to wait. So, teachers and students alike presented requests and suggestions for more curriculum focused on African American history at Denver Public Schools Board of Education meetings, asking that more on Black history be incorporated into the district-wide curriculum.
Their advocacy eventually led to the "Know Justice Know Peace" resolution, which prompted Denver Public Schools to look more closely at their curriculum during the 2021-2022 school year. With the resolution, the school board began work to ensure that all district schools included lessons about the historical and contemporary contributions of Black, Indigenous, and Latino communities in their curriculums.
But Austin's advocacy work didn't stop there. During the pandemic in 2020, the murder of George Floyd put everything on pause. Austin and her classmates were upset, and some even wanted to attend the protests. But their principal at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College, Kimberly Grayson, said it wasn’t safe for them to go. Grayson asked the students to think of another way to use their voices.
“We came up with the idea to start a podcast and start talking about inequities we see within the world, inequities we see within education, and how important it is for youth to have their own voice within their education,” Austin said.
The podcast, also called “Know Justice, Know Peace,” is made up entirely of Black young women who want to advocate for empowerment and encourage youth of color to use their voices to make an impact. Austin said podcast episodes focus on "discussing complex and powerful topics from a youth perspective."
On the podcast, the hosts have talked about the "Know Justice Know Peace" Denver Public Schools resolution, students' experiences returning to school after pandemic lockdowns, and the work of others who have impacted their community.
Running the podcast wasn't always easy, though. Not everyone supported their mission.
“With notoriety came a lot of hate, and hate mail and death threats,” Austin said.
Despite it all, Austin and her fellow podcasters pushed on with help from their supporters, including their former principal Kimberly Grayson. They wanted to continue bringing people together through their work.
“Now we're focusing on incorporating youth voices and highlighting community leaders," Austin said. "Talking about their work, what they do in the community and how we could all come together and help be there for our community."
And with help from the Sachs Foundation, Austin is also about to start her freshman year at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her goal is to double major in business accounting, business management or real estate. She hopes to minor in pre-law or multicultural leadership studies.
Ben Ralston, president and CEO of the Sachs Foundation, said the scholarship committee always aims to look at the entire applicant, not just their GPA—and Austin stood out.
“We also consider a little bit of just trying to figure out who the whole person is," Ralston said. "What kind of impact have they had on their communities? What kind of impact do they have in their family unit? Are these future leaders, or are they people who will serve their community?"
Ralston said Austin demonstrated academic prowess as well as a commitment to service through the podcast she worked on and her influence on the Denver Public Schools curriculum.
“And that's exactly the type of person that we're looking for when we look at applicants for this scholarship,” Ralston said.
Now, Austin is working toward her future and hopes to pay it forward one day. The Sachs Foundation scholarship she received has provided her with many opportunities.
“It actually inspired me. I hope to own my own business, and that I am able to do what the Sachs Foundation did,” she said, “Helping other students achieve their dreams, as well by giving out scholarships through my business."
Find more information about Sachs Foundation scholarships on the website. The "Know Justice, Know Peace" podcast is currently made up of three podcasters: Jenelle Nangah, Kaliah Yizar, and Dahni Austin. Find the podcast on the AAHR network, Facebook, and Youtube.
