“Say No to My Face” is an advocacy guide inspired by youth who fought for the school they deserved…for youth courageous enough to continue the struggle
“Families and students are succeeding at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, and, now, we are proud to take this step toward increasing access to a highly sought-after program”
In the fall of 2018, Mayor Bowser announced that Benjamin Banneker Academic High School would relocate to the vacant Shaw Junior High School, and move into a state of the art building.
The plan was met with opposition from residents who expected a renovated junior high school, and a divided city council. The Banneker community, including students, teachers, school leaders, and parents, galvanized to advocate for the school building they believe they long deserved.
This guide, completed as a 2025 HumanitiesDC Independent Practitioners Fellowship, answers basic questions about advocacy and draws on the real-life experiences of young people to bring the concepts to life.
Read an excerpt of the guide, “How to advocate” here.
Purpose of the guide:
To provide basic tools for advocacy
To describe and preserve for future reference young people’s effort to secure the school they deserved
To encourage and inspire young people to advocate for the change they believe in
