What Now America

What Now America grew from a group of students and professionals wanting to make a change in the community of West Oakland. They looked at the educational statistics of this inner-city community and decided that change should come in the form of an after school-tutoring program for at-risk youth in West Oakland.

Statistics show only 11% have a college degree and only 2% have a graduate degree. This is far below national statistics. More than 80% of West Oakland residents are at or below a high school degree.

Thirty-three percent of Oakland’s current population ranges from preschool age to 17 years of age. What Now America realized that these youth are at risk of becoming undereducated, too, and developed a 100% volunteer run organization independent of existing public schools to provide educational services for these students in West Oakland’s inner city neighborhoods.

The organizers of What Now America bring years of experience in the non-profit sector to this program that has a vision of helping at-risk youth in urban neighborhoods. Because of this experience, the organizers understand the importance of having a well-organized program that can not only make a difference in West Oakland but also be a model that can be easily replicated for other cities and towns with similar populations.

What Now America imagines the after school tutoring program spreading like wildfire through other neighboring communities, cities and states. What began as a program to help the at-risk youth in one community, West Oakland, can be taken and used to help students who in danger of becoming undereducated in communities all over the country.
They envision volunteer run programs developing from their model in these other communities and benefiting not only the youth but benefiting the communities as a whole, too.

Part of the purpose of What Now America is to develop youth into community leaders and stakeholders who are willing to take what their education affords them and give back to the community. They see education as the key to helping the people in the community of West Oakland and others like it to better themselves. What Now America intends to be a long running program that can give the residents a chance to do this and much more.