Fortune School February Newsletter: Black History Month: A Time for Action

In This Issue

• Black History Month: A Time for Action
• Dr. Fortune Launches Speaking Tour to Empower Communities
• Fortune to Host Summer Institute Featuring Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, Dr. Keith Curry, and Ramona Wilder
• Hardy Brown College Prep Ranks U.S. News & World Report Best Elementary Schools
• Fortune School Alumni Revive Black Greek Life at Cal Poly SLO
• Fortune Scholars Shine at SMUD Black History Month Celebration
• Congratulations Arik Armstead Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
• Panther Pulse: Fortune Preschool – Excellent and Affordable

Black History Month: A Time for Action

President’s Message – 2.20.25

I have always regarded Black History Month as a time to take action. That’s why, 15 years ago on February 1st, I petitioned the Sacramento County Board of Education to establish Fortune School, a network of public charter schools in my hometown open to all students and dedicated to closing the African American achievement gap.
We achieve our mission by preparing children for college starting in preschool, while operating a graduate school of education where we credential diverse teachers and administrators for over 30 school systems in California. Today, we serve children from 2 years old until their late teens enrolled in 12 schools from preschool through 12th grade in a chartered public school system serving 2,000 students. Our schools are located in three California cities, including Sacramento, Elk Grove and San Bernardino.

Our first charter school was actually in San Bernardino. Before opening schools in my hometown of Sacramento, I founded a preschool through 8th grade campus named after newspaper publisher Hardy Brown of the Black Voice News. Hardy Brown had been the school board president of the San Bernardino City Unified School District where he served for 12 years. As a school board member, Dr. Brown was known for reopening schools in San Bernardino’s historically Black West Side and, to this day, is an outspoken champion for Black students. When I was a trustee of the California State University, I was proud to hood him with an honorary doctorate from Cal State San Bernardino. In fact, I made a documentary film called I See A School to share the story of how we created Hardy Brown College Prep in hopes that it would inspire others who may have similar aspirations. The San Bernardino City Unified School District approved Hardy Brown College Prep in 2009 and we opened in 2010. The school is located in downtown San Bernardino in a former Mervyn’s Department Store that we converted into an elementary school. This year, Hardy Brown College Prep ranked as a 2025 US News and World Report Best Elementary School in California.

As we celebrate Black History Month, I am grateful to the Fortune School community that honors our history, uplifts our students, and prepares the next generation of leaders.

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