- Identity Preparatory Academy will be the first Black-founded, all-girls middle school in Omaha when it opens this fall in North Omaha.
- The school is leaning on community support to finance its first year, with founder Dr. DérNecia Phillips warning the school cannot open without it.
- Leaders and supporters say the school will provide an identity-affirming education and create lasting change not just for its students, but for the entire North Omaha community.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
North Omaha's first Black-founded, all-girls middle school is set to open this fall — but school leadership needs community support to make it happen.
Identity Preparatory Academy says it will provide an identity-affirming education centered on community, culture, and relationships. As the first school of its kind in Omaha, it is relying heavily on community support to help fund its first year.
"Without the funding, the school won't be able to open. So people are understanding that urgency and showing up," founder Dr. DérNecia Phillips said.
Community members of all ages have rallied behind the school, united by the belief that it will have a lasting impact on girls in North Omaha.
"This is big and it's gonna be life-changing, not just for the girls to attend, but for our whole community," co-founder and Vice President Racquel Henderson said.
Co-chair Candias Jones says a school like Identity Preparatory Academy would have given her a space where she felt seen, understood, and supported by people who shared similar life experiences.
"You know, being able to go somewhere where your identity is seen and felt, where you're able to navigate your own personal situations in a way, with people who understand these law, and look like you, would have meant everything," Jones said.
if you are interested in donating visit Identity Preparatory Academy
