FROM DR. RAHESHA AMON, CEO
Dear Friends and Partners,
August marks a moment of momentum for City Teaching Alliance as we begin a new school year rooted in our FY26 theme: Investing with Purpose. Growing Resilience. Driving Excellence.
Over the past year, we sharpened our vision, organized for greater impact, and deepened our commitment to career educators. This summer, our full team gathered in Baltimore for our first All Staff retreat since 2022. Across three days of connection and reflection, we aligned around our priorities and left with a renewed sense of energy and purpose. One teammate captured it best: “I left feeling inspired, encouraged, and ready to move with City Teaching Alliance into the future.”
We now carry that spirit into a season of meaningful public engagement. August is Black Philanthropy Month, a time to honor the legacy of Black giving and lift up Black-led, community-rooted organizations. On August 28, we will join thousands across the country in Give 8/28, a national day of giving dedicated to advancing equity. We invite you to stand with us by giving, sharing, or simply spreading the word about our mission.
This month also brings new visibility on the national stage. Our session proposal for SXSW 2026 is now live in the Panel Picker. The session explores how teacher preparation must evolve to meet the real needs of schools and students today. With your vote, we can elevate this message and strengthen our network of allies and champions.
Looking ahead, we are preparing to launch our first year-round individual giving campaign this fall. It will be an opportunity for alumni, families, and friends to invest boldly in the teachers who are shaping the future. Together, we can build the resilience and sustainability our mission demands.
We move into this school year with clear priorities, a strong team, and an unwavering sense of purpose. Thank you for every email opened, story shared, and gift given. Together, we are investing wisely, building resilience, and driving excellence in education for years to come.
With gratitude,
Dr. Rahesha Amon
CEO, City Teaching Alliance
HONORING BLACK PHILANTHROPY, CHAMPIONING BLACK EDUCATORS
This August marks Black Philanthropy Month, an annual, global celebration of giving through time, talent, and treasure. At City Teaching Alliance, this moment is personal and deeply aligned with our mission. We are proudly Black-led, guided by our CEO, Dr. Rahesha Amon, and committed to building an educational system where Black educators not only enter the profession but thrive in it, lead within it, and remain rooted in the communities they serve.
Today, 76% of our newest cohort identify as people of color, and 40% are first-generation college graduates. We believe this representation isn’t just important, but that it’s essential to achieving educational equity.
On August 28, we’ll join the national day of giving known as Give 8/28, uplifting Black-led and Black-benefiting nonprofits across the country. Your support helps us continue to develop and retain Black educators who transform classrooms, shape communities, and change lives. Be sure to check out our social channels and check your inbox on August 28 to make your gift!
WE NEED YOUR VOTE FOR SXSW 2026!
We’re excited to share that City Teaching Alliance’s CEO, Dr. Rahesha S. Amon, has teamed up with national education leader Dr. Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy to propose a powerful session for SXSW 2026. Public voting is officially up!
Their proposed talk, Rethinking Teacher Prep to Serve Schools and Students Better, will shine a spotlight on the urgent need to evolve educator preparation to meet the realities of today’s classrooms. Now we need your help to bring this conversation to the national stage!
Voting is open through August 24, and every vote counts! Thank you for being part of the City Teaching Alliance community, and for helping elevate the voices of educators who are reimagining what’s possible for students, schools, and the future of teaching.
5C’s SPOTLIGHT: COACHING THAT TRANSFORMS
Coaching is one of the most powerful elements of our program. Our coaches are experienced educators who walk alongside fellows through every challenge, question, and breakthrough. They’re instructional experts, thought partners, mentors, and champions of culturally responsive practice.
Teachers who receive high-quality, relationship-based coaching are more likely to stay in the profession, grow in their practice, and lead with confidence. It’s one of the clearest ways we turn potential into long-term impact. We’re excited to share a quick video that captures our coaching model in action, from one-on-one support to school-based collaboration.
When new teachers feel supported, they stay and they lead. Coaching ensures our educators are never doing this work alone. Laura Asher (Cohort 2020, DC) shares how invaluable coaching was in her first year: “It’s so nice to have one person to go to who is able to truly help you out and knows how to relate the things you’re learning in class back into your actual teaching practice.”
OTHER HAPPENINGS
Save the Date: Celebrating a Legacy of Educator Impact
Join us in Baltimore on Tuesday, September 16 for 15 Forward, an evening honoring 15 years of educator impact with City Teaching Alliance. The gathering will feature reflections from alumni, partners, and leadership, and celebrate our legacy in the city where it all began. If you’re local to Baltimore, we’d love for you to attend!
Opportunities to Engage, Reflect, and Give
This month is packed with opportunity: give on 8/28, cast your vote for our SXSW panel, or join us in Baltimore in September. Thanks for walking with us. Each action you take helps build the future of urban education!
We hope you will stay connected with us, our students, our educators, and our schools as we – and our growing network of powerful practitioners – continue to learn, innovate, and co-create the future of teaching and learning in our communities.
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Please help us grow our City Teaching Alliance family by sharing this newsletter with your friends, business partners, and community thought leaders!
City Teaching Alliance (formerly dba Urban Teachers) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (EIN 27-0989006). To learn more about City Teaching Alliance, visit our website at CityTeachingAlliance.org or click here to donate.
Donations can also be mailed to:
City Teaching Alliance
PO Box 69625
Baltimore, MD 21264
Text-to-Give: INSPIRECHILDREN to 44-321
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