HOLLA School
HOLLA School is a public 501(c)(3) charter school in our fourth year serving 100% Black, Brown and Indigenous K-5 students in East Portland. Our school was birthed through community organizing during the COVID-19 pandemic, designed by us and for us. Our mission is:
To change the academic narratives of Black, Brown and Indigenous youth by honoring lived experiences, catalyzing genius and centering joy.
To explore student identities, nurture their curiosity, ignite their criticality and orient them in the world.
To systematize the use of a comprehensive anti-racist, culturally and historically responsive instructional framework that centers relationships through mentoring, literacy, agriculture, entrepreneurship and the contributions of our communities.
HOLLA School is thrilled to participate in the SEI Education Co-Op. We are painfully aware that education as a whole has failed to meet the academic, social and cultural needs of Black students, as national education outcomes remain predictably disparate. Current state and local academic, behavior, attendance and graduation rate data reflect a dire need for intervention. Portland’s public education system persistently fails our Black students. We desire that all Black youth are able to be fully seen, heard, and valued for being fully themselves. We relish this opportunity to collaboratively remedy the systemic oppression of Portland Black students. We absolutely share the Co-Op’s vision of lasting, transformational change.
We know we’re doing something groundbreaking—creating an educational model that serves Black children in East Portland with intention, innovation, and a strong relational approach. That said, we also know we can’t afford to operate in isolation or stay insulated in our own bubble. Collaboration isn’t just helpful—it’s essential to the evolution of our work.
Black Portland isn’t a monolith, and neither is the Black-led nonprofit ecosystem. We each carry distinct histories, approaches, and gifts. At HOLLA School, we’re clear: we have something valuable to contribute to this shared work, and we have plenty to learn from those who are in the trenches alongside us. We believe in cross-pollination, not competition. We believe in building bridges, not silos. We also believe that the future of Black education in Portland depends on us showing up together—with humility, clarity, and collective power. We recognize the need for and powerful value of the highly coordinated, strategic partnership framework that the SEI Education Co-Op provides.
Contact Information
Eric Knox, Executive Director
eric@hollaschool.org
