ABOUT ME
Dwayne Aikens Jr
"Dwayne Anthony Aikens Jr., an Oakland native and graduate of Oakland Public Schools, has dedicated his life to education and community empowerment. Although he doesn’t have any children of his own, he has supported his sister in raising five students—all graduates of OUSD public schools, with two currently juniors at Fremont High School.
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Dwayne currently resides in Oakland, California, where he serves as the co-founder and executive director of We Lead Ours (WELO). WELO is a 501©(3) nonprofit organization that provides youth in Oakland and surrounding areas with school and community-based enrichment programs year-round since January 2010. Through hands-on learning experiences, WELO nurtures life skills focused on career exploration, civic leadership, college preparation, and health and wellness.
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In addition to his work with WELO, Dwayne wears many hats in the community. He is the creator of the ‘Time 2 Dig Deep’ Podcast and co-founder of the 1865 Collective political organizing group. Dwayne also served on the Board of Directors for Keep Oakland Beautiful for six years.
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His civic leadership extends further: Dwayne was the former Western Regional Secretary for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., a former Oakland Parks & Recreation; Advisory Commission, and a former and current member of the Board of Directors for the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation.
Currently, he is a member of the Advisory Commission for BART Title VI and the Environmental Justice Advisory Committee. In 2020 he was appointed to the City of Oakland Sugar Tax Advisory Commission and served as chair in 2022. Dwayne loved sports education and is a proud member of Oakland Strokes Rowing Club Board of Directors.
MISSION STATEMENT
Candidate Statement:
As a proud Oakland native who graduated from the Oakland public schools, I have dedicated my life to improving the educational landscape for our youth. With 19 years of experience as an award-winning educator and 14 years as the executive director of We Lead Ours (WELO), I bring a successful track record in fostering family engagement, academic achievement, and safe learning environments for our students.
I am running for school board because I know our school district can do better in preparing our students to achieve college and career success after high school.
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As school board director, I will:
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Interrupt high chronic absenteeism rates by ensuring we have the policies and practices that engage students and families.
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Invest resources in accelerating students’ academic achievement and college and career readiness.
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Leverage my MBA to ensure our district’s financial resources are soundly spent.
I would be honored to have your vote.