Sacramento, California – Sacramento Councilmember Lisa Kaplan said Thursday morning carried a kind of spirit that was easy to feel and hard to forget.
Kaplan served as the special guest reader during Harambee at H. Allen Hight Elementary School, where students took part in a Freedom Schools program through the Roberts Family Development Center. The gathering, centered on reading, encouragement and community, brought together scholars, educators and supporters for a morning built around one simple idea: children deserve to be inspired.
“What an absolute honor to serve as the special guest reader during Harambee Thursday morning at H. Allen Hight Elementary for Freedom Schools through Roberts Family Development Center,” Kaplan said.
The word “Harambee” means “Let’s pull together,” and Kaplan said that meaning was present throughout the room. There was energy. There was joy. There was the sound of young students leaning into a story, listening, reacting and taking part in a shared moment of learning.
Kaplan read The Electric Slide and Kai by Kelly J. Baptist and Darnell Johnson to what she described as an incredible group of scholars. The book, full of rhythm, family and movement, gave students a chance to connect with a story that celebrates confidence and belonging.
For Kaplan, the visit also reached back into her own years of public service. She said the students’ excitement and curiosity reminded her why literacy matters so deeply, and why supporting young people has remained a priority after her 20 years of service on the Natomas Unified School Board.
“Reading opens doors,” Kaplan said. “It builds confidence, sparks imagination, and helps our young people see all the possibilities ahead of them.”
The morning was not only about one book or one guest visit. It was about the larger work happening through Freedom Schools, a program model focused on literacy, cultural pride and student growth. At H. Allen Hight Elementary, that mission came alive through the voices of students and the adults gathered around them.
Kaplan thanked RFDC, the staff at H. Allen Hight Elementary and everyone helping make Freedom Schools meaningful for local students.
Every child, she said, deserves to feel supported, celebrated and inspired along the way. On Thursday morning, inside that school community, that message was not just spoken. It was felt.