Kyra Mungia ’09 Named to Forbes 30 Under 30 Education List
Annie Wright Schools “lifer” (attended from Preschool to Grade 12) Kyra Mungia ’09 landed a spot on Forbes’ 30 Under 30—Education list for 2021. As the deputy director of education, working in the office of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Kyra helped spearhead the #OaklandUndivided campaign to connect public school students in the community with laptops, tech support and reliable wifi in their homes during the pandemic. So far, her team has successfully reached 97% of the youth in the Oakland community, thanks to $13 million in funding raised, including $10 million donated from Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter.
Another initiative Kyra is currently focused on, Teachers Rooted in Oakland, aims to increase the recruitment and retention of teachers of color in the community. Through training programs, subsidized housing and stipends, the program has more than doubled its residency and increased teachers of color by 360% in the first year.
Kyra reflects on her AWS education with appreciation. She’s deeply grateful for teachers like Mr. Guadnola and Mr. Droubay, who saw potential in her, encouraged her to keep asking questions, and both inspired and pushed her to be better. She also acknowledges that she struggled at times, being one of very few students of color at AWS at the time. From this and her love for education, she’s developed a true passion for systems change work, eliminating racial disparities and creating spaces where everyone can thrive—regardless of other factors.
This article is from the winter 2020-spring 2021 issue of Strength.
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Another initiative Kyra is currently focused on, Teachers Rooted in Oakland, aims to increase the recruitment and retention of teachers of color in the community. Through training programs, subsidized housing and stipends, the program has more than doubled its residency and increased teachers of color by 360% in the first year.
Kyra reflects on her AWS education with appreciation. She’s deeply grateful for teachers like Mr. Guadnola and Mr. Droubay, who saw potential in her, encouraged her to keep asking questions, and both inspired and pushed her to be better. She also acknowledges that she struggled at times, being one of very few students of color at AWS at the time. From this and her love for education, she’s developed a true passion for systems change work, eliminating racial disparities and creating spaces where everyone can thrive—regardless of other factors.
This article is from the winter 2020-spring 2021 issue of Strength.
