New nonprofit aims to use education advocacy to empower Indiana parents

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Some Indianapolis community leaders have launched a new nonprofit to help Indiana parents fight for a high quality education for their kids. They call it the “Empowered Families” fellowship.

The program’s eight fellowship leaders will serve as a bridge between the community and school leaders and focus on tackling issues in the school system.

Delma Suber, an Empowering Families fellow, has worked in higher education counseling, family social work and social services for more than 15 years. She has a special interest and skill in advising and nurturing a student’s path in college. She talked about why she felt inspired to join the cause.

“I’m a parent and I know the importance of my voice in my children’s lives,” she said.

Suber says part of her passion for advocating in education comes from her experience with her 10-year-old son, who battles with autism. Her journey with her own son helped strengthen her belief that nobody can help bridge gaps in education for kids better than their parents.

“There’s a lot of parents that don’t know how to navigate through the school system and they don’t know how to advocate,” Suber said. That’s where the Empowered Families fellows come in.

“You can communicate with the school, the teachers and let them know how to best meet the needs of your child,” she said.

Suber is giving her time to help parents find their “voice.”

“I’m more than willing and to connect with other parents and give them the confidence they need,” she said. “If you don’t have an empowered parent, you don’t have an empowered child.”

Watch the video for more on how the program works from Executive Director Ontay Johnson.