Jay Artis-Wright is the executive director of the Freedom Coalition for Charter Schools (FCCS), an organization established in 2019 to bring the voices of Black and Brown charter school leaders, our founders, advocates, and the families to the forefront. She has more than 20 years of experience holding diverse educational roles intersecting advocacy, political campaigning, leadership development, and community organizing. Before stepping up to lead FCCS, Jay was one of the critical members of the organization in the trenches during the 2020 presidential candidate debates. She was a key strategist and organizer, building relationships with school leaders and parents across the country. 

 

Before leading FCCS, Jay was the Executive Director of Parent Revolution, a parent-based advocacy organization, and Vice President of Policy and Public Affairs for the California Charter Schools Association. From leading, policy initiatives focused on education equity, teacher diversity, and school funding to building outreach strategies for education-based legal challenges, Jay’s multifaceted career also includes training advocates on organizing and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). She has successfully secured policy wins for charter schools and coached parents and teachers running for local school board seats.

 

A dedicated advocate for quality schools, Jay started her career with Upward Bound, a Federal Trio Program designed to provide college preparation for first-generation, low-income high school students. She was also a founding Board member of a charter School in Plainfield, New Jersey, and worked exclusively on the growth and expansion of charter schools led and founded by educators of color. Jay holds a master’s degree in Urban Development from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from CSU Sacramento. An avid world traveler, Jay, has lived in several countries around the globe and currently resides in southern California with her husband and three children.