Crystal Simmons is the Director of Student Support Services at Yu Ming Charter School.

“Surge is a movement committed to creating a network of professionals that are able to support one another in a common mission- to spur systemic change towards serving the needs of students of color. I want to be a part of the Surge movement because, in my years of being in education, I’ve found that meaningful change for students has to come from changing the system. If I want to influence that change, I have to be a leader in education to take part in systemic change. I also have to learn and grow in my ability to lead, be connected to a community of people that have a similar vision, be in a community that is committed to supporting the growth of one another as leaders, and be in a community that has models from which I can learn. I feel that Surge provides the learning and community opportunities that will allow me to grow as a leader and embody the change that I want to see in education.”