Chancellor Aviles-Ramos Announces New Hidden Voices Programs, Launches New Citywide Multicultural Student Coalition

NEW YORK, NY - New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos today announced the kickoff date and participating schools for pilot programs focusing on Hidden Voices Muslim Americans in U.S. History and Hidden Voices Jewish Americans in U.S. History. In addition, NYCPS announced a new partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) to bring the national Student to Student program, which brings Jewish students to visit classrooms and share their experiences, to a subset of schools participating in the Hidden Voices: Jewish Americans in U.S. History pilot. This program will serve as a model for a brand-new NYCPS Citywide Multicultural Student Coalition, where students from a wide range of backgrounds can share their cultures, experiences, and identities with their peers.

"These Hidden Voices pilot programs embody NYCPS' dedication to inclusion," said Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. "Our students represent every possible background and identity, and our curricular materials and classroom conversations should reflect that rich legacy. Today's announcement is about deepening the use of our Hidden Voices resources through implementation support as well as building bridges through our new multicultural student coalition, which will build on JCRC's Student to Student model. At NYCPS, we are equipping schools with the knowledge and tools to foster cultural understanding and tell a more complete story of our city."

"As chair of New York City Public Schools' Interfaith Advisory Council, I have seen firsthand the power of partnership and bridge-building. I am so proud to see this approach expanded to the student level, empowering our young people to create community and build understanding across diverse student groups," said Reverend Jacques Andre DeGraff, Interfaith Advisory Council Chair. "As this critical work continues, I am proud to continue to support New York City Public Schools as they meet the moment."

The pilot programs kicked off on November 10 with a professional learning session, asking participants to develop lessons aligned to the Hidden Voices guides and provide feedback on the implementation of these materials; integrate profiles from Hidden Voices into their curriculum; complete surveys and feedback after each lesson; and take part in focus groups of students and teachers to discuss learnings.

The following schools are participating in the pilot programs:

Bronx

Brooklyn

Manhattan

Queens

Staten Island

Schools were selected via teacher applications and recommendations from our Meeting the Moment team.

Both sets of curricular resources were first announced in Spring 2024 and were written and developed in partnership with scholars from institutions across the country, cultural organizations, and relevant community groups. Hidden Voices: Muslim Americans in U.S. History and Hidden Voices: Jewish Americans in U.S. History were both shared digitally in September 2025 to all K-12 public schools in the city and are available online for free download for any educator.

Additionally, the new NYCPS Citywide Multicultural Student Coalition, a citywide group of high schoolers from a range of identities and backgrounds, will, in the style of Student to Student, engage students in meaningful conversations about culture, identity, and bridge-building. Applications are launching today and will close on December 3, 2025. We encourage high schoolers from across the city to apply. More information on the coalition will be available in the coming weeks.

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Contact Chancellor's Press Office: [email protected]