BEYOND THE RACE TO NOWHERE is an international grassroots movement to change the world by changing schools.
We are storytellers and community organizers who believe that stories have the power to bring people together and inspire cultural shifts. Our films, resources, events, and outreach campaigns help individuals and communities organize, build alliances, and take action.
As we navigate today’s most urgent issues, including threats to our democracy, a mental health crisis among our kids, and a tech-driven economy that few can access, this moment calls on us to build a healthier, more inclusive society—and transforming our schools is at the heart of this work.
We believe school shapes our society and is a powerful lever for change. If we create conditions in our schools that help kids thrive today, we will create a healthier, more vibrant society in the future.
Our work challenges current assumptions about how to best prepare young people for their lives in our rapidly changing world. We advocate for a student-centered education culture that puts deep, meaningful learning and students’ well-being above traditional markers of achievement. We advocate for an equitable education system that cultivates passion, inquiry, and personal growth over top grades, test scores, and rankings. And we believe that people on the ground, coming together in real time, are the most powerful changemakers.
We have united a diverse movement of millions—parents, educators, students, lawmakers, activists, and other community members—who are shifting our culture beyond fear and competition, together charting new paths for learning, living, and success.
A NOTE FROM OUR FOUNDER
My own awakening to the toxicity of the achievement race came the way it does to many parents: via years of trying to keep up with it.
As a former Wall Street attorney, I watched my daughter work longer hours at twelve than I did in law school. This led me to pick up a camera to document the epidemic of stress, anxiety, and disengagement plaguing our schools and culture, leaving our kids unwell and unprepared for their future. Without any prior filmmaking experience, I set out to become an advocate, connecting with countless parents, students, educators, and healthcare professionals, all striving for healthier communities and schools.
The result was Race to Nowhere, a film that hit a cultural nerve and galvanized communities across the nation. It was deeply moving to witness the power of story to foster civic discourse and help people come together to make meaningful changes. I founded a nonprofit to support those individuals and communities in their efforts to break down the barriers to a healthy society.
My next film, Beyond Measure, inspired by community responses to Race to Nowhere, showcased positive stories of what’s possible when young people feel a deeper sense of purpose and connection at school.
Over the next decade, a common theme kept coming up in my work with schools and communities: math. Initially curious about why so many students struggle with math, I soon discovered that math’s reach extends far beyond the classroom. Math influences so many aspects of our lives, from careers in science and technology to how we engage with democracy itself. This story of math’s power became Counted Out, my latest film which explores math as a civil rights issue; access to math literacy is access to opportunity.
While making the film, I had the opportunity to meet civil rights hero Bob Moses, founder of the Algebra Project and one of the greatest movement builders in the ongoing fight to make society more equitable. His vision, along with the dedication of so many other inspiring changemakers, has shown me that we are stronger together and that collectively we have the power to make real, long-lasting change.
—Vicki