Why We Advocate.
In Coronado, students, parents, and community members have shared experiences of exclusion, harassment, racism and emotional pain—from slurs and discriminatory treatment to moments that left young people questioning their belonging and worth. These incidents remind us that words and actions can cause deep harm, shaping how people see themselves, their schools, and their community. As we reflect on these experiences, we are called to listen with empathy, acknowledge their impact, and work together to build a culture where every person feels respected, safe, and valued.
Here are a few quotes from parents and students:
Key Media Highlights
InclusioNado is a persistent and courageous force in elevating student voice and holding the Coronado Unified School District (CUSD) accountable for creating safer, more inclusive schools. We advocate for meaningful policy and procedural changes to address bullying and ensure timely, compassionate responses to harassment experienced by students and families. We have also taken visible, impactful action—speaking at Board meetings, engaging regional media, organizing a community vigil in the wake of a student’s death by suicide, and organizing students marches for change. This body of work reflects a sustained commitment to inclusion, respect, and student well-being, and is available for review below.
Key Media Highlights Since 2020
October 7, 2025
Family sues Coronado school district in 7th-grader’s death, blaming unaddressed bullying
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune. By Jemma Stephenson
April 14, 2023 | Updated: July 23, 2024
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune. By Kristen Taketa
September 6, 2023
Source: The Coronado Times. By Christine Van Tuyl
April 2022
Gone too soon - Community Vigil held at CMS
Source: Video By Brad Willis
November 18, 2021
No Place For Hate At Coronado High School
Source: The Coronado Eagle & Journal. By Sarah Steindl
July 27, 2021, UPDATED: July 28, 2021
Coronado group: It’s time to apologize to Escondido, heal rifts from tortilla incident
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune. By Andrea Lopez-Villafaña
July 27, 2021
Coronado group seeks to mend relations with Escondido school after basketball game
Source: ABC 10 News. By Marie Coronel
July 27, 2021
Coronado Group Apologizes For Tortilla Throwing Incident
Source: KPBS video
July 2, 2021
California school stripped of title over tortilla incident
Source: NBC 7. By The Associated Press
June 30, 2021
Coronado High School stripped of championship title following tortilla-throwing incident
Source: ABC 10 News. By Zac Self
June 23, 2021
Source: NBC 7. By Amber Frias and NBC 7 Staff
June 13, 2021
InclusioNado One-Year Anniversary: “Stronger Together”
Source: The Coronado Times. By Brad Willis
March 15, 2021
Little Library Diversity Books Sponsored By InclusioNado
Source: The Coronado Eagle and Journal
December 10, 2020
Coronado Schools Join No Place for Hate Program
Source: The Coronado Times. By Chloe Berk
September 6, 2020
Update on Petition Asking Coronado Schools to Address Racism
Source: Change.org. By Chloe Berk, Phina Bustos & Paula Martinez
August 28, 2020
Local Group Advocates for Diversity and Inclusion at Coronado Schools
Source: The Coronado Times. By Tyra Wu
August Fall 202019, 2020
The work of the Equity Committee, done by parents, students and teachers, was abruptly dropped. Participants were not notified or thanked. CUSD shut down the Equity Committee and implemented WeTip without addressing parent/student’s recommendations.
August 19, 2020
Coronado’s Backlash to the Racism Backlash
Source: Voice of San Diego
August 13, 2020
Source: Coronado Unified School District Agenda
Jun 18, 2020 Updated Jun 18, 2020
Coronadans Gather For “March Against Racism In The Coronado Schools”
Source: The Coronado Eagle and Journal. By Alexis Bowlby
June 13, 2020
Coronado Students and Parents Rally and March: Coronado Voices and Voices for Change
Source: Videos by Brad Willis
March 12, 2024
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune. By Alex Riggins
April 14, 2023 | Updated: July 23, 2024
Coronado schools face racial reckoning
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune. By Kristen Taketa.
August 22, 2023
InclusioNado achieves its 501(c)3 status as a non-profit organization.
Source: Internal Revenue Servic
February 16, 2022
InclusioNado Promotes Black History Month with Educational Resources
Source: The Coronado Times. By Chloe Berk
September 27, 2021, Updated: September 28, 2021
Conservatives can learn from the tortilla-throwing incident at Coronado HS
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune. By Esther Valdés Clayton
July 28, 2021
Source: The Coronado Times. By Christine Van Tuyl
July 27, 2021
Coronado Group Apologizes To Escondido School For Tortilla Throwing Incident
Source: KPBS. By Alexandra Rangel
July 06, 2021
Coronado Unified School District appeal CIF ruling over tortilla throwing
Source: ABC 10 News. By Mark Saunders
July 2, 2021
California school stripped of title over tortilla incident
Source: NBC 7. By The Associated Press
June 27, 2021
InclusioNado Continues Equity Work in Coronado
Source: The Coronado Times. By Chloe Berk
June 22, 2021. Updated May 9, 2022
Before tortilla incident, Coronado residents clashed over racial equity efforts
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune. By Kristen Taketa
June 8, 2021
CUSD Update: Students and Parents Stand Up for “No Place for Hate,”
Source: The Coronado Times. By Christine Van Tuyl
March 4, 2021
InclusioNado Launches Little Free Library Diversity Book Drop
Source: The Coronado Times. By Chloe Berk
October 29, 2020
InclusioNado Organizes CUSD Diversity Book Drive
Source: The Coronado Times. By Chloe Berk
Aug 28, 2020. Updated September 1, 2020
InclusioNado: A New Group Dedicated To Fighting Injustice In Coronado
Source: The Coronado Eagle & Journal. By Alexis Bowlby.
August 28, 2020
Local Group Advocates for Diversity and Inclusion at Coronado Schools
Source: The Coronado Times. By Tyra Wu
August 26, 2020
‘Educate, Not Indoctrinate’: Anti-Racism Push In Coronado Schools Fuels Backlash
Source: KPBS/VOSD. By Ashly McGlone
August 15, 2020
CUSD Board Meeting: Equity Action Plan, Bridge Learning
Source: The Coronado Times. By Christine Van Tuyl
August 13, 2020
I Faced a Barrage of Nasty Comments
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune. By Edward Hayes
June 16, 2020
The Coronado Black Lives Matter Movement from Students’ Perspectives
Source: The Coronado Times. By Chloe Berk
June 3, 2020
Coronado students create chalk art memorial for George Floyd
Source: Video by Brad Willis
Advocacy Communication with CUSD
The following records reflect years of persistent written communication from InclusioNado to the CUSD Board and staff, urging them to take meaningful action to protect students from bullying, harassment, and discrimination. We are proud to have amplified the voices of the brave students who spoke up or sought our help. We are deeply disappointed that repeated requests for meaningful action were ignored. The district failed to take decisive action that students deserved. That reality led us to expand our mission beyond the school system. Today, InclusioNado is focused on mobilizing the broader Coronado community to build a culture where every student is respected, protected and supported – where adults and students are willing to stand up against bullying and harassment whenever they occur.