Paul Schrade
Board Member
Paul Schrade is a former director of the United Auto Workers in California. His involvement with the union dates back to the time of founder Walter Reuther. Schrade was also a close associate of Sen. Robert Kennedy and an aide in Kennedy’s bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in ’68. He was one of the five people wounded on the night RFK was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on April 5, 1968.
Since that historic day, Paul’s mission has been to carry on Kennedy’s work. Understanding Kennedy’s passion about education, he proposed that a school be built at the site of the former Ambassador Hotel. The school would serve to relieve overcrowding and eliminate forced bussing and offer students of the historically underserved communities of Los Angeles’ Pico-Union and Koreatown a state-of-the-art educational facility.
Paul Schrade was Coordinator of the RFK-12 Community Task Force. The task force was successful in getting a 4000 seat, Kinder through 12th grade school to open in the same location where 43 years ago he lost his good friend and his life would be changed forever. He continues to be an activist for auto worker and social justice issues.