The annual Day of Solidarity, organized by the Human Rights Council (HRC), provided students a chance to participate in activism and join each other in displays of solidarity, Thursday, May 14.
Throughout the day, students learned about aspects of diversity and forms of activism through an art showcase, a panel discussion, and a rally.
According to English teacher Michele Leong, an adviser for the HRC, “The goal of the day is to bring the school community together in solidarity with one another so that everybody feels welcome and that they belong.”
During WIN, students joined together to share messages of hope and unity through various performances in Lasker Auditorium.
Junior Kira Levin called for students to take action against injustice in their community during her speech, emphasizing that “your voice is power.”
“I want you to turn your anger or emotional response into action,” she said.
Seniors Anna Tackie and Malia Thompson-Leong and sophomore Kiki Rajachard then recited “The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman, an American poet and activist. The poem offered a message of unity and focused on recognizing and improving on the flaws within American society.
Junior Sai Cao delivered a speech that dealt with themes of diversity and change.
“Something I’ve learned is that this fight cannot be sustained by anger. The driving force for this action should be love for your community,” Cao said.
To complete the rally, Tackie sang “Lean On Me,” a song by Bill Withers, which focused on embracing community during difficult times.
After the rally, students from the HRC supervised activities such as tie-dye and bracelet making near Theater Entrance.
Students displayed messages of solidarity on Main Street during g-block, which emphasized combatting stereotypes and the “single story” narrative.
Students also had the opportunity to sign a banner that displayed the words “standing together” with their handprints and signatures.
“We can’t solve everything, but it’s important that we start somewhere, and I think that’s where the solidarity is coming from,” said Levin, who supervised the banner signing.
Earlier during e-block, Thompson-Leong and junior Julia Jauregui hosted a panel where senior Amani Arunga, juniors Bahiirah Bukenya and Kassidy Marks, and freshman Durva Desai, along with English teachers Charlene Beh and Adam George, science teacher David Bennett, and METCO counselor Blayne Lopes spoke on intersectionality and allyship in the Little Theater.
Each of the panelists discussed different aspects of their identities, as well as their connections to allyship.
“I struggled with labels, I still do. Labels feel restrictive for me. I don’t have to adhere to the things society puts with the labels,” Arunga said during the panel.
According to Beh, “being a true ally involves discomfort, and a certain bit of sacrifice.”
