“I think that the curriculum, which is what we’ve been targeting a lot, is a great way to start those conversations that are often very difficult to start otherwise,” Goyal said.Ĭhristy Honeycutt, the English Department Coordinator and AP Literature and Composition teacher at GBHS, similarly expressed the importance of having a myriad of different texts from various backgrounds. I think that the curriculum, which is what we’ve been targeting a lot, is a great way to start those conversations that are often very difficult to start otherwise.” “I am really glad that (Diversify Our Narrative) is educating people while also trying to get the school board to make the curriculum more inclusive and diverse,” senior Shreya Holikatti said.Įxposure to an array of diverse and anti-racist texts at school can motivate students to carry out their own conversations and thinking, even outside the classroom. Their website consists of various resources including recommended school reading lists and sample curriculums. One way in which this organization works to combat these pressing issues is through proposing and pushing for an expansion of school curriculums to incorporate more diverse literature as a way to further educate students on systemic racism and inequalities. “There is a lot of momentum right now because of recent events, especially in terms of having these difficult conversations about race with the context of police brutality,” Goyal said, “but at the same time…we want these conversations to keep happening because none of these issues that we are confronting are new.” For this reason, I wanted to do what I could to try and make a difference where I had the opportunity to.”Īdditionally, Goyal prefaced that, although many of the issues being discussed today seem new, they are deep rooted societal problems. “I’ve always been a staunch advocate for education in general…and I realized that the quality of education itself can…make a huge difference (in students’ lives). “(Although) I’ve graduated already and it’s been two years, my high school experience is still fairly relevant in how I see certain things today,” Gonzalez said. “Though it may appear, particularly with the social climate right now, that a large focus of (the organization) is on race, it’s definitely more than just that.”ĭespite having already passed her high school years, Gonzalez still finds this organization’s mission to be extremely important. “The focus (of Diversify Our Narrative) is more than just race, it’s…targeting the lack of diversity across the board, whether that be race, whether that be disabilities, whether that be sexuality and gender,” said Elizabeth Gonzalez, a recent GBHS alumni and organizer for this campaign. In broader terms, this organization does far more than solely advocate for racial justice, as it also brings light to a whole spectrum of often targeted minorities. “We need an education that gives students the background learning so they can work to be anti-racist and put an end to the discrimination and harassment we see on our campuses.” “It is so important that students feel safe on campus and represented in their learning, and that they have a well rounded education that represents the large diversity of experiences that exist in the real world before they step out into it,” said Kaneesha Goyal, a senior at Oakmont High School and lead organizer of Diversify Our Narrative’s RJUHSD chapter. It appears on Instagram, and provides students with petitions, infographics and testimonials to help them become involved in joining the movement towards equality. In response to growing tensions, RJUHSD students created the district’s very own chapter in early July that focuses on opening the eyes of students within the district to racial injustices. On Instagram, posts infographics, petitions, and testimonials to help educate the community on injustices.Īmidst the “resurfacing” of racial tensions, many students have begun to express their voice on fragile issues through social media and other activism platforms.ĭiversify Our Narrative, a student-led organization, works to combat systemic racism and educates students on racial injustices.
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