TeenSHARPies leading the fight for racial justice in schools Earlier this year, the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd (among even more names on the growing list of Black lives cut short by police brutality) sparked an urgent, mainstream conversation about racism in America.
TeenSHARP students haven’t been watching from the sidelines. On the contrary, they spent the summer having candid, productive, and vulnerable conversations with peers and mentors about racism. They’ve called upon school leaders to confront and uproot racism in the education system.
Through TeenSHARP’s weekly town halls, they’ve also been learning the rich history of racism, oppression, and resistance. It has sparked their desire to organize and lead anti-racism efforts in their schools and communities.
Smyrna high schoolers Hasana Parker (C/O ’21) and Aja Short (C/O ’21) co-founded Teens Drive Change, and have enlisted several of their TeenSHARP peers as officers in this new student-led racial justice advocacy effort. You can learn more about their “Do you know…” campaign, and support diverse, inclusive curricula, by signing their Change.org petition. You can also follow them on Instagram.
Tariah Hyland (C/O ’21) launched the Instagram page @NCCVTSPEAKS to give voice to students and alums of her district who experienced racism or discrimination. She later worked with Caelin Foley (C/O ’21) and other students in their district to organize the first student-led town hall on racism.
On Sept. 2, NCCVT Speaks and the Delaware Minority Student Coalition led a virtual town hall event that featured prominent community members, including Delaware State Reps. Melissa Brown and Sherry Dorsey Walker, NAACP Delaware President Freeman Williams, and State Senator Laura Sturgeon.
Nathan Cho and Daniela Rosiles (C/O ’21) also organized a student-led town hall on racism in their school district. In turn, they were invited by their superintendent to join the district’s equity and inclusion efforts.
Lucia Gotera (C/O ’21) and Zarah Zurita (C/O ’21) are key leaders in Charter School of Wilmington’s Social Justice Alliance. They recently unveiled a mural at the Latin American Community Center.
There’s Lola Latan (C/O ’21), who is leading advocacy efforts at MOT Charter School to make the school more inclusive; and Amanda Eric (C/O ’21), who is pushing for change in Caesar Rodney School District and co-founded a Black Student Union. In Jersey, Alina and Asquith Clarke II (C/O ’21) have been on the front lines of anti-racism work in their respective schools.
Mya Brown (C/O ’22) organized a town hall on racism at Newark Charter School. She and her classmate Jordyn Arrington recently learned the city’s chapter of the NAACP will be giving them an award for student activism.
Several TeenSHARP students are also serving as paid Teaching Assistants for The Proximity Project — TeenSHARP’s new racial justice professional development effort for education leaders.
TeenSHARP is proud to see our scholars leading by example to achieve the change they wish to see in this world. We look forward to seeing what’s in store as they continue to excel in school and as community servants.
