Racism. It Stops With Me.
Racism. It Stops With Me.
Written by Vanessa Watson
“Change is the end result of all true learning.”
– Leo Buscagli
Injustice is not a thing of the past, it is not confined to books and movies, it is not confined to headlines and protests. Injustice permeates the world around us, infecting our everyday lives.
A little cold could be just that, a cold. Or it could be the herald of danger, such as pneumonia or COVID. When the symptoms persist, it’s time to consult a doctor. But there is no doctor for inequality, and no medication for injustice. How do we treat this disease?
Education. It may not be a cure, it may not be a vaccine. But treating the problem with empathy across barriers and over generations will change the world. What determines what life we were born into, what physical attributes we have? Were you born as you are by flip of a coin? If so, why do we judge those who’s coins landed differently?
S.C.O.R.E., the Student Coalition on Racial Injustice, is dedicated to treating this plague. As Emmi Sulivan, president of this club, declares, “If people don’t get educated now they won’t get educated.” It is imperative that we discuss these issues today.
These topics get ignored too often because of how uncomfortable they are. The goal of S.C.O.R.E is to start hard conversations. To become comfortable with talking about injustice. To recognize racism in its diverse disguises. To learn about diverse cultures, to recognize history, and highlight the wonders of each race that our history books gloss over.
Today not all racism is flashy. Not everyone goes around yelling slurs and enforcing segregation. Today racism is more subtle, you might even be participating. Intentional or unintentional, big or small racism has an impact. Even here in ThunderRidge, “I’ve known for a long time that students of color haven’t felt comfortable. Because frankly there’s not a lot of us.” Emmi says.
The meetings of this club have lessons to help rectify our misconceptions and educate us about the reality of racism today. The games and activities to unify the group create a safe atmosphere to share opinions in the group discussions.
It may seem removed, but we’re nearly adults. We’re inheriting a world filled with turmoil and strife. Do we repair the broken world left to us, or do we doom future generations to a repetition of our parent’s mistakes? The decision is ours. Change starts now. Change starts with us.
Join the Student Coalition On Racial Injustice in healing these wounds, in starting the conversation. It may be hard. Even the club president admits, “It takes real guts to join this club”. But we need you.
If you're interested in joining, email evalerio@dcsdk12.org and sullivaneg@s.dcsdk12.org They will notify you of the next meeting.
You can also follow S.C.O.R.E on Instagram @trhs_s.c.o.r.e.
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