David* nervously awaits his turn to share his Page One Moment, a significant moment in one’s life that is used to draw a reader in. After some slight reassurance from the group he begins to tell his story. David* didn’t realize he was different until his school’s Culture Day. After asking his mom about his ancestry he finally had an answer but he wasn’t prepared for the backlash that accompanied it.
Other students shared his experience. Hailing from a small but historic country in the Caribbean, David* and other students from his country were teased relentlessly. Various students recounted how bullies mocked them with false stereotypes due to their ancestry, reminding us that true diversity is more than just higher amounts of black and brown students in predominantly white districts. True diversity is culturally responsive curriculum, teachers that can handle uncomfortable conversations, and a school climate that is inclusive.
“This event was really nice. I got to [hear] different stories and [met] different people. It honestly touched my heart and it kind of shined a new light of a character that I just saw and any stereotypes that I may have made up in my head” raved Aliyaah Toussaint, a student at Elmont Memorial High School.
Ali was one of 30 students chosen to spend their school day learning how to capture the story hidden within them. Six students from each public high school in the Sewanhaka Central School District were invited to The Strength in Your Story writers retreat. The retreat, organized by ERASE Racism was a collaboration with the Herstory Writers Workshop. It taught students that their unique experiences should be told and allowed them to realize that they share a lot in common. Herstory Writers Workshop uses stories to bring awareness to community issues and social policies.
This full-day program is a part of the Student Voices Campaign (Campaign), an initiative that educates and uplifts the voices of youth on social justice issues affecting Long Island schools and communities. Through workshops, trainings, conferences, and interactive events, the Campaign provides students a platform to voice their concerns, share ideas, and gain access to resources that aid their leadership development and activism.
Herstory founder, Erika Duncan and her team of consultants and facilitators including Helen Dorado Alessi, Amber Davis, Barbara Levin, and Dathonie Pinto moderated the workshop organized by ERASE Racism president Elaine Gross and Education Equity Organizer Nyah Berg.
The retreat commenced with a brief introduction of Herstory’s Freedom Forums 100 Stories Project, a social tool that uses memoirs to bridge the gap between various communities within Long Island. Students were excited to learn how their stories could be used as a vessel to connect people from different diverse backgrounds.
Herstory read several stories shared by previous Herstory workshop participants to the students. Story themes included immigration, inclusion, loss, and more. They then moved on to the Dare to Care exercise, an activity that helps its writers create empathy within the reader by drawing the reader directly into the storyline.
Facilitators advised the students to close their eyes and imagine a specific life changing memory. This memory would become their Page One Moment, a literary tool used to capture the reader’s attention. Students were so immersed in their writing that they worked on their stories through lunch.
Several other students decided to share their story. One of these students gave an intimate glance into her changing family structure and insecurities, common themes among her high school peers. Other students shared stories about death, family, and identity. Simone* shared her frustration with her peers who said she talked too properly to be black. Simone* was not alone. At least 3 other students shared a similar experience. One student expressed her frustration with having to tell people that the manner in which someone speaks does not mean that they were “trying to act white” and that the entire notion is built on a racist ideology that infers that black people are unintelligent and unable to express themselves clearly.
For participants, the workshop revealed that experiences they assumed to be unique were in fact quite common. In fact, we all share a story worth sharing.
We would like to send a special thanks to all of the students that participated in the Strength in Your Story writing workshop, Sewanhaka Central School District’s Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Kathleen Sottile, and staff at all participating schools who made this possible.
(*) Indicates a name change.
