CA by Raqshan
Raqshanof Mill Valley's entry into Varsity Tutor's January 2017 scholarship contest
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CA by Raqshan - January 2017 Scholarship Essay
As students trickled in and took their seats, the first thing we noticed was the clumping. Black and Hispanic students from Marin City sat together. Minority students from Mill Valley were mixed, but sat in a distinctive line, separate from the Marin City community. Between both the minorities and general community at Tam, there was a divide.
The first Students of Color (SOC) meeting occurred at the end of last year. I encouraged students to open up and discuss delicate issues of race with each other; using the dynamic of a circle.
I was faced with a challenge. Physically and emotionally separated from each other by race and heritage, it was difficult to get students comfortable sharing their experiences. I opened with the question, “What is one thing people don’t know about you?”. There were those who chose not to speak. But we also got stirring responses. Students, once they started talking, were engaged in real storytelling; sharing deep, personal emotions. One shared his story of being singled out amongst his classmates by a teacher.
Since then, in order to build on that experience, my co-president, Anna and I, have been working to create a strong community amongst the members of SOC. If we can create a safe, comfortable space for students of color at Tam and build a community with allies, we will be better equipped to educate the rest of our peers about issues such as microaggressions, inequalities, or student/teacher relations.
My first major move, from Moreno Valley to Mill Valley at age 10, had exposed me to one the largest inequalities in our country; deeper than the color of our skin or the money in our pockets, our educational systems and communities are a key factor in our futures. The Students of Color is a small step forward in making Tam a school that works past those differences. It won’t happen in a day or even in the course of my senior year; but I know that SOC will have an important impact on our community. I am grateful to have been part of its creation.
