Unity Week is bringing our campus together in a powerful way, opening the door to honest conversations about sexism, mental health, and racism — a reminder that unity starts with each of us.
SJHHS’s No Place for Hate Club (NPFH) chose three influential topics that are relevant within society, preparing lunchtime presentations about each one. Starting this week, February 17-19th, a different issue will be spotlighted each day: Tuesday focuses on Sexism, Wednesday highlights Mental Health, and Thursday discusses Racism.
The NPFH Club at SJHHS is a branch of the nationwide organization that connects students, faculty, and staff with resources that challenge bias and hate. The organization and club’s goal is to create a more equitable and inclusive school community.
Club members were given four weeks to select prevelant topics in our community, compile information, reach out to guest speakers, and create presentations that accurately and thoughtfully inform our school on each topic.
This year marks our school’s seventh annual Unity Week, and there are guest speakers from UCI’s Diversity, Inclusion & Racial Healing High School Ambassador Program (DIRHA) and Unidos, a nonprofit Hispanic civil rights organization.
“We talk about topics that have been disregarded by societal views, that we feel are important to our school’s climate change,” said Jacqueline Castillo (12), a NPFH presentation leader for Unity Week.
Following the recent ICE protests that impacted our school’s campus, NPFH chose each topic with careful consideration.
“It’s really important to make sure that our school speaks up about topics that affect every person,” said Castillo.
Behind each topic are many NPFH club members, and one student leader that delegates tasks to them. These leaders endure most of the responsibility of the presentation. They oversee that their seminar is influential and accurate, as well as that each member of their group is on task.
The most complex part of Unity Week is the coordination of the presentation with the guest speaker’s information. There are many simultaneous working parts that go into each presentation in order to ensure that the information accomplishes NPFH’s goals.
Members must research their topic, hand select vocabulary words to describe each issue, design presentations, coordinate their team members’ work, organize guest speakers, and present their topic to school. Great effort and time are put into compiling these seminars — it is no easy task. NPFH is making a difference on campus by doing work that many shy away from.
Sexism, mental health, and racism are not easy topics to discuss, yet these presentations do so with grace and professionalism.
The first presentation about sexism will be thoughtfully given by guest speaker Maritza, along with an anecdote about her personal experience with it. As a member of Unidos, a non profit organization that advocates for Hispanic civil rights, Maritza will bring perspective and awareness on the reality of being a minority woman.
“I think these presentations are definitely working to help people see that there needs to be change. There’s still work to be done,” said Lailah Callier (11), a member of NPFH and leader of the sexism presentation.
Callier encourages students to learn from the presentations and then talk about them to their friends.
“If you ever see anything happening, it’s important to stand up, because people think they don’t have a voice but if you stand up for someone, that does wonders for our campus,” said Callier.
Everyone can learn something from these presentations. There is no age limit to being more understanding and inclusive. While this year’s topics educate all members of our school, they also create a safe environment for students to feel seen and comforted. Unity Week is arguably one of the most important weeks of the school year because it reminds students and faculty of their larger purpose of treating others with inclusivity and respect no matter their background, ethnicity, or identity.
If you feel called to create a more unified community, attend NPFH’s presentations this Tuesday through Thursday at lunch in the theater. Real change starts with one person — and that person could be you.
