Fox Chapel Area senior spearheading social justice workshop - TribLIVE

sanirbanir.blogspot.com

53 minutes ago

A Fox Chapel Area senior is spearheading a social justice workshop for teens that aims to challenge discrimination and develop potential legislation.

Abby Rickin-Marks said the remote conference Oct. 24 is meant to enlighten students about issues of inequality and arm teens with the know-how to write proposals and petitions to schools, local government and state leaders.

“Ultimately, the purpose of this symposium is to educate, inspire and empower high school students to make a difference in both their schools and their larger communities in terms of social equity, inclusivity and diversity,” Rickin-Marks said.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Diversity Education Symposium will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is open to all high school students from across the region.

It will be the kickoff of an ongoing youth advocacy network that will bring high school student leaders together monthly.

Registration is available at cutt.ly/3dBgzaX

“In today’s climate of civil unrest, many students feel helpless in terms of making a big impact on society, especially in terms of inequality,” said Rickin-Marks, who gathered a committee of 20 students from 13 school districts.

“We must start small, looking at our own schools and our own lives to make that difference. As a community, I feel that students across the region are able to improve school experiences, broaden empathy and promote diversity widely.”

The conference is a follow-up to a 2018 workshop titled “Be the Change,” also led by Rickin-Marks.

Offered with support from the University of Pittsburgh School of Education, speakers will include:

● Dr. Valerie Kinloch, dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Education;

● Dr. Anupama Jain, executive director of the Gender Equity Commission;

● Rebecca Cokley, director of the Disability Justice Initiative at American Progress;

● Jason Goodman, executive director of the Pennsylvania Youth Congress for LGBTQ Youth Advocacy;

● Dr. Tyra Good, founder of Black Educators Network and founder/chief academic officer of Good Knowledge Connections.

Presentations will arm students with knowledge on how to challenge discrimination in curriculum and policies, and students will have the chance to work together to propose resolutions for local and state politicians.

Jessica Daninhirsh, a junior at North Allegheny Senior High School and a member of the planning team, said she has felt increasingly inspired to use her voice in 2020, particularly after the death of George Floyd.

“Ever since social media started to blow up about the Black Lives Matter movement and other social justice issues, I’ve felt more inclined than ever do something,” Daninhirsh said. “I’ve come to the realization that we don’t learn everything in school.

“I wanted to help shed light on the idea that not everyone is being represented in what we learn at school, and it’s so important for kids to grow up learning about their own history.”

Tawnya Panizzi is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tawnya at 412-782-2121 x1512, tpanizzi@triblive.com or via Twitter .

Categories: Fox Chapel Herald | Local | Valley News Dispatch