UNITED VOICES
Event helps give students, parents a new perspective
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> After the successful first Voices for Unity event, Sarah Daoui decided another event discussing conversational topics would serve the school community well.
In February, the first Voices for Unity event featured a student Muslim immigrant, a Skidmore College Syrian refugee, an Amnesty International USA representative and a LGBTQ speaker from the Albany Pride Center.
“After our first Voices for Unity event, we received a lot of positive feedback from students, parents and teachers stating the event allowed them to gain new perspectives,” said Daoui. “Due to that event’s success, we decided that we want these Voices for Unity discussions to continue as a segment of events at Saratoga Springs High School.”
Tess Turner, a junior and active member of the Amnesty International Club, said the club wanted to do something different from last time.
“We didn’t want to have it be too repetitive,” said Turner. “We all kind of sat down and we talked about, ‘OK what kind of speakers do we have access to, and
what are the things we kind of want to hear about?’”
Something the group wanted to do was having someone come in to talk about domestic violence and rape culture.
“I think the main reason why we wanted to have Maggie [Fronk] come from Wellspring [in Albany] who talked about women’s rights and domestic violence, was because a lot of girls I know in our club are really passionate about it, and rape culture has really become kind of a big thing and I feel like a lot of high-schoolers have felt the effects of,” said Turner.
At the previous event a student spoke about being Muslim, so another member from Amnesty International Club wanted to speak about her religion.
Channah Goldman discussed anti-Semitism.
“She really stepped up and she was really awesome,” said Turner.
Turner and classmates attended a screening of “I am Negro” where they heard Max Rouzier speak about racism.
“He kind of just fell into our laps,” said Turner. “He was awesome [and] we really wanted to get him to come talk to us about racism.”
Overall, the Amnesty International Club members said they were more than pleased with who spoke at the event Thursday night.
“I think a panel of speakers on different human rights topics is beneficial for students as we develop into critical thinkers,” said Daoui. “All of these issues are in a way intertwined, and insightfully inspire individuals of all ages to join the human rights movement.”
Student rapper Synclaire Rowen, who goes by the name Scrambled, performed at the beginning of the event.
After the speakers presented their stories, a high school group called Shift performed slam poetry at the end.
“I think the whole experience at the end was really inspiring and moving [and] getting to hear a lot of high school students and high school graduates as well as other people share their own experiences on issues that we don’t get to hear about a lot,” said Turner. “I think it’s cool because Saratoga isn’t that diverse of a place, which is why we love having these events.”
Turner hopes to continue what Daoui and Gillian Breemer began next year.
“We’re trying to make Voices for Unity like a series,” said Turner.
“This is going to be the last one of the year, but next year we plan on continuing them.”