Meet Our Youth

Rodney Blakney, 12th grade

At my high school, lack of diversity is a huge factor that affects me and my many of my peers. My school’s student population is 87% black, 7% Hispanic and 1% white. Most of my peers are not able to understand people who are different than them and have very little experience in relating to people of different backgrounds. I was one of those people until I became involved with CCSJ. My involvement started with the planning of the diversity summit in 2006. Through that process, I made a lot of friends of different races and backgrounds. My peers and I are also facing economic discrimination at school. The funding at my school is low and some of our classes don’t have books. Many of the students live below the poverty line and are constantly being put down- by other students and the media. At CCSJ, people are not harassed by their peers and people feel safe sharing and expressing their feelings. This is important because, for those who struggle everyday, it’s a place for them to feel strong. There are many problems in the world, but It only takes one person to make a change. At CCSJ, we are that one person.

Victoria Sanchez, 9^th grade

I was the girl who always blended into the crowd. I couldn’t help it. I liked keeping my thoughts to myself, and raising my hand in class was always a challenge, not because I had nothing to say but because I was convinced that no one would listen. In middle school, I was a minority so my voice shrunk even more. Before I knew it I graduated 8^th grade and was on my way to high school. Summer was boring and I had nothing to do until my best friend dragged me to bring it on. Once I arrived at camp, I saw that it wasn’t what I expected. I was a writer, and was used to putting everything I thought on paper in a notebook, not expressed through my mouth to people I had never met before. As the week went on, I realized I wasn’t the only person who has insecurities. For once in my life, I truly felt accepted. I could finally talk about the topics I cared about, I could talk about my experiences as a minority in middle school. After bring it on I felt I could make a difference, that my voice was higher than a whisper, and that people wanted to hear it. I am extremely grateful for that.

Rhea Mogilevsky, 12^th grade

CCSJ was recommended by a school counselor who saw my passion social justice and my leadership potential, despite the fact that I could not see those things in myself. Naturally hot tempered, I was always one to get violent when I had been wronged by someone else. CCSJ has given my flame a different way to burn. My energy is no longer wasted on fixing a problem the violent and angry way. Now I know how to deal with situations in a proper manner. Without CCSJ, I could have been in dangerous situations because I was handling my frustrations in an improper fashion. CCSJ is more than just a social community with a common interest, it is a place that distributes information that can potentially save lives.

Melissa Siegel, 12^th grade

At my school, bullying is a major problem. Everytime I go to calculus class, the students in my class attack my identity. As a Jewish girl in a majority Christian school, I always get degrading comments about my religion. CCSJ is the only place that I can come and not worry about being bullied. It is also a place where I can work on stopping bullying. CCSJ has helped me find my true self and meet people who respect me as myself. Without CCSJ, I would not have come to understand that I want to tackle inequality for the rest of my life. I also would not have found a place where I can be myself without worrying about what someone will think of me.

Elver Barrios, 12^th grade

As an immigrant, I have seen the struggles that undocumented immigrant students are facing. Many of these students are dropping out of high school because they feel like they have reached their limit. In many places, like North Carolina, undocumented students can’t advance to college. This is a serious problem that I was not sure how to address. At CCSJ, I have learned how to be a leader. I have started a group to educate my peers and community members on the educational challenges of undocumented students. I have also used my leadership skills to encourage undocumented students not to drop out of high school and to join the fight for post secondary education opportunities. We are working to let people know that we consider ourselves American because we have lived most of our lives here. If it weren’t for CCSJ, I might have been the one who had dropped out of high school, as many others do.

Khalil King, 12^th grade

Two years ago, I was the bully. I made fun of Megan because she has worn the same shoes since 6^th grade. I made fun of Mike because he was like 4′3″. I didn’t think it mattered to them- they’d move on from it and I’d get a little bit of attention. This is the type of situation I’d repeat and never feel badly about. Before I came to CCSJ, my greatest commodity was myself and other people’s feelings were at my disposal to make me feel better, to get attention or just to have fun. When I joined CCSJ, I got a reality check that bullying is not acceptable and is socially unjust. CCSJ introduced me to real issues and feelings that were boiled down into simple and understandable concepts. This understanding has helped me become a better person. Now when someone is being bullied or made fun of, an uncomfortable feeling comes over me. I don’t like the way I made others feel. I hate to see others in pain. I stopped making other people feel bad, and feel like maybe I can stop others from doing it too.