Waldorf students recently participated in Erase Racism’s “Students Partnering to Achieve Racial Equity” program. A group of high school students from the Waldorf School of Garden City recently participated in Erase Racism’s “Students Partnering to Achieve Racial Equity” program.

Drawing students from a variety of public and private schools throughout Nassau County, the program motivates students to make a difference in their communities and in their schools by increasing their understanding of institutional and structural racism and their abilities to become racial equity advocates. The event, a one-day multimedia forum, challenged the students’ assumptions about race and ethnicity and helped them build leadership skills to counter racism. By the end of the program, the students gained not only valuable skills but also forged new friendships with other students from other high schools.

“There are things going on today that we all need to be aware of,” said senior Mary Catelli. “I think it’s important to know what it’s like to feel oppressed. It was an empowering experience because I learned not only the tools to combat racism but I also experienced these challenges. I look forward to participating in future workshops.”

Other activities planned throughout the year will further build knowledge and teamwork among students, such as film forums, community service projects, interactive games, and more.