There are many things that come to my mind when I am asked, What are you

passionate about? Some being: family, friends, happiness; these all hold strong
meaning to me. But something that stood out from my list was social inclusion.
Extended into social equality, I went to Quaker school for eleven years. During
my time as a Friend, I was schooled in the principles of equality and the ways of
respect. New Garden Friends was much different from your average school. The
students helped create the guidelines and called their teachers by their first
names. The notion of respect for one another was at the heart of every action we
took. Even in the lunch room it was important for us to live out our principles.
Every Thursday was mix it up day which was created so that students would
avoid becoming cliquish. Our english teacher mandated that we could not sit with
people from our regular group of friends. These mix it up days were vital to our
growth because they helped instill in us the principle of inclusion. We learned the
value of hearing multiple perspectives and that the combination of diverse
influences can produce the best outcomes. Then I went to high school.
Transitioning into the real world, I was greeted with the harsh reality that not
everyone held such open values. I noticed as cliques developed, members became
complacent, and there was no mechanism to introduce change. Even though we
attended one of the most diverse high schools in the county, we still had strong
social divisions. As vice president of the senior class, I wanted to make sure
everyones perspective was heard because I know that the best conversations are
ones in which everyone is included.
My participation in the National Conference for Community Justice
equipped me with the tools necessary to institute the principles of inclusion in my
school and community. As class vice president, I serve on a committee that makes
decisions about the face that Western Guilford High shows to the world. Whether
we are discussing homecoming plans, our social media presence, or clothing and
food drives, we have a responsibility to make sure that we represent all 1300
students in the best way possible. In the haze of stress that looms over events, the
voices and opinions of the more introverted can get lost. Tasks such as planning
social events and charitable fundraisers require the full participation of all
council members, and it is often hard for everyone feel included. In living out my
principles of inclusion, I would often encourage the more soft spoken members of
our group to speak up, and even encourage the louder members to hear them out.
I felt it was necessary for the opinions of all to be heard - not just those who had
the most commanding presence. Whether I am including kids in conversation at
lunch or making sure everyone has an equal voice in student council meetings, as
an NCCJ ambassador, I take pride in ensuring every person is heard. I know that
every voice added to the conversation brings us closer and closer to expressing
who we truly are. We should all mix it up because it will take everyone to create
lasting change.