One thing I remember when I first walked into Diversity Club was the diversity, the energy, and the dedication to make everyone feel safe and welcomed. Over the years, the club has grown and kind of transformed from just a small club into a place where many students use their voices and feel like they belong. To find out how far the club has come, where it’s heading, and what it’s currently up to, I talked with Michelle Areta, the advisor of the club who has been there from the very beginning, and the officers and members of the club, Soul, Abby, and Annwood.
Q: HOW DID THE IDEA FOR THE CLUB START, AND WHAT WAS THE VERY FIRST YEAR OF IT STARTING?
Michelle Areta: “I had taught at Chase Middle School for 19 years before coming to Salk. My son, who is biracial, was a student here. I could see, not only as a teacher but as a parent, that there were not many places for marginalized groups to have a voice, which made me sad. I knew that wasn’t acceptable, so I began looking for a way to create a safe space for any students whose voices had been quieted for any reason based on who they are or what they believe in.”
Q: WHAT IS THE MOST AMAZING THING ABOUT HOW IT HAS GROWN FROM THOSE EARLY DAYS TO NOW?
Michelle Areta: “When we first started in 2020, there hadn’t been anything like this at Salk. We started with four to five kids, and by the end of last year, our attendance had grown to 50 kids. It’s been exciting to see not just the growth, but that clearly the club was an important thing that our school needed.”
Q: WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST HOPE FOR WHERE THE CLUB GOES IN THE FUTURE AND THE IMPACT IT LEAVES ON THE SCHOOL OR COMMUNITY?
Michelle Areta: “I think part of my biggest dreams are already being realized. I see kids, yourself being one of them, who have not only found your voice but are using it in great and powerful ways to impact our community, educate people, celebrate, and advocate for marginalized groups. My hope is that kids who come through the Diversity Club not only find a place to speak, but would go on with loud and powerful voices to make an impact on the community from this day on.”
From the first time it started to now, so many things have changed. The current students are busy planning the next impact for the group. Here is what the students Xol Carbajal, the president; Annwood Typhoon, the vice president; and Asha Alston and Abi Meyer, the secretary and treasurer, had to say about their experience.
Q: HOW HAS THE CLUB CHANGED SINCE YOU FIRST JOINED?
Annwood Typhoon, who has been in the club since sixth grade, expressed that the club had seen a huge change with more kids coming in: “More kids were interested and the younger kids would want to join to make a difference too.” The club goals grew more as more people joined. Issac Smith, who recently joined, expressed that he enjoyed the history lessons, and when I asked if he planned on rejoining next year, he said “yes,” as more and more kids join the club and make even bigger plans for the future.
Q: WHAT IMPACTS HAS THIS CLUB HAD ON THE COMMUNITY OF YOUR SCHOOL AND OTHER SCHOOLS?
Abi Meyer: I have seen more come together, especially for Unity Day, and I have seen in school that more kids are more educated about other students that are different from them.
Xol Carbajal: There is still some negativity, but because of the Diversity Club, the negativity is not as bad. And it encourages people to be better, and over the years many students have joined to participate in the fight and movement.
Q: WHAT BIG EVENTS OR PARTIES ARE YOU PLANNING FOR THE REST OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR?
Xol Carbajal: At the end of the school year, we are planning on having a multicultural feast. Everyone brings food from their cultures, and some do performances, and we celebrate it in one feast.
Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING A LEADER IN THE CLUB?
Asha Alston: My favorite part might be being able to see different people of different ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds. Them coming together and accepting each other regardless of some negativity in the school, and in Diversity Club people feel more comfortable to be themselves.
Abi Meyer: I’m happy to see people learn about history and seeing how things have happened in the past and how we can grow from it.
Xol Carbajal: It’s seeing the younger generation still want to be a part of this and not just think it’s useless, because it’s really important.
Annwood Typhoon: Growing together as a community with equality and how we learn from each other on the good and the bad.
I remember the first time I joined the Diversity Club. It was a smaller club than it is right now. The club had some diversity, but it could use more, and I am glad that is the case today. As Diversity grows, the more its goals and dreams of members are recognized. I hope that as they continue to stand together and fight for justice.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.