There is nothing like being seen in a place where you thought you might not be seen as much. At the 2026 Get Connected Conference, so many great things happened, and I would say it was truly refreshing. Going to a school where the majority of students don’t look like me, it often feels exhausting to navigate the environment. Everyone talks differently and acts differently than I do, and to talk to them, it feels like doing a live translation of what I’m saying or how I speak.
But at Get Connected, it was like a switch had been flipped. It was so simple to just walk around and just be. There were so many people who looked like familiar faces that I felt comfortable. I didn’t speak to many people, but it still felt like I understood part of what they felt about the event. Sometimes being in a place where you are familiar with the people and how things work feels like a blessing.
For me, the talent show was a great example of how much diversity there was at the event. Some did spoken word and some danced, and as everyone was performing, both on stage and in the audience, there were so many people from different schools and different backgrounds. Even with all that, it was still beautiful to see people represent their culture and their thoughts. Everyone at the event looked so comfortable that it felt peaceful. Something about the students who performed was really inspiring. It was so inspiring that after the event, my friend and I decided that we had to perform next year. We felt as if we also had to share something about ourselves, whether it’s cultural or not. All we know is that the stage is a safe place for us to be ourselves and to represent what we believe. This is a perfect example of just how empowering and encouraging it is to see people share their culture and express who they are.
At the event, one thing that I thought was amazing was the exposure to new cultures. I have seen Islander dances before, but the one performed during the talent show was something I had never seen. I was left wondering what kind of dance it was. I thought that if there were more events that explored different cultures, many people would get the chance to ask questions and learn about those cultures. Spokane is big, and there are many different people with unique cultures, and I feel like not many people know about the diversity that is here. If there were more events to celebrate these cultures, I truly believe Spokane would be much brighter and more comfortable to live in, especially for those who are not originally from here.
Get Connected is one of the first steps, but I hope it grows into something more. I hope that students who sometimes feel like school or the world outside doesn’t represent them will go to this event and decide that they are going to represent themselves—and that this can be the first step in finding a community.