May Zhao ’21 started an organization to help educate Chinese students about climate change. Photo by Jessie Goodwin/The Choate News
Dr. Liza Talusan’s Diversity Day Keynote Speech, titled “Activist or Act? As If!,”highlighted the importance of taking constructive action to improve society. Many Choate students engage in activism in spheres from environmentalism to sexism. Although it may seem difficult to do so at a young age, several students have managed to significantly impact their communities through activism.
May Zhao ’21 is passionate about environmentalism, and she both practices sustainability and helps raise awareness about climate change. On campus, Zhao is a Conservation Proctor and is currently enrolled in the Environmental Immersion Program at the Kohler Environmental Center (KEC). She hopes to engage in conversations throughout Choate and her home community in China about the environment, firmly believing in storytelling as an effective way to spread awareness.
On January 14, Zhao gave a Choate Talk at school meeting about coral bleaching, highlighting the detrimental effects of climate change on natural life. Zhao started ACC Environmental Awareness last summer, an organization that helps educate children in local Chinese schools about the effects of climate change. According to Zhao, ACC stands for Awareness-Care-Change. As a high school student, creating ACC was a difficult feat, but Zhao’s passion for the issue drove her to succeed.
For centuries, humans have made several decisions that have negatively impacted the planet, and now we’re paying our dues. Zhao hopes to be part of a change that will save the world. “We must compensate for our own crimes,” she explained. In the future, Zhao hopes to pursue marketing communication or a related field to develop a larger platform for her activism.
Vice President of Choate for Women Tyler Neri ’21 advocates for women’s rights and gender equality. Neri’s motivations for activism include caring deeply about her work and giving back to the community. “Because I have the level of privilege and opportunity that I do, I definitely feel like it is my responsibility to do whatever I can with that,” said Neri.
Within her club, Neri tries to practice listening — a skill that will be critical as she pursues Women’s Rights activism in the future. She said,“One thing I try to focus on is not letting my voice take over.” After Choate, she hopes to pursue public service as a way to continue her activism.
Cici Curran ’20 has completed work related to sexual assault. She, along with Serena Sandweiss ’20, attended a conference on November 24, 2018, in Washington, D.C. about Title IX, a law that protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance. The law has inspired sexual assault victims on college campuses to pursue legal action against their assailants.
After attending the conference, Curran was inspired to educate others about Title IX. “This is something that should always be a right,” she said. She and Sandweiss organized a comment writing session, at which students researched and wrote letters to Congress. Curran will be taking Women’s Studies in a Global Perspective in the spring and hopes to continue pursuing her interest in college. While Curran isn’t sure her ultimate career will involve activism, she hopes to be involved with organizations that will allow her to work in social justice.
Curran believes that while it is hard for students to be activists, it is certainly possible for them to make a difference. Being open to seeing an issue in a new light or engaging with it in a new way on an individual level is critical to change. “You won’t know until you try it,” explained Curran.
Strength in numbers is another important aspect of student activism. “It’s important to inspire as many people as you can,” Neri said. Within Choate’s diverse student population, we have the opportunity to interact with diversity in race, gender, socioeconomic status, sexuality, and thought. As the next generation of wave-makers, it is critical that we soak up these varied perspectives to develop a more comprehensive global understanding and engage in thoughtful activism.
Choate could provide students with more opportunities for service and activism, since many students are unaware of how they can get involved. Neri said, “There are Service Saturdays, but a lot of students have sports every Saturday.” However, it is especially important that students stay up-to-date on current events, and that they find ways that they can become involved in their communities. “It’s hard to be an activist if you don’t know what’s going on,” said Curran.
