On Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ‘s birthday, the DMHS Diversity Club hosted a watch party for the documentary “13th,” which addresses the history of racial injustice in the United States since the creation of the 13th Amendment. The event was unique due to the interactiveness and the student-led discussions that were conducted.

 “I wanted it to be a different experience for the people who went through ‘13th’ last year,” Diversity Club advisor Judy Aronson expressed. “Instead of having me talk about the topics, I wanted the students to take ownership of them.”

 Following the screening of “13th,” the Diversity Club hosted “Open Your Eyes,” a course where a group of participants, open to the entire DMHS student body, learned about different topics surrounding race, such as the school-to-prison pipeline and the model minority myth. Like the conversations after the screening of “13th,” these discussions were also student-led. They involved students talking about discrimination in the classroom and racial inequities in healthcare. Moreover, three student leaders presented their experiences relevant to the topics and promoted healthy discussions: seniors Alison Le, Jadyn Lewis, and Danny Liu.

 “Having ‘Open Your Eyes’ run by peer leaders really inspired other students to speak up on topics that some adults don’t even dare to approach,” Diversity Club Co-President Timmy Zhang commented. “Seeing other students speak on topics such as the school-to-prison pipeline or the model minority myth inspired others which, in turn, created a loop where more students built up the courage to speak.”

 The “13th” showing and the “Open Your Eyes” course were both informative because they promoted meaningful dialogue among DMHS students. Hopefully, this program will continue important conversations in the future. 

 “I hope ‘Open Your Eyes’ can soon be held again but in-person so that students can hold these important conversations face-to-face,” senior Jerelle Daag concluded.