“My name is Camila. I am ending the silence by not speaking the whole day.”
Asking teenagers to be quiet for a whole day, in solidarity with LGBTQ students and other marginalized people around the world, was their idea. Students wanted to once again participate in the GLSEN Day of Silence. We supported their initiative by:
- circulating a list of participating students to all teachers so they could adapt their lessons and expectations
- opening the day with a video about the background and philosophy of the day of silence and support for marginalized people
- showing a video, and follow-up discussion, about homosexuality and discrimination in the Latino community
- exploring the groups of people who experience challenges here at our school
- holding a debriefing session with participating students at the end of the day
Some students only made it to lunchtime, and some chose not to participate directly, but we all felt moved by the experience. We held loved ones in the light, tried to walk a bit in their shoes, and became more aware of our communication patterns and listening skills. Learning to listen, and to appreciate the worth and different experience of others, is a core part of Quaker Education. Gracias to the students for having the initiative and the courage to accept this challenge.
