Diversify Our Narrative is an organization created and led by students who felt that the current school curriculum was lacking in terms of anti-racist and non-eurocentric courses. The organization has multiple chapters throughout the United States. In fact, there is a chapter within our very own school district trying to invoke change in the curriculum.
The NHUSD chapter of Diversify Our Narrative (or DON for short) is made up of a team of students, mainly from James Logan High School. This team consists of graphic designers, communications managers, people skilled in outreach, and three district leads among others.
Although each member of the team is distinctly different, each with their own set of skills and talents, they all joined with the same intent: to change the NHUSD school curriculum to one that is more progressive and socially conscious. Currently, their main goal is to implement more diverse and anti-racist books in English classes, but they are also attempting to create change in other classes in order to promote productive dialogue about the effects of race and identity.
“I helped contribute to the start of the NHUSD chapter of DON by collaborating with the other Co-Lead, Rebecca Austria. We both decided to become organizers and ‘representatives’ for our district, because we want to make change in our curriculum,” Junior Isabella Baron, Co-Lead of DON, said. “We think it’s very important to acknowledge the past and present systemic racism that has continued to fester within our communities. We hope to make a change and provide a more inclusive environment for all NHUSD students.”
The movement to address systemic racism came to the forefront this past summer in many places around the country with the highly publicized attacks against people of color and the subsequent protests for and against change. The second district lead for DON, sophomore Rebecca Austria, sees the Logan chapter’s efforts as especially important.
“Our initiative’s goal is especially imperative in our district because we need a curriculum that reflects the same diversity that we see in our student body, not only to understand ourselves and our own heritage– but each others’,” Austria said.
Logan has long been at the forefront of Ethnic Studies, with an award winning and highly respected Ethnic Studies department. However, not all departments and groups have always contributed to the progressive mission. DON hopes to change that, and so far the results and interest have been positive.
Overall, Diversify Our Narrative is a strong organization that continues to garner steady support from both students and educators. The organization is growing rapidly as more and more students join to further their cause. The NHUSD chapter is set out to make big steps in terms of creating change in our district, already sparking important discussions among students and important authority figures within the district.
“We should not only be learning about the narratives/histories of BIPOC in high school ethnic studies classes,” Austria said. “We do acknowledge that some history and english teachers do speak on some of these issues in class, but teaching the histories and narratives of BIPOC/LGBTQ+ communities shouldn’t just be a choice or suggestion for teachers. We should be starting these conversations and seeing representation in all classes, not just some.”
