Ideas This Week

Read inspiring stories of students and educators from our Southern California Partner School Network who have exemplified what it means to be an upstander.

Each week, SAMEAN Voices consistently builds engaging and interactive curriculum, facilitating vulnerable and transformative dialogues for their peers. While SAMEAN Voices presents from an AMEMSA experience, they are open to all students and staff and their meetings have a high multiracial and multiethnic attendance.

Hailey has been a prominent voice in our weekly Upstander meetings regardless of the topic. She has advocated for us to support people experiencing homelessness through various means.

Sanaia stands out because she has stood up as a leader and as a beacon of positivity in her grade level.

Heydy participated in a youth leadership workshop for I Learn America (ILA), a project that brings students together to tell their stories of migration.

Itzel J. is someone who has learned how to advocate for her needs, support her classmates through their own struggles by offering advice, all while having such a positive attitude at our school.

Michelle has been an ally for LGBTQ friends at our school. She has shared how she offered support for a student who wanted to come out as gay.

Angie is extremely hardworking but she also shows her abilities to be an Upstander in the classroom and for our school during these unprecedented times of distance learning.

Kimberly’s standing up has given other students reason to pause and think about how their response to something was insensitive and how to re-word their response to be more inclusive as well as sensitive to others.

Kaylen is the current president of Bring Change to Mind, a club that is dedicated to encouraging dialogue about mental health, and to raising awareness, understanding, and empathy.

This year, our Student Upstanders group met weekly via Zoom every Friday at 8am. Prycilla always attends and is willing to share her ideas with everyone, but one of her best attributes is allowing others to also have a say and encouraging everyone in their individual passions.  

Alina is this year's president of SAMEAN (South Asian Middle Eastern Arab North African) Voices. An active member of the group for the last four years, as president this year she acted on the demands of the uprisings for racial and social justice from this summer in order to build community, raise awareness, and take action.