Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1190776
"I'm not an expert. I'm continuously learning new things. But whatever we are reading, we find a way to talk about social issues." priced out, but conversations revealed broader concerns. Even students from affluent households feared that after col- lege, they would never be able to move back to their community. Students wor- ried about traffic, pollution, congestion and quality of life. When the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County created a contest for youth to submit creative ideas about the housing crisis last year, Bryant jumped at the opportunity. She made the contest an assignment for her three freshman classes and submitted the best entries. Students turned in artwork, poems and essays. At the awards ceremony held in April at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park, three won prizes: Marco Lenzi wrote a song called "Housing Crisis Blues" that included video and news reports; Clara Reinhold wrote a poem about the ineq- uity of housing and what it is worth to have a roof over one's head; and Max Villalobos created artwork with the mes- sage "Homes Are for People, Not Profit." "I was blown away," says Bryant. "is was so much more than just telling them facts so they could learn how to write. is project created a platform for them to shine. At the awards night ceremony I just sat back, watched and clapped." For Reinhold the experience was trans- formative. "My teacher helped me figure out who I was. She helped me grow. I began focus- ing on social justice and became more interested in helping people. I joined school clubs such as Pride Pals, which includes students with special needs, and the Gay Straight Alliance. I became an ally." Br yant grew up in the Bay Area and worked for years as a paraeducator before enrolling in the College of Notre Dame's credential program, which partnered with the Sequoia Union High School District, community groups and philanthropists to pay tuition costs for participants. She has been teaching for two years. She recalls experiencing racism and insensitivity as a student in the pub- lic school system. Her high school, for example, had "Slave Day," where students "bought" other students for a day of ser- vitude, which African American students found very offensive. She says when mem- bers of the Black Student Union walked across campus to a meeting, it caused an "uproar" among others who felt threat- ened. When she became an educator, she decided to expand her freshman English students' horizons and teach through a social justice lens. "I'm not an expert on social justice. I'm a lifelong learner continuously learning new things. But whatever we are reading — such as The Great Gatsby, for example — we find a way to talk about racism and justice and social issues." She is an adviser for her school's Black Student Union, which voted to welcome nonblack students who are interested in being allies and social justice advocates. Presently, her 11th graders are work- ing on what it means to be American and looking at students who are privi- leged, struggling or undocumented. Her ninth graders are reading short stories a n d m a k i n g c o n n e c t i o n s t o c u r re n t social issues. "Being led by my passion has made me innovative," says Bryant. "I feel very lucky. It 's beneficial for students and helps me pursue my dream of becoming a social justice advocate in the work- place and community." Bryant with Teki Sanft. She helps students think critically and be a voice in their communities. 29 D E C E M B E R 2 019 / J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0