Buckley Country Day School turned its auditorium into a showcase for some of its brightest young minds, sharing some of their most passionate work at the Social Justice Slam. It was certainly a night to remember, as students used their voices and imagery—through poetry and film about social issues and courageous human rights defenders—yielding results that were nothing short of amazing.

The project was designed as part of the humanities program with Patricia Russac and Natasha Chadha with the purpose of advancing the school’s ongoing effort to raise awareness about diversity, inclusion, and intersectionality. Through the process, students discovered what stands in the way of social justice, realized that they can do something to protect the rights of others, and explored all sides of an issue through questioning.

“Empowering learners to take informed action for social justice promotes responsibility that goes beyond the classroom; it builds empathy to stand up for human rights,” said Ms. Russac. “Students, today, don’t need to wait until tomorrow, or for adults, to be changemakers. They have the power to make a difference now.” These issues are complicated, but are key to becoming an informed global citizen.

These sixth graders understand the problems that exist in our world today. “They are already encountering and discussing these issues outside of the classroom, so the objective is to help them become more knowledgeable and confident to speak up when necessary,” said Ms. Chadha. Learning about courageous defenders who stand up for human rights urges students to be engaged to take action.

As renowned author and civil rights activist Audre Lorde said, “When we speak, we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak.”

These sixth graders were empowered by the project to tackle the issues society faces. We hope their work inspires others as well.