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ACLU Announces Winners of 2008 Youth Activist Scholarship (3/14/2008)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: media@aclu.org (212) 549-2666
NEW YORK - The American Civil Liberties Union today announced the winners of its
2008 Youth Activist Scholarship contest. Fifteen high school seniors from across
the country will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship in recognition of
their outstanding work to protect civil liberties, especially for young
people.
Since 2000, the ACLU has awarded scholarships annually to honor the
efforts of graduating seniors who have demonstrated a strong commitment to civil
liberties and civil rights through student activism.
"It's
heartening to know that in a time when our civil liberties are under constant
attack, so many young people across the nation are stepping up to defend their
rights as students and as Americans," said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D.
Romero. "We are pleased to award the ACLU Youth Scholarship to recognize the
courage of these young men and women who are future leaders in the fight for
civil liberties."
Below are highlights of the
accomplishments of this year's winners, and quotes from their personal essays.
Full profiles and photos are available by clicking on the winners'
names.
Brian Carrell stood up against prejudice in
his small, conservative hometown of Roscoe, IL by starting his high school's
first Gay Straight Alliance (GSA). School administrators at Brian's high school
sent the GSA proposal to the district's school board, where anti-gay groups
packed the room at every board and subcommittee meeting. Brian's own mother
spoke at the board meetings in opposition of the GSA. Despite these obstacles,
he started an aggressive Internet campaign to rally GSA supporters and
volunteered to be a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the school if the school
board voted against the proposed GSA. Thanks in large part to Brian's efforts,
the school board ultimately voted 5-2 in favor of the GSA. The ACLU of Illinois
is proud to support a student who stepped forward to guarantee fairness in his
school, despite being at risk of being shunned by his community, friends and
family.
"I believe that it is paramount
to a free and open democracy, that all voices are acknowledged regardless of
age, race, creed, sexual orientation or social status… Now that I have seen what
a group of students working together can accomplish, I am encouraged to stay
active in the democratic processes of my community and my
nation."
Cara Cerise of Salt Lake City, UT, has been
active in supporting LGBT rights and social justice throughout her high school
career. In addition to accepting leadership roles in her school's social justice
club, Building One New Dream (BOND), and lobbying against dangerous anti-gay
bills in Utah's state legislature, Cara also started the Utah chapter of
Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere (COLAGE). COLAGE is a support group
designed to "engage, connect, and empower people to make the world a better
place for children of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender parents and
families." The ACLU of Utah also recognized Cara in its local scholarship
competition for her demonstrated leadership and initiative.
"I'm an activist because I know I can make a
difference. As I finish high school, my activism will not stop. I see it as an
ongoing process. It is my passion, my drive, my reason for
living."
Jamaal Davis is a dedicated leader in the
New York Civil Liberties Union's Teen Health Initiative. Since being chosen as
the group's youngest Peer Educator at the age of 14, Jamaal has worked
diligently to promote civil liberties. Jamaal has consistently conducted more
outreach in his community and presented at more workshops than any other Peer
Educator in the program - giving dozens of presentations across New York City
about critical reproductive health services. Additionally, he started a workshop
with his church youth group to inform his peers about access to health care like
HIV/STI testing; participated in a demonstration against the Patriot Act, "A
Funeral for the Bill of Rights"; and has marched for immigrants' rights. Jamaal
recently moved from his native New York to Durham, NC where he worked at a
pharmacy to ensure that those who used the pharmacy knew their rights,
particularly about obtaining birth control.
"The United States needs people to stand up for
everyone's rights. I feel fortunate to have found the ACLU… The fight will be
long and hard, but it is surely one that needs to be fought."
Evie Farnsworth was inspired by the suicide
of her gay uncle to become engaged in LGBT issues in her Nashville, TN high
school. She is a founding member of a student-led coalition to get the Metro
Nashville School Board to expand the student non-discrimination policy to
include sexual orientation and gender identity, expression, and appearance.
Through a comprehensive public education campaign, the students have built up a
coalition of Nashville's most respected child welfare and youth groups dedicated
to showing how anti-gay and anti-transgender bullying affects all students. Evie
and the rest of the Support Student Safety coalition hope that their efforts
will be a model for other students who want to make positive change within their
school districts. Evie is also active in her school's GSA, and helped to
organize campus events like the Hume Fogg AIDS Walk, National Transgender Day of
Remembrance, World AIDS Day and the National Day of Silence.
"I strongly believe
that every person in this world is owed the right to embrace his or her
individuality… While anger, sorrow and pain have their justifications, hatred
has no righteous place among humanity. My deepest desire is that peace can be
given to those who have been robbed of it by a misinformed and unkind society. I
will fight for that peace with all the power I possess."
Justin Fletcher took a stand for free
speech in the small town of Nitro, WV. After his school board responded to the
complaints of a few parents by removing two books from the school curriculum,
Justin organized and led a student protest against censorship and co-founded the
Student Coalition against Censorship with students at a neighboring high school.
Justin took the lead in student organization efforts, preparing talking points
about censorship for the school board's consideration. Justin and his fellow
students were persuasive enough to convince the school board to repeal the book
ban.
"I set
out to defend the rights of students and along with the help of my peers the ban
has been repealed. I truly feel if not for our actions, these books would not be
in our curriculum and the rights of students would be further eroded."
Chip Gibbons, a Millersville, MD native and
intern with the ACLU of Maryland, is passionate about a wide range of civil
liberties issues from the PATRIOT Act, to torture and abuse of human rights at
Guantánamo Bay Prison, to ending the death penalty and the war on drugs. Chip
stepped up his activism when a student group he belongs to, Students for Peace
and Justice, tried to invite an Iraq war veteran to his school to talk about the
realities of war. Shortly before the presentation was scheduled to take place
the school canceled the speaking engagement. In response, Chip took the
initiative to organize an off-campus event with the veteran, so his message
could still reach students. Later, he confronted school officials when they
decided that he and his student group could not distribute fliers informing
their fellow students about military recruitment opt-out options. Thanks to his
efforts and those of Students for Peace and Justice, school officials relented
and allowed them to inform students about military recruitment. Chip has
continued to be a civil liberties activist and organizer whose voice will not be
silenced.
"Rights aren't something that exist on some pedestal
or in some glass case at a museum; they are something that belongs to you.
However first you must claim them."
Tonei Glavinic is an accomplished civil
liberties activist in Anchorage, AK. He is the youth representative on the board
of Identity, Inc., a non-profit organization that operates the Gay and Lesbian
Community Center of Anchorage. Tonei is also the Board President of the United
Youth Courts of Alaska (UYCA), a program that diverts misdemeanor youth
offenders to a peer-based community service program instead of the traditional
juvenile justice system. He is a producer with the Alaska Teen Media Institute,
and leverages this position to promote LGBT rights on weekly and monthly radio
shows he produces for local college and public radio stations. Tonei is also
president of his high school GSA and co-chair of the National Transgender
Education Project Youth Review Board. His most passionate interest is working
with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) where he currently
serves on their National Advisory Council.
"… I want to spend
the rest of my life working for equal civil and human rights for all people,
regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity."
Rachelle Harrison hails from South Jordan,
UT. While only in the sixth grade, she realized there was a problem with a
school busing policy that prevented students at her school from having equal
access to educational programs. She gathered data and petitioned the school
board to provide transportation for students who would have otherwise been
excluded. She continued working on this issue throughout middle school and high
school. Her efforts led to the school adopting a more inclusive busing system.
The ACLU of Utah also recognized Rachelle in their local scholarship
competition.
"…I have strengthened my
belief that it is important to defend the rights and meet the needs of all
people. I have also learned that an individual or a group of individuals can
make a real difference in the world."
Matthew LaClair, of Kearny, NJ, stood up
for religious freedom and the separation of church and state in the face of
ridicule and opposition. During his junior year in high school, Matthew had a
history teacher who promoted creationism and other personal religious beliefs in
the classroom. When Matthew confronted the teacher and asked the school
officials to address this, he became the target of harassment and even a death
threat from fellow students. Despite this opposition, Matthew worked with the
ACLU of New Jersey to make sure that the First Amendment is respected and upheld
at his high school. Matthew won the battle at his school, and thanks in large
part to his advocacy the Student Education Assembly on Religious Freedom was
created at his high school so that all members of the school community can
better understand their rights and responsibilities.
"I hope that what I
did encourages others to stand up for civil liberties. I now have a greater
chance of making a bigger difference in the world…"
Doris Le
has been a dedicated civil liberties activist throughout her high school
career in Vallejo, CA. She has been a key leader of her high school ACLU Club
for all four years, organizing presentations and workshops on youth rights,
equality in education, military recruitment and many other civil liberties
topics. Armed with an awareness of new educational equity laws from the Williams
case (co-filed by the ACLU in 2000), Doris recently led students in waging a
campaign for clean, safe and accessible bathrooms, a basic necessity that had
been lacking in her school for years. Under Doris' leadership, the ACLU Club
collected over 800 student signatures to support the bathroom campaign and
galvanized 20 students to attend bi-monthly meetings with the school board to
hold the school accountable to California law. Despite facing criticism from
students and administrators, Doris and her fellow club members maintain that
students deserve healthy and accessible facilities, which are vital to
educational access and a humane learning environment.
"I know I will
continue with activist work in the future because similar to my actions this
year, I will not be able to stand by when I feel injustices are being
committed."
Adam Lee utilized his passion for
filmmaking to promote his other passion: defending civil liberties. As a
volunteer with the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties, Adam not only
completed the typical volunteer tasks like data entry, but also decided to use
his creative talents to promote civil liberties. Adam created a short
documentary about Malia Fontana, an ACLU client and high school student who was
disciplined for wearing an American flag in her back pocket. Adam's compelling
film reached students in 40 classrooms, successfully portraying the importance
of free speech and students' rights. Adam also explored abuses in the criminal
justice system with his documentary on Dale Akiki, a family friend whose basic
human and civil rights were violated due in large part to his appearance. Adam's
earliest film, on Japanese internment camps also addresses racial justice issues
in a thoughtful and provocative way.
"I've come to realize that cinema, whether its
fiction or a documentary, is one of the most influential mediums to tell
stories, create awareness, and fight for civil liberties. I hope that through a
career in filmmaking and continued participation with the ACLU, I can continue
to defend our civil liberties."
Jonathan Lykes, of East Cleveland, OH, is
committed to educational equality, voters' rights and increased opportunities
for all students, regardless of their socio-economic background. Jonathan helped
found a statewide action group that promotes student political activism, Youth
Voices for Justice, and has traveled across Ohio educating young people and
lawmakers alike on complex issues ranging from increasing the minimum wage, to
educational equality. Additionally, Jonathan helped the ACLU of Ohio launch
their Student Poll Worker Initiative. He worked with ACLU staff and the media to
share his experience as a student poll worker, and to urge other students to
join in. Jonathan's participation in the ACLU of Ohio's Student Poll Worker
Press Conference was critical in convincing 88 county Board of Elections members
to do a better job of getting young people involved in the election process.
Jonathan is also a talented spoken word artist, whose many poems celebrate civil
liberties, inspiring his peers to take a more critical look at their own
rights.
"I always use the quote
from Martin Luther King Jr., "Injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice
everywhere." I wanted to start my efforts with the future of this county -
youth… I will continue to fight for justice for all people until I am dead.
There is no greater calling to live for."
Angelina Momanyi passionately gives her
time to educating her fellow students about their reproductive rights. As
a peer educator in the Planned Parenthood of Minneapolis, MN, Angelina trains
high school students to be reproductive health educators and provides them with
opportunities to teach in area schools, churches, and community centers.
Angelina is deeply devoted to expanding reproductive freedoms, volunteering 230
hours during the 2006-07 school year, leading the peer educator council to honor
her as "Outstanding Advocate." Angelina participated in the 2007 Minnesota Youth
Lobby Day to speak with state representatives about comprehensive sexual
education in the public schools. The experience was so meaningful to her that
she volunteered to organize the reproductive freedom efforts for the Youth Lobby
Day in 2008. Angelina also participates in "Get Out the Vote" efforts at
colleges in the Minneapolis area.
"Being
a civil liberties activist isn't about the big events for me anymore. It's about
the harder conversations I have with someone who doesn't share my views or
having the courage to put friendships on the line for my beliefs in what is
right."
Digna Santiago has become the face of
activism for people living with HIV and AIDS in Puerto Rico. Upon moving to the
town of Juana Diaz with her family, the local school board prevented her from
enrolling in the public high school because she is HIV positive. The school
superintendent suggested home schooling and a GED program instead. Rather than
accepting this decision, Digna and her family mobilized the media and
politicians to expose the discrimination against her. Her campaign was
successful: she was featured on several television shows; was visited by
prominent Puerto Rican politicians, including the governor; and the school board
ultimately allowed her enrollment. Digna not only resolved her own personal
dilemma, but she also brought the continuing prejudice against people living
with HIV and AIDS into the public consciousness.
"All I wanted was to enjoy my last year in high
school and then go to college to study engineering. I cried and cried because
what had been my dreams were crushed down…I thought, 'Why am I treated like
this? It isn't my fault that I am HIV positive.' All humans should be treated
equally, like the laws say. I decided that things weren't going to end that way:
I had to fight for my dreams."
Daniel Williams of Albuquerque, NM is a
leader in educating the youth of New Mexico about their civil liberties. Two and
a half years ago, Daniel founded the ACLU of New Mexico's Youth Advisory,
Activism, & Advocacy Board, and he remains the president today. With this
group, Daniel created several events to open civil liberties dialogues among his
peers, including: the state's first Bill of Rights Mock Trial Competition, an
annual series of screenings of civil liberties-themed films, and a free-press
seminar for student journalists called, "Know Your Writes!" Daniel also reports
on youth issues to the ACLU of New Mexico's Board of Directors, where his
proposals have been voted on and enacted.
"I hope to see a future in which Americans think of
themselves primarily as civil libertarians, not as Greens or Republicans or
Independents or Democrats or anything else. I hope that people ask themselves,
"Will this candidate stop the abuse of power? Will this ballot initiative
keep Americans safe and free? What will this means for LGBT issues? For choice
issues? For privacy? For habeas? Or for any of the other issues we
face everyday as ACLU members?" Think of what a change that will mean for how we
function as a nation."
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