Time is running out so think fast! Have you heard that expression before? If you have, what does that mean to you? To me, it means to act fast, to get involved, and to be present. History and the now are impacting students like me so much. History represents our past, present, and future, and it flows through the blood in our veins. What we do today can revolutionize tomorrow! That’s why I wanted to join the conversation now—to speak up, and to think as a collective with other students.
Ray’Aunnah Tillis is a senior from Middletown City School District.
I’m a senior at Middletown High School in Middletown, Ohio. For the past three years, I’ve participated in the Students for Equitable Education (SEE) Summit, a national social justice event that’s designed and led by students from across the country. Through the SEE Summit, I have presented on topics that matter to me, such as understanding Black Lives Matter and focusing on those who have been oppressed instead of the oppressor.
I was ecstatic to get involved in this event because it was created during a time when I was in desperate need of an outlet to express myself. The summit has been beneficial to my well-being because it provides a platform for my voice to be heard.
The SEE Summit is a safe place for students to express themselves freely. Even when we disagree, we agree to grow together. Each year, I have found myself in a new group, and occasionally, it is hard to agree on how we want our presentation to go. While we may disagree on font size or color and when to use commas or periods, together, we acknowledge that we have a shared goal: to tell our stories and to be heard.
Because the SEE Summit is national and virtual, it has helped me to cultivate relationships with people from different cultures that I would not have engaged with otherwise. One of the greatest gifts that I have gained from the summit is the lasting friendships that I’ve established. We have made a commitment to stand together for what we believe in, even if it’s from a distance.
Going into the SEE Summit, I wasn’t sure if I should be truly transparent. I am from the small town of Middletown, Ohio. As a Black American woman, I was told that I would be several steps behind the majority, and I grew up assuming that my voice wouldn’t be heard. However, through the SEE Summit, I have been fully accepted by strangers who to this very day applaud me for my honesty, my integrity, and my opinions.
Teachers, thank you for listening to us students and for allowing us to express ourselves without judgment. We understand that you are our foundation, and we look to you for guidance, wisdom, and counsel through our journey.
Students, my hope for our generation is that we use our voices to better represent ourselves and our communities in our education, and that we invoke the restoration of a dying educational system.
Interested in hearing from Ray’Aunnah and other students about social justice topics that matter to them? Join Digital Promise on Saturday, March 4, at 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT, for this year’s SEE Summit. The event is free and open to the public. Learn more and register to attend.
