Dublin High Panel To Discuss Race, Share Black Student Stories

DUBLIN, CA — Two clubs from Dublin High School have found their own way to address ongoing racial inequalities by hosting a community conversation with various student and adult panelists. Dublin High’s very own Black Student Union (BSU) and the Elephant in the Room project(EITR) are scheduled to host a livestream this Friday at 6:30 p.m.

This Friday’s live stream is the third such in a series of livestreams. Previously the Elephant in the Room project has partnered with the Gender Sexuality Alliance club to discuss the importance of LGBTQ+ pride month. The livestreams feature expert panelists and anonymous comments from viewers. The collaboration between BSU and EITR is intended to discuss Black unity within schools.

BSU hopes to spread its perspective via personal stories and experiences to educate viewers in the process. Faith Rynda, a Dublin High School alumni and parter in the planning of the Dublin Black Lives Matter protest, plans to partake in this livestream along with other Dublin High School faculty.

“We hope through this that we can create a sense of community between students at Dublin High [School] ” said Black Student Union President Denel McMahan in a written statement.

The club aims to meet at least once per month during the school year to discuss current events. During Black History Month in February, BSU partnered with Dublin High School to play music from Black artists over the intercom during student’s five-minute passing periods with the hope of educating students.

The Elephant in the Room project specializes in giving students a safe place to express their thoughts and get support from their peers. The name originates from Dublin Mayor David Hubert’s Mayor’s Council, which is run by high school students. This school year, the organization officially became a club at Dublin High School. Originally meant to help students with mental health issues and concerns, EITR has expanded and discussed things from LGBTQ+ matters to its new topic, the Black Lives Matter movement.

The Elephant in the Room project attempts to meet with its members once a month to allow them to share their stories. Due to the pandemic, the executive board of Elephant in the Room decided to livestream virtual gatherings via Youtube to continue to spread this message and check in with their fellow students.

“We want you to be heard” no matter the circumstances, said EITR President Danielle Tran in a written statement.

To submit comments visit @eitrproject or @dublinhsbsu on Instagram or the website of The Elephant in the Room project at eitrproject.com Watch the live stream this Friday here.