In the annual Speak Up for Change all-school assembly held during tutorial on Jan. 23, seven speakers shared their stories to highlight this year’s theme of ”If You Knew Me.” The speakers were freshman Diya Ramakrishnan and Julie Ye, junior Hannah Kang, seniors Grace Lin and Jeffery Wang and teachers Jennifer Lee and Liz Alves.
Ye began the rally with a speech detailing the racism and fear she faced as the only Chinese student in her school in Spain, and the way her experiences living across the world shaped her into the person she is today. After Ye, Kang explained her love for playing the trombone with the school band, and how tumbling and gymnastics helped her feel more included within the school.
Wang then spoke about his pain after the death of his mother and the fear he felt to share his grief with his father.
Lee, a science teacher who is an alumna of the school, then explained her own struggles with letting insecurity guide the trajectory of her life, throughout her school years and career, and she implored the greater student body not to do the same.
Ramakrishnan delved into the constant social isolation that has accompanied her each of the 11 times she moved schools, and how even one small friendship can ease the transition.
Alves spoke about her journey from high-school cheerleader to Division 1 collegiate athletic trainer to P.E. teacher at SHS, revealing the emotional and physical exhaustion which accompanied her at each step.
Concluding the rally, Lin talked about how her physical insecurities shaped the way she interacted with her peers — and how those same features she was once insecure about landed her a modeling contract last year. Despite continuing to struggle with her insecurities at times, Lin emphasized how confidence has become a skill she can practice rather than a sensation she must wait to feel.
Wang: “I was scared to allow myself to be vulnerable”
Inspired by a talk with his counselor Brian Safine, Wang said he decided to speak at the rally about his struggles with processing grief and opening up about his emotions. The first time Wang shared his personal story with anyone at school was after he was presented the Alfred University Scholars Award — an award symbolizing outstanding character in the face of personal obstacles — by Safine as a part of the annual SHS Junior Awards ceremony. During the ceremony, Safine shared Wang’s story — an experience Wang described as one of his first steps toward being more open with his peers.
Last year, Wang suffered a tragic loss when his mother passed away from blood cancer, but it was a loss he said he mainly suffered in silence — processing his grief without the support of his friends and family. But he wanted to share his experience with the school to inspire others to be more vulnerable with their loved ones while they have the chance.
“I was reluctant to share with anyone, but this was a topic that really spoke to me,” Wang said. “It asks for an obstacle you’ve overcome or a goal you’ve achieved that no one knows about, and for me that was trying to find outlets to process my loss.”
In his speech, Wang also confronted his personal difficulties with being emotionally vulnerable with his father. Growing up he felt a lack of communication between him and his father, leading to his struggles to console his father during their shared grief.
Wang told The Falcon: “Having difficulty in the parent-child relationship, especially in Asian households, is not uncommon. Maybe your parent is strict or harsh or demands too much, and that can make it difficult to share your feelings. For me, consoling my father was something I was really scared of, and so I hope that my journey can resonate with the rest of the school too. The healing is still ongoing, so is my connection with my father, but I’m proud of what I’ve already learned and that’s what I wanted to share with the rest of the school.”
Lee: “Don’t let non-decisions control your life”
Lee shared her story about letting her insecurities dictate the trajectory of her life.
“I love this event, but I’m not normally someone who would volunteer to speak in front of the whole campus,” Lee said. “The theme just really spoke to me, and I thought that, if I were to ever do it, this would be the time to share something.”
Her speech covered themes from her career to her love for music, centering on an overall message of perseverance. No matter the circumstances, your life is yours to build and the outcome is in your hands.
“We are all insecure. We all get nervous. We second-guess ourselves,” Lee said. “But it would be nice to look back on your life and say, ‘I didn’t let those parts of me win.’”
Lee attended Stanford after graduating from SHS and was on track to become a doctor when, after a lot of reflection, she pivoted to follow her desire to become a high school science teacher. This was just one of many decisions Lee actively made to shape her life — a value she reinforced throughout her speech.
Though stepping out of her comfort zone and being vulnerable with her choices is something she continues to struggle with, it’s something she strives toward everyday. She also hopes to inspire others to do the same.
“I think it’s so important for the adults on campus to be vulnerable with their students, to let them know that no matter what school you go to or how grown-up you get, we’re all still fighting the same battles,” she said. “You just get more tools to fight with the older you get.”
