A Recap of 2017-2018:
As cheesy as this sounds, I truly cannot believe the second year of GOALS has come to an end already. Since this was our second year, we were able to apply to knowledge we gained from year one to improve our program. This time around, we decided to switch off each week between focusing on academics one week to zoning in on a social issue the next week. We knew in order to emphasize both aspects of GOALS, we would need to dedicate a week to academics and a week to social issues. During the week where we focused on academia, we would help the members with their homework, and once they finished, we would play educational games, do activities, and one week, I was able to perform some science experiments for them. We like to ingrain STEM into our academic curriculum because many of the girls there particularly enjoy math and science, and we want to ensure that passion does not die down as they grow older, which happens frequently. This year we tackled a variety of social issues, from intersectional feminism to police brutality, and we were, once again, met with amazing insights from the girls. When we discussed cultural appropriation, it was saddening to see their reactions to the images I showed them of people outside of a certain culture wearing the garments of a certain culture in a comedic way, as a costume, or as a fashion statement. When I showed an image of a white man in a sombrero and poncho, the Latina girls were offended and upset that people steal pieces of their culture for a Halloween culture. They mentioned that even non-Latinx students at their school dress in sombreros for Halloween, and it always frustrates them. When we discussed intersectional feminism, many of the girls shared personal stories of racism, sexism, and xenophobia they have faced, since intersectional feminism encompasses all those issues and numerous more. We noticed that the members were much more open this year, since for some of them it was their second year with us, which allowed for much more vulnerable dialogue this year.
This time around, like last year, we also brought in guest speakers. Our first one was Ms. Lina Gonzalez, who works with Mount Diablo Resource and Recovery Center. She helped facilitate the donation of recycling and composting bins to Oak Grove Middle School, which will be discussed later in the blog, and reviewed what items goes in what bins with the girls. This was crucial information because in order to have a successful waste system at the school, the leaders of it must be informed of the proper disposal. This was such an important and interesting lesson for us and the members alike. Our next guest was Livia Doporto, who is a 2018 graduate from Northgate High School. She runs a blog, livwithgrace.net , where she discusses struggles she has faced with her mental health, such as depression and anxiety. She held a conversation about mental health in GOALS, and many of the girls had questions for her and also asked for her advice. Her transparency and vulnerability was so moving and helped the girls to reflect on their own mental health. She also asked them to write a love letter to themselves, in which they detailed what they loved about themselves, and what they did not love so much, but she told them to write their “flaws” followed by “that is okay” or “I love it/them anyways”. The love letter caused the girls to get in touch with their mental health and emotions, which can be a difficult task. Lastly, Wells Fargo Women’s Team Network from the Bay Area came in to discuss money, credit, and financial literacy. They were able to engage the members with extremely relevant information, activities, and prizes; this was one of the most informative days at GOALS to date. These group of women from diverse backgrounds shared their stories of how they were able to take control of their finances and secure their living situation. One woman mentioned when she first immigrated from Nepal, she was extremely confused by the United States economy. But, she with research and help from friends, she was able to grasp it, and is now sharing the knowledge with community members around the Bay Area.
The end of the year was focused on implementing a recycling and composting program. As mentioned earlier, Ms. Gonzalez and her team were able to donate recycling bins to each classroom at Oak Grove Middle School, and next year they will do the same with composting bins as well as larger recycling and composting bins for the cafeteria. Establishing a proper waste system at the school has been a mission of the girls since last year, and we were able to gather the resources and materials to do so. The girls spent time making posters with horrifying statistics, graphics, and demands to recycle and compost correctly. They want to improve the cleanliness of their school and reduce the pollution that comes from not disposing trash or putting it all in the landfill. We put the posters on the walls of the school the same time the recycling bins were put into the classrooms in order to initiate the waste system with full-force.
GOALS was also recognized by the Soroptimist Club this year and received the Outstanding Youth Organization Award!
Ashley, Ellora, and I are thrilled to see next year unfold and the large-scale community impact these girls will have. As John F. Kennedy famously said, “If not us, who? If not now, when?”
-Aava Farhadi
