Moving Forward

Though McLean students and clubs are working to make an impact on the community, they still see room for progress. To them, change starts with creating opportunities to help people fight for progress and to amplify underrepresented voices that have been advocating for change.

“It’s…a lot of sitting back and listening to those who are [marginalized] and doing what you can to rework unconscious biases you may have,” Amanuel said. “You have to take a step back and fill in when asked but always do your best to make sure that you as an individual are doing all you can to unlearn any forms of bias or prejudice you have.”

Members of the McLean administration are aware of their role in contributing to student advocacy, and students are constantly becoming more aware of the impact their voices can have.

“We need to support our students. We do that by making sure every student feels heard, seen and valued,” Simpkins said. “When acts of racism happen, it must be addressed openly and swiftly. It cannot be tolerated, and we need to provide the space for students affected by those racist acts to heal.”