Following the call to action from affinity groups this year, the Social Justice Committee has chosen the theme UNITY for this year’s Social Justice Week, which will take place April 17-20. The acronym stands for Understanding Perspectives, News and Misinformation, Intersectionality, Turning Down the Heat, and Youth Advocacy. 

Students are encouraged to submit workshop proposals in line with the theme using this Google form by March 6. Workshops will take place during an extended assembly period April 20 with students attending two 45-minute workshops.

Inspired by the Unity Council, a collection of affinity groups at Lab, the theme has emphasized the need to educate the community on diverse concepts. Mahi Shah and Anika Gupta, co-presidents of the Social Justice committee, recognize how this past year has been significantly difficult, and applaud one affinity group, the Black Students’ Association, for their bravery when they led a walkout during the annual Martin Luther King Assembly.

“BSA’s walkout was a signal that they don’t feel understood by the administration or the student body,” Mahi said. “They are leading a significant cause, showing how understanding and respecting perspectives is really important.”

The Social Justice Committee urges the importance of a collection of interactive workshops that cover a diverse range of topics. They want students to try something new and work to understand the main message of their topic. They do, though, emphasize the importance of immersing oneself in the workshop, even if it may not be the one they selected. 

“If you go in with a healthy mentality and are open-minded about what you’re going to learn or talk about, you’ll get something out of it,” Anika said. “It all depends on what you make of it.”