Students Challenge Discrimination through ADL

Twelve Thurgood Marshall Academy students spent last Thursday in a day-long training session put on by the Anti-Defamation League. Students learned skills that would help them become Peer Trainers and combat discrimination and bullying at school and beyond. 

 

The training was put on by facilitators from ADL’s A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE^® Institute. The Institute is a leading provider of anti-bias education and diversity training programs and resources. The Institute seeks to help participants: recognize bias and the harm it inflicts on individuals and society; explore the value of diversity; improve intergroup relations; and combat racism, anti-Semitism and all forms of prejudice and bigotry.

Students began the day by introducing themselves and agreeing on ground rules for their discussions throughout the training. The activities ranged from brief discussions on issues that face high school youth, to games that encouraged students to recognize similarities between them and the other participants. 

Sophomore Joey Adams noted: "I learned about discrimination from bias to individual stereotypes, and I was surprised to learn that just one stereotype can escalate into genocide."

Joey also had advice for other TMA students and hopes for applying what she learned today to TMA: “Be careful about what you say because even little things you say can affect another person and hit the core.”

 Interested in joining ADL? 

We meet every Monday at 3:30pm in Room 108, and have many projects lined up for this semester, including another training day in May!