Caroline Cammon, The Cultural Champion
La Jolla High School senior Caroline Cammon is making an impact on campus and in her community as a champion for equity, working to create positive social and educational experiences for her fellow classmates.
Having started and now serving as the president of several clubs at La Jolla High, including the Black Student Union (BSU), Black Lady Alliance, Minority Club, and No Place for Hate program, Caroline is making a lasting impact for students like herself.
Caroline said her goal is for all students, especially students of color, to feel supported, seen and welcomed.
“I think what really inspires me is to be more empathetic and understanding that I'm not alone in my experiences,” Caroline said. “People are experiencing this type of stuff every day. So, I just create a safe space for students like me.”
“Most of my clubs are focused on fighting for social justice and making the school better,” Caroline said. “But I feel truly blessed because it's not just about that. We have potlucks and discussions and identity talks. So, it's really a safe space for us. It’s been a true blast in that sense.”
Caroline is also a student intern for the Ethnic Studies program at San Diego Unified. While she was not able to take any ethnic studies courses herself, next year students at her school will be able to choose from three different courses thanks in part to Caroline’s work in her internship.
“In my internship I've been consistently learning how to really amplify student voices and value different aspects of history in a way that isn't just focused on what we did as a country to them but that lifts their movements,” Caroline said. “That’s what ethnic studies does – it lifts indigenous people’s history, it lifts the black power movement, it lifts the women's movements, and the Chicano advancement movements as well. So just learning all about different people's struggles and also the beauty of how that struggle creates unity amongst those people is really great.”
Caroline also took a direct role in helping lead Black History Month celebrations and activities for her school and across the district this year.
Caroline Cammon, estudiante de último año de La Escuela Preparatoria La Jolla, está teniendo un impacto en el platel y en su comunidad como defensora de la equidad, trabajando para crear experiencias sociales y educativas positivas para sus compañeros de clase.
Habiendo comenzado y ahora sirviendo como presidenta de varios clubes en la Escuela Preparatoria La Jolla, incluyendo el Sindicato de Estudiantes Afroamericanos/Black Student Union (BSU), Alianza de Damas Afroamericanas/Black Lady Alliance, Club de Minorías/Minority Club y el programa No Lugar para Odio/ No Place for Hate, Caroline está creando un impacto a largo plazo para estudiantes como ella.
“Creo que lo que realmente me inspira es ser más empática y comprender que no estoy sola en mis experiencias”, dijo Caroline. “La gente experimenta este tipo de cosas todos los días. Entonces, solo creo un espacio seguro para estudiantes como yo."
Caroline dijo que su objetivo es que todos los estudiantes, especialmente los estudiantes de color, se sientan apoyados, reconocidos y bienvenidos.
“La mayoría de mis clubes se enfocan en luchar por la justicia social y mejorar la escuela,” dijo Caroline. “Me siento verdaderamente bendecida porque no se trata solo de eso. Tenemos comidas compartidas, debates y charlas de identidad. Entonces, es realmente un espacio seguro para nosotros. Ha sido una verdadera maravilla en ese sentido."
Caroline también es estudiante en prácticas del programa de Estudios Étnicos en el Distrito Escolar Unificado de San Diego. Gracias en parte al trabajo de Caroline, los estudiantes de La Jolla podrán elegir entre tres cursos diferentes de Estudios Étnicos a partir del próximo año.