Hi! Our names are Marcella Arriola and Elizabeth Dang and we are students are Oakland Technical High School. We are Co-Presidents of Oakland Tech's Asian Student Union and we, as well as other affinity club leaders, have noticed a lack of support from administration in our school along with others in our district. 

Schools often advertise diversity in the student body but don't support affinity clubs and spaces for their students of color. By creating this petition, we hope to bring this issue to OUSD administration’s attention. We believe that cultural clubs are necessary to the wellbeing of students of color, especially in school districts as diverse as ours. They provide a sense of community to those who may feel unsure in their identity yet these spaces are heavily neglected by administration.

We ask that OUSD admin considers implementing the following demands in all OUSD high schools, if not all K-12 schools in the district:

(1) Annual, rigorous diversity training for all staff. The most basic way to create an accepting environment at school is to ensure that administration is educated on racial identity and discrimination.

(2) Categorical grants to financially support cultural clubs. The money may be used to plan fundraisers, host school events, or buy materials such as poster paper and markers.

(3) A list of resources such as event managers, caterers, etc. who may be available to aid clubs in event planning. A readily available list of connections would significantly reduce the stress on club leaders when creating social gatherings.

Thank you for taking the time to support our petition. We are passionate about creating a nurturing environment at school for we understand the difficulties of navigating life in a place that feels unwelcoming. We hope that our demands will impact future generations so that they do not have to feel awkward or outcasted in a space that should be safe for them.