My name is Megan Allshouse, and I am one of the first student members of Granby Racial Reconciliation (GRR) from Granby Memorial High School. I am also a part of the NCCJ (National Conference for Community and Justice) Bridges program at GMHS. I have been dancing for 15 years, and I manage my high school’s field hockey team. I have a passion for equality of all races. With this, I am thrilled to be a student representative of GRR.
GRR is a committee with a mission to raise awareness and speak on/foster racial justice in Granby. GRR has provided many opportunities to spread awareness to the community. For example, we are currently working on many Juneteenth activities. Juneteenth is a federal holiday, which is celebrated on June 19. It celebrates the freedom of enslaved people after the Civil War.
GRR will be holding a celebration on Saturday, June 18, at Salmon Brook Park to celebrate this holiday. This is an all-day celebration with tons of music, entertainment and activities for all ages.
I am also excited to share that GMHS will be offering a new course that will begin at the start of the 2022 school year. The course is an opportunity for students to explore accomplishments, struggles, intersections, perspectives, and collaborations of African American/Black and Puerto Rican/Latino people in the United States. Students will examine how historical movements, legislation, and wars affected the citizenship rights of these groups and how they (both separately and together) worked to build U.S. cultural and economic wealth and create more just societies in local, national and international contexts. The course is being offered as a full-year social studies elective course at the high school next year as required by State of Connecticut.
I hope you will join our efforts to spread awareness and knowledge about racial justice and the Juneteenth holiday. More information about GRR can be found at granbydrummer.com/2021/08/examining-racism-moving-towards-equity-and-a-thriving-community/
Megan Allshouse