A highlight of Ally Week at CVHS was performances by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles.
By Julie BUTCHER
Crescenta Valley High School celebrated Ally Week last week, its third annual celebration, and, according to Roxy Raad, ASB secretary and CVHS senior, “[it was] the best ever. This year has been bigger than ever.”
Raad said at Friday’s concert by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, “In all aspects, we are delighted at how accepting and open our school community is. Everyone is welcome, no matter who they are, where they worship, what they believe or who they love. Ally Week and all of the activities organized around it have had a big impact. We’ve educated a lot of students so that people know everything, and they’ve got the words to help make others feel safe, again, no matter what. I accept you for whoever you are.”
Raad said that this year the school involved all of the campus clubs.
“We did rainbow ribbons all week including on the players’ helmets at last night’s football game. Everyone participated. And now this,” Raad said indicating Friday’s performances of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles.
Ally Week is a student-organized action, powered by Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA) and supported by GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network).
According to its website, the national education organization focuses on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established nationally in 1990, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Ally Week is an opportunity for students to engage in a national conversation about the meaning of allyship.
“An ally is a person who takes demonstrable action supporting members of a marginalized group,” the school’s release stated. “GLSEN’s Ally Week focuses on allyship for LGBT youth, who face disproportionate bullying, harassment, and discrimination in K-12 schools.”
Faith Boeke has been active in CVHS’s Gay-Straight Alliance since her freshman year. Now as a senior, she’s excited to see positive change.
“We’ve worked hard to make sure there are safe places for everyone, wherever they are at, whatever they’re feeling,” Boeke said about the school and the organizing done for the events of Ally Week. “The chance to work with these guys, to bring this chorus here, that’s just punctuation for the end of a great week.”
GSA advisor and government teacher Alicia Harris shared the students’ optimism.
“This year feels more comprehensive,” she said. “The kids thought to work to involve all of the clubs early and the result has been more organic. The Chemistry Club experimented with rainbow-colored chemicals, for instance. And if you go up to the Quad, you’ll see a ‘Love Is Love’ banner that everyone signed.”
“Statistically, our LGBT kids are still most at risk. And until every one of our students feels safe, we need to give them a little extra love. That’s why this is so impactful,” Harris explained.
Bill Gallimore, CVHS assistant principal and 10-year chorus member, introduced the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. The group started in 1979 “to create musical experiences that strengthen our role as a leader among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and performing arts organizations, enrich our member-artists, support LGBT youth, challenge homophobia, and expose new communities to our message of equality.”
Each song in the short performance was introduced by a member of the chorus. Lucio Maramba recalled a childhood “when you had to come up with insults we could say in front of our parents. I was the youngest and my older brothers were really good at it. Eventually they came up with this one: ‘You love Cher,’ they’d tell me. Years later, I was joking with my brothers, remembering the insult. Now, I’ve long since made peace with my brothers for all those years of torment,” Maramba wrapped up his introduction. “So, my 8-year old niece overhears this and comes over to me, and she says to me: ‘It doesn’t matter if you love Cher. It doesn’t matter if you love Cher or Uncle Bob. We’re family and that’s all that matters.’”
Organizers of Ally Week also plan Days of Action, an annual Day of Silence each April, and No Name-Calling Week every January.
Celebrating Ally Week at CVHS added by CV Weekly on
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