Naly Setthavongsack

Senior Inq
5/3/16
A class such as senior inquiry where you learn to speak up against injustices and
learn how much harder you have to push against currents in society is deemed as taboo
as a young Asian American woman. However, this class gave me a voice and has given
me an understanding and comfort to question and use my voice alongside my peers.
The opportunity of this class was filled with college credit, which was what caught my
eye my junior year of forecasting with my counselor. But that was not what senior
inquiry is to me now.
Senior inquiry became the birthplace of so many social justice fighters. Ones who
were naturally driven to learn about how to become allies and teaching those to become
antis instead of nons, and ones who had no idea wht social justice even was.
Through breaking down comfort in our classroom, our eyes were opened and our hearts
were filled with passion to give to others the new outlook weve gained from our 3
teachers whove taught us to question and think critically on our own. The book we have
revolved our Senior Inquiry Race and Social justice curriculum around is the Is
Everyone Really Equal? book, we are one of the 2 schools who base their senior
inquiry class around this; us and Jefferson High School. We have to teach our kids what
is going to face us in the world outside of high school, that may happen in our work field,
college, or even walking down the street in a new part of town weve never been. This
class is not teaching separation, but we are teaching unity and solidation. We are
teaching bystanders to be confident, we are teaching nons to take action. We have
taught Roosevelt senior inquiry students the importance of understanding each other to
move forward instead of backwards. This class has moved not only me through the
study of sexism, racism, classism, privilege and rape culture. But this class, these
students have moved one another to understand we are one. To make a difference we
must act as one. This class taught me unity. These peers beside me, our allies from
other schools who have written statements and come down to learn about Roosevelt on
our class trip are here with me in solidarity. Without the knowledge of these peers,

without learning the strength and the hidden voice in me that Senior Inquiry has ignited
in me, I would be a non, waiting for someone else to make a change when I have all the
strength to move currents with these peers alongside me.