b'STUDENT VOICES FOR CHANGEWhile teachers, staff, and leadership strive to model a better, more equitable world for students, there are also many times we must stand aside and let students inspire us.During the 2023-24 school year, students stepped up in a(anonymously or not) via text, audio, or video to create big way to try to tackle important social issues. One suchawareness for racial trauma and racial healing. student-driven initiative was the Louis Riel School Division (LRSD) Student Anti-Racism Forum held on May 8, 2024.Izzeddin Hawamda, Anti-Racist Education Professional Learning Initiative Coordinator for LRSD, also spoke about his Nelson McIntyre Collegiate student Loujayna El Asteexperience and life storywhich hed previously described worked to create the event, and she said the forum wasin greater detail for many of the same students from empowering for her and others.across LRSDs seven high schools, who came together to commemorate the March 21 International Day of Eliminating It was amazing. I got to see so many people who lookedRacial Discrimination. like me and had similar experiences to me, Loujayna said. Its what we wantto work towards making things better,Loujayna said listening to these speakers stories was an and students have the initiative to do that. emotional experience.The forum featured a presentation by Alexa Peters, aAt the end of the day, it shows me Im not alone, the Grade 11 counsellor and psychotherapist with expertise in racialstudent said. Its so important to work against racism.trauma, among other areas. Alexa is also the creator of theWe like to think it doesnt exist so much now, but it isR Stories Project, a social media initiative in which peopledeeply rooted in people.can submit their personal stories of racism26'