Cedarbrook Middle School Students Break Silence To Call Attention To Violence Endured By LGBTQIA+ Community
CHELTENHAM, Pa. (CBS) -- A group of middle school students in Cheltenham on Thursday broke their silence to call attention to the violence endured by people who identify as LGBTQIA+.
A rally of hope for people who identify as LGBTQIA+ and their allies.
At Cedarbrook Middle School, 150 students rallied to stand up for the injustices that LGBTQIA+ people are often subjected to, but it was the exact opposite earlier in the day.
Students sat in silence in school on this National Day of Silence.
This group of students only broke their silence for an interview with Eyewitness News.
"It feels really powerful because just having the whole community be doing something as simple as just not speaking for a day, even though it's not everyone at school, having that impact feels powerful," said Ingrid Kary, an eighth grader at the school.
These students are part of an afterschool program at the school called the Gender Sexuality Alliance. The National Day of Silence was founded in the 1990s by college students to call attention to the violence discrimination and harassment LGBTQIA+ people endure.
"Even despite it being heavy, that's not a reason we shouldn't talk about it," eighth grader Adora Abdul said.
"It's nice to know that there are other people that are there and you can talk about these issues," said Gali Mussbaum, another eighth grader.
The students are also calling for better curricula in schools.
As their silence grows into roars, they're looking forward to seeing what will happen next.
"I can't even tell you how proud I am of them," said Caitlin Penn, a Gender Sexuality Alliance sponsor. "They're going to take over the world one day. They're absolutely amazing."
