Students, how are protests and conversations about racism affecting you?

Tell us in a six-word story. 

A protest in Newark on May 30, 2020, in response to the killing of George Floyd. (Patrick Wall)

The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis spurred protests against police brutality in cities across the U.S. and forced a national reckoning on racial injustice.

Students are part of the conversation, raising their voices and orchestrating marches in their own communities

“We see what’s happening,” said Kanara Bramlett, 17, who just graduated from high school in Denver. “We really needed to demonstrate that we as young people have a voice in our community and we’re capable of creating the same amount of change as the adults.”

Chalkbeat wants to amplify young people’s voices even further.

Students, how are you feeling about the civil unrest around police brutality and marches to support Black Lives Matter? What are your hopes for the future? What do you want to tell your parents, teachers, community and political leaders, and fellow students?

Share your thoughts via a six-word story. Want some inspiration? Here are a few examples from Brain Pickings and Buzzfeed.

Please submit your thoughts by June 17. Select responses will be published on Chalkbeat’s website and social media channels. We can’t wait to hear from you. 

The Latest

Nearly everyone below the director level in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education is set to lose their job, an employee union said.

Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani has reignited the debate over gifted and talented in NYC. New data reveals the program is becoming more diverse, but challenges remain.

Easier admissions policies have started to grow in popularity in Colorado.

Without state funding, preschool providers say they’ve been forced to take out loans and drain personal savings

The hope is that acceptance at a major university will build students’ confidence and they will enroll there or at another college, said DPSCD Deputy Superintendent Alycia Meriweather.

Advocates with Stand for Children Indiana, the IPS school board, RISE Indy, the IPS Parent Council, and the Central Indiana Democratic Socialists of America have suggested changes in governance, accountability, and funding for the city’s public schools.