ROHAANA
HEAD-ROYCE SCHOOL
12TH GRADE
1.How do you identify? Have you always felt comfortable in this identity? Interpret this question however you'd like, whether it be your gender, ethnicity or nationality.
I identify as a heterosexual female Indian-Bengali-American, and I have always felt comfortable with my identity.
2. Talk about the environments and communities you've been a part of and the ways in which they've affected the formation of your identity. Tell your story!
I feel like I have always been encouraged to express my identity (meaning that I have never felt ashamed of or uncomfortable about my identity). I have been learning classical Indian singing and dance since I was 5, so I have been encouraged to embrace my “Indian” side since a young age, my family is very proud to be Indian and Bangladeshi respectively, and my friends and peers have generally seemed to take a genuine interest in my culture(s) over the years. I am incredibly blessed in that I have been attending private institutions since the age of 2, and that I have gotten to live in New York City (Brooklyn to be exact) and Oakland. I think most of us can agree that private schools are inherently more “accepting” communities because the institutions are looking for a certain type of student. This process usually weeds out the “bad apples.” My educational opportunities along with the fact that I have lived in arguably 2 of the most diverse cities in the country have pretty much always made me feel safe and confident in myself, and my identity.
3.Where do you feel most safe as a racial minority at Head-Royce?
I am not exactly sure how to answer this question since I have always felt safe at HRS. I truly cannot think of a time when a teacher or another student has made me feel bad or uncomfortable about (parts of) my identity.
4. How has being a minority student at a school like HRS affected the way you view yourself?
Honestly, just because Indians make up such a large portion of our grade I have always felt really supported/respected/understood/whatever you want to call it. Head-Royce has not negatively (and I know that is not what the question is asking) affected the way I view myself; if anything, it has done the opposite.
5. Do you feel as though individuals of your race are properly represented at HRS. Whether this is through the literature that we read, members of of our staff etc…
I feel like my race is fairly represented at HRS because there are a few Indian teachers, we study India in 9th grade history, and read a few short stories written by Indian authors over the years (I am thinking specifically about Jhumpa Lahiri). This is not about my race, but what really bothers me is the lack of black teachers across the three divisions—especially in the high school.
6. If you came back to visit HRS in 10 years, what would you have liked to see changed?
If I visited HRS in 10 years, I would like to see more “diversity”—racially, sexual orientation wise, etc.—among the faculty and staff.
7. Tell me about a time when you felt as though you didn’t have a voice.
I attended Brooklyn Friends School for 13 years until I moved to Oakland and started going to HRS in 8th grade. Anytime “Friends” is in the name of a school it means that the school is Quaker. I love the philosophy of the Quakers—one of pacifism, social equality, and integrity. Quakers practice something called “Quaker Meeting.” This is when everyone sits in silence and if anyone is “moved” by the silence they may stand up and speak about whatever is on their mind and no one is allowed to respond or judge during or after the Meetings (it is awesome and I think everyone should go to QM). Anyways, most people our age were around 3 years old on the day of September 11, 2001. It was a horrible day for the entire country, but I can guarantee you that it was ten times worse being in the City on that day. It happened 15 years ago, and I kid you not, I still remember that day. During one Quaker Meeting, around the 10th anniversary of 9/11, I stood up and shared the worries I had about the safety of my family (half of which is Muslim) and Muslims in general in America. Afterwards, a boy, 2 years my senior who I had never spoken to, came up to me and asked me, “Is your dad a terrorist?” My first response was, ‘Who is this kid?’, but I came up with what I thought was a witty comeback: “If he is, he is going to find your house and blow it up!” Then this kid told me to “shut the f*** up” and “go back to where you came from” (my response was, “I was born across the river in Manhattan, just like you, so you shut the f*** up”). I ended up telling the head of the middle school, and the boy apologized to me. Of course, I dealt with the situation, but it still makes me sad and angry that I was not able to deal with it in a serious way. When I was being “targeted”, why did I use humor to weasel my way out of an uncomfortable situation? It makes me sad, angry and scared that I was not able to use my voice, which trust me is loud and mighty despite my small physique. We are only taught to respect and love everyone, but what are we supposed to do when we are the victims of disrespect and hate?