Officers of the Muslim Student Association Club at Valley Stream Central High School spent Martin Luther King Jr. Day attending Molloy University’s annual Day of Service conference.
The event, themed “Lead with Love, Serve with Purpose,” focused on social justice, art and leadership. Students attended the conference with advisor Marisa Díaz y Díaz.
The day began with a keynote address by Wesley White, professor of English education and adolescent literacy, who spoke about the importance of diversity in education and encouraged students to advocate for positive change.
The conference also included a spoken word performance titled “Dream” by student Indigo Ho Sun. Central students Fatima Haider and Alishba Chaudhry said the poem resonated with their respective cultures.
Throughout the conference, students participated in interactive workshops. During “Pass the Mic: Youth Voices for Justice,” Central’s MSA students worked with peers from other schools to create an original skit centered on leadership and youth voice. The performance portrayed a hypothetical scenario involving hijab discrimination in a school setting and examined ways students could self-advocate, including reporting discrimination to school administrators.
Additional workshops included “Claiming the Sky: Art & Activism” and “MLK Connection to Global Citizenship,” where students shared efforts to make a difference within their school and community.
