For Diversity Week, ASB prepared a week’s worth of activities to encourage students to get into spirit. To kick off the fun, the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee hosted a flag painting event during lunch at the rally court on Mar. 4. 

Upon entering the rally court, there were two tents encompassing the event. Under the tents were an assortment of paint brushes, napkins, and colors to choose from. Spread along the tables were blank triangle-shaped paper flags strung together. Students gathered around the tables to paint an array of patterns and colors onto the flags, with each triangle representing a different community.

“It was fun seeing people come and go to paint their flags. I really love that the flags weren’t solely restricted to representation of countries, but other communities like the LGBTQ+ community flags,” junior EDI Publicity Manager Kayla Chan said. 

Diversity comes in all shapes and sizes, and representation is especially important for students to be able to grow up feeling comfortable in their identity, which is why events like this flag painting activity are so beneficial for their well-being. 

“This event was so fun and I thought it was a really creative way to exemplify diversity. Especially as high school students, it can seem hard to feel comfortable in your own skin, so I loved this event because I am still able to represent myself without needing to share verbally in front of a crowd,” junior Emily Zhou said.

“These events are planned to help all students express themselves and feel safe at Arcadia High School (AHS) to do so. Since diversity is a defining factor at AHS, we like to hold EDI events to help broaden our school’s perspective, said junior EDI president Darya Derakhshani.  “Without these events, we wouldn’t be able to see how incredible it is to experience different cultures and try new things.”

All in all, the EDI flag painting event was a success and the perfect way to jumpstart Diversity Week.

Photos courtesy of AHS EDI