There are dozens of students at Friends that are actively engaged in social justice clubs. The Affinity Club is a group organized to support African American students so that they have a safe environment to discuss issues relevant to their experiences at school. It is very important for there to be a club where people are comfortable when talking to each other about racial issues. Another student club, Half the Sky, attributes its name to a global movement that challenges the oppression of women and creates opportunities to fight gender-based injustice. The movement was created by New York Times columnist, Nicholas D. Kristof, who co-wrote a book titled Half the Sky with his wife, Sheryl WuDunn. Their book presents stories of women living in poverty, or facing discrimination all over the world, who are resilient against all odds and strive for equality and empowerment for women. Both of these clubs help a specific group of people.

Caroline Wren ’16 and Jodi Lessner ’16 started the Half the Sky club because they were surprised Friends did not have a pre-existing feminist club, and they wanted to start one. Wren says, “We wanted to raise awareness about women’s issues and show that they affect more than just women. I think that the club can have a huge impact, especially if it has a strong support foundation. We have chosen to prioritize women’s education, as we feel that when a woman is well-educated, she is empowered and less likely to fall prey to gender-based violence.”

Mary Agne ’18 says that she joined Half the Sky because, “As a young woman, gender inequality will really affect the rest of my life, and it already has. I want to work to change that, so I joined to gain more knowledge on these issues and to discuss them, but also to fundraise for a cause I really care about.” The commitment and passion of the club’s members will likely inspire others to join and participate in its meetings. Half the Sky has held several fundraisers, and the club donates all of the profits to several organizations that all focus on educating women.

Twenty-three percent of students at Wilmington Friends School are people of color, according to the school website. Friends has the highest diversity rate for a private school in the area, but compared to local public schools, the rate is nothing to brag about; local public schools have a much higher diversity rate than Friends. Thus, it is important to connect people with similar backgrounds and interests. A member of Affinity, Jayna Jones ’17, states, “The club is important because, as a minority, it’s good to know there’s a support system that is like your second family. Plus, it’s a lot of fun.” Clerk Joslyn Gardner ’16 explains, “Affinity’s goals are to inform the community on current events, and to provide a safe space to discuss race issues in school, in the US, and abroad. One of the goals we would like to achieve is making the discussion of race more comfortable. It seems so taboo, but it is important, and something everyone should be open to discussing. Discussion helps us understand and become more open/informed about different viewpoints.”

Affinity is a club that unites students of color at Friends. Through its larger efforts, as described on the national website, Affinity has helped thousands of students with educational pursuits. They discuss current racial topics and invite each other to talk about opinions on issues of race relations and racial justice. They also donate lots of school supplies that students use everyday, such as pencils and backpacks. The organization not only focuses on helping younger kids, but it also helps older students get into college, and after college, it guides people in choosing their career path.

For the third year in a row, Half the Sky and Affinity have joined other social-justice-minded students participated in WFS Martin Luther King Day workshops by hosting talks on feminism in America and introducing activities designed to foster racial understanding. Both Affinity and Half the Sky closely follow Margaret Mead’s famous saying: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”