E.O Smith is not short of alliance clubs. The plethora of powerful organizations, including Black Student Alliance, Hispanic Affinity, Muslim Student Association, and so on, never fail at creating a feeling of comfort and unity for everyone at E.O. But one notable absence in these clubs was a place especially for women to speak up about underlying issues and take action. That’s when Ray Tse Wan, a junior here at E.O., realized she had to do something about it. After taking much inspiration from her sister, she knew what she needed to do. As a result, WRU was born.
Formally known as the Women’s Rights and Unity Club, WRU is the first of its kind at EO. Ray shared her mission statement with another junior, her friend Sabina Chen, and the President and Vice President duo arose, putting WRU into action. The groundwork was set. But what was missing? Of course, the next step was to find the perfect advisor for the club – an individual who could adequately represent the goals and values of WRU. After sorting through a long list of highly qualified possible candidates, there was only one clear answer: Ms. Akhtar of Room 204. “When I walked into her classroom, even though we barely knew each other, she gave me a vibe,” says Ray. “When I first saw her, I said ‘YES!’” She goes in depth about this “vibe,” stating that Ms. Akhtar gave off “best club advisor” energy for WRU.
(Photo by Ms. Wierzbicki)
WRU plans to take action immediately, with many pending projects and ideas just moments away from executing. With a bulletin board honoring women in history and collaborations with other clubs, such as the Discourse & Deliberation Club (DnD), WRU plans to leave a mark of achievement wherever it stops. “One of our most important goals is to create a safe and fun environment for anyone and everyone,” Ray states. “Misogyny can come in many forms, not many aware of when and how it takes form.”
The rising stars of EO Smith’s first Women’s Right Club will leave an outstanding impact on not just the population of E.O. Smith and the school itself (through many fundraisers in the works at this very moment), but on whomever they inspire in the years to come.
