12/12/2025
Fear of public speaking (glossophobia) is often cited as one of the greatest anxieties of human beings. Well, the nine members of Rock Creek Middle School’s Latino Student Union were not going to let that stop them. In fact, as nervous as they may have been to present at PCC/PSU’s 9th Annual Ethnic Studies Youth Conference, it was hardly noticeable to their middle and high school peers.
For a breakout session on Art and Justice, these Wolves shared their perspectives on the positive impact of musical artists like Selena, Bad Bunny, and Ivan Cornejo, not just on Hispanic and Latine youth in the US, but on the music industry on a global scale.
Having successfully completed their own presentation, they then engaged their peers from Baker Prairie Middle School in Canby, Portland’s Franklin High School, and Columbia River High in Vancouver on heady topics such as Education and the Civil Rights Movement, using art as a testimonial to affirm one’s cultural identity, and artistic expression as a way to combat isolation when facing the challenges of assimilation.
After a general session during lunch, our Wolves joined nearly 150 of their peers for another round of breakout sessions. It was a day of learning and community building that we hope will strengthen and encourage our Wolves to assert their rightful and unique place in the fabric of their school and our society.
