Grateful for Our Stories! #ownvoices

Fall & Winter seasons are a time to express gratitude! With that being said, your DGS Changemakers in collaboration with the DGS Library, Student Activities, and a variety of DGS Clubs decided to put together a schoolwide activity grounded in gratitude, empathy, and inclusion called Grateful for Our Stories! #ownvoices. 

During this time (November 9 - January 6) please join us as we read books, listen to a podcast, or watch a movie to understand life from a different perspective & to bring visibility to cultures and lived experiences other than our own. One way to do this is to read YA books from the #ownvoices list created by the DGS Library that will diversify our narrative while reading books written by authors that share the same identity as the main character. Another way to do this is to listen to a podcast celebrating student voices such as Umoja’s Young Voices for Unity or the Blueprint (with Mimi & Willow). Finally, students & staff can watch a movie too! 

Students and staff that participate should fill out this Grateful for Our Stories #ownvoices Google Form to share what they’ve read, listened to, or watched. By completing the form, participating staff members and students will be eligible for prizes. Participants will be put into a raffle and lucky winners will have prizes delivered to their house by Flat Marty & some participating staff members to spread good cheer! The prize pack will include a winter Mustang hat, a bookmark, and some microwave popcorn (so winners can Pop Open a Good Book). 

Lastly, interested students & staff can participate in a video book talk with the DGS Library! Here is a document with some guiding questions to help you prepare your short video to be featured on the @dgslibrary instagram! (The first five to do a video book talk will win a really cool Mustang winter scarf in addition to the other swag!) 

Let’s diversify our narrative by reading, listening to podcasts, and watching movies while expressing gratitude for all our stories! 

~DGS Changemakers, DGS Library, and DGS Student Activities

All graphics were created by DGS senior, Alexis Pragides.