From protests to testimonies, Constitution Avenue to the Board of Education, RM’s young activists are making an impact on the world around us almost daily. With a wide array of advocacy and activism clubs, the opportunities seem vast and nearly endless.
One noteworthy club is RM EmpowHER. RM houses one chapter of MoCo EmpowHER, an organization that seeks to provide students with a space to discuss women’s issues and pursue advocacy and leadership.
Senior Liliana Katz-Hollander founded RM EmpowHER as a school chapter of the National Organization for Women in her sophomore year. A few years later, the club rebranded as it began to focus efforts locally and across the county. Katz-Hollander has presided over the club since its founding, and has been co-chair of MoCo EmpowHER since 2023.
“We have entered meetings, done a lot of different promotional meetings on everything from the Equal Rights Amendment to the history of intersexuality in the feminist movement,” Katz-Hollander said. “We’ve done fundraisers, in my sophomore year, we did a fundraiser for UN women.”
On Dec. 10, Katz-Hollander and two club members participated in a walkout in D.C. for the Equal Rights Amendment, an amendment that would prohibit sex discrimination. “Three of us from school, we went out, took the metro, and we joined a lot of other students and young activists in front of the Supreme Court to encourage Biden to certify the Equal Rights Amendment.”
A number of students at RM are also involved with the Montgomery County Regional Student Government Association, or MCR-SGA. MCR is a student-led organization spanning the entire region that allows for students from different schools to form a collective assembly.
Freshman Karmaan Saxena has been involved with student government for a number of years now, having joined the SMOB advisory council in middle school and MCR in high school.
“They’re increasing communication between students and advocacy people in general,” Saxena said. “I know they’ve also worked on the homework policy, graduation requirements, a lot of stuff with the opioid crisis, that stuff. It’s really amazing to basically see them work.”
Saxena has also testified in front of the Board of Education, an experience that he describes as one of his best memories from his time in advocacy. “I was listening to everyone’s speeches and I just gave my testimony and it was just really fun.”
RM Sexuality And Gender Alliance is another club that focuses on providing students with a safe space and room for discussion on LGBTQ activism and education in the community.
“There have been LGBTQ history and trivia events at meetings. They have helped advisory come up with lessons to raise awareness, they have made beaded necklaces, pins, And T-shirts,” English teacher Eli Fuhrman said.
Advocacy is not always without challenges, and some student advocates have certainly faced bumps in the road.
Students at the ERA protest faced such difficulties. “A couple of activists got arrested.” Katz-Hollander said. “The police were extremely aggressive, like, ripping banners out of hands.”
Challenges also occur within an organization itself. “You see a lot of people signing up but then because of, like, everyone having other things to do, everyone has a life, you don’t see a lot of people showing up and it’s just really a bit annoying, like it hurts you,” Saxena said.
RM SAGA has also experienced difficulties with attendance. “It’s still challenging to get out the word to different grade levels and different identities such as EML students, Asian students, Hispanic students, etc.,” Mx. Fuhrman said.
Some students say that the prospect of getting involved with it all may seem daunting at first. “To get into advocacy it feels like you have to perfectly follow set instructions,” Saxena said. “They expect you to have ten years of experience when you’re eight.”
Katz-Hollander encourages students to start by doing something they think will make a genuine difference. “What matters the most is you’re doing something that you truly believe is impactful and that you’re working to make the community better, however that is. Don’t get caught up in what you should be doing and just do what feels right.”
