Student Wins National Prize in Race Relation

She was recognized for founding an organization called Change the Narrative, an educational organization dedicated to combatting racial inequity within the English curricula nationwide. “This happened through access to a large database containing a wide variety of literature written by authors of different cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds,” said Dithyae. “Each piece of literature comes along with a page containing a synopsis, and lesson plan, as well as resources to help teachers teach the work in their classrooms. So far, it’s been used in a couple of different classroom settings, like tutor centers and other educational programs and some schools as well.”
 
Her database also contains a section of student written narratives that offers a diverse perspective on the English experience in terms of racial or cultural prejudice and contains firsthand experiences from these students. “Basically, I’ve provided them with a platform to share their stories to the world, anonymously, if need be, as well, which not only helps the students, but educators who now have access to reading these stories and can understand how to adapt their curriculum to foster a safe and nurturing environment,” she said.