Damilola Awofisayo and Christopher Arraya are active members of the Student Equity Coalition, a student organization whose mission is to affirm, empower and elevate the diversity of TJ’s school community.

The Student Equity Coalition provides a forum for students to discuss issues, see other perspectives, and provide a voice for under-represented groups while creating a closer-knit community among students whose families come from different countries, cultures and religious backgrounds.

Since Damilola co-founded the club in 2020-21, group members have engaged in critical conversations on prevalent, potentially divisive issues in the TJ community, including providing accurate information on the TJ admissions process, cross-class interaction on social media, and supporting the various cultural communities at TJ. The club organized a November potluck using the Thanksgiving spirit to foster cultural affinity. The potluck brought together TJ students to share food, games and customs, and to give thanks to the different cultures represented in the student community. TJ’s Student Equity Coalition serves as a direct link between the school’s staff Equity Team, students, and student equity teams across Fairfax County Public Schools.

Christopher is also the co-president of the Hispanic Community Club through which he created “Minority Mentors.” Minority Mentors pairs up underclassmen with upperclassmen of a similar cultural background, providing a more personalized mentoring experience. These partnerships promote not only academic tutoring and support, but also foster relationships with conversation, shared views and unique perspectives.

Through podcasts and interviews, Christopher also advocates for Hispanic equity across Virginia. He is working with other students to create a nonprofit organization that will provide resources for educators to replace lesson plans and teaching strategies that are discriminatory.

Damilola represents TJ as one of Fairfax County’s Student Equity Ambassador Leaders (SEAL). In her role as a SEAL, she has helped draft equity-focused policy with Fairfax employees, speaks to staff groups throughout Fairfax County, and has provided input to school system leaders in 2020 on implementing “virtual” school, looking through the lens of equity and fairness for the numerous diverse groups of students and educators in Fairfax County Public Schools. It was through her collaboration with TJ’s faculty and staff Equity Team that she realized the need for TJ’s Student Equity Coalition.

As president of TJ’s Black Student Union, Damilola guided BSU members to join the Minority Mentors Program alongside Hispanic Community Club members. This fostered cooperation between the two groups because they had similar goals: for upperclassmen to provide support to younger students.

Damilola states, “Equity is being able to have everybody have an equal voice, and an equal seat at the table, and shows the value of diverse ideas and diverse perspectives on different issues, and in daily life in general.”