Eastern Pa. Girl Scouts discuss racial injustice and activism

Eastern Pa. Girl Scouts discuss racial injustice and activism

By Gabi Falk, WLVR’s Lehigh University Intern

November 16, 2020

The Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania are focusing attention on racial justice in the commonwealth. They recently hosted a town hall, featuring six young local women.

The young women shared stories of discrimination and activism in their communities.  

Alison Fortenberry is a senior at Masterman High School in Philadelphia. She says she was inspired by Black Lives Matter to create a safe space to talk about racism in her school. 

“We wanted to leave the school better than we came into it. We didn’t want other kids to have to have the experiences that we had and so we decided that we could make a change,” said Fortenberry.

Makeda McFarlane is a senior at Central High School in Philadelphia. 

“I feel like you always have to make sure that you stand up for what’s right, even if you are not even affected by what’s going on, but it’s very important to take punitive action for things that you see that you don’t like.”

McFarlane says she’s asking students to call out racial and gender injustices when they see them. 

This story is part of a collaboration between WLVR News and Lehigh University’s Department of Journalism & Communication. View all student stories.

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