I’m Elijah Armstrong I am a junior at Penn State University in 2015 I went to
Penn State University in 2015 I went to
Penn State University in 2015 I went to Staunton college preparatory school in
Staunton college preparatory school in
Staunton college preparatory school in Jacksonville Florida
Jacksonville Florida
Jacksonville Florida it’s a highly ranked IB high school it
it’s a highly ranked IB high school it
it’s a highly ranked IB high school it ranks top 10 in Newsweek for national
ranks top 10 in Newsweek for national
ranks top 10 in Newsweek for national high schools and it has every year since
high schools and it has every year since
high schools and it has every year since roughly 1990 also relevant piece of
roughly 1990 also relevant piece of
roughly 1990 also relevant piece of information I am a photosensitive
information I am a photosensitive
information I am a photosensitive epileptic
epileptic
epileptic I have seizures that are caused in part
I have seizures that are caused in part
I have seizures that are caused in part by flashing lights and I’ve had these
by flashing lights and I’ve had these
by flashing lights and I’ve had these seizures most of my life my junior year
seizures most of my life my junior year
seizures most of my life my junior year of high school I had an AP calculus
of high school I had an AP calculus
of high school I had an AP calculus class and this class was in a room with
class and this class was in a room with
class and this class was in a room with a very low ceiling and lights that would
a very low ceiling and lights that would
a very low ceiling and lights that would flash in part because the building was
flash in part because the building was
flash in part because the building was built in like 1860 so what keep expected
built in like 1860 so what keep expected
built in like 1860 so what keep expected but um the lights would flash and it was
but um the lights would flash and it was
but um the lights would flash and it was a high school block schedule so I was
a high school block schedule so I was
a high school block schedule so I was taking this class every other day and it
taking this class every other day and it
taking this class every other day and it would cause me to have seizures I would
would cause me to have seizures I would
would cause me to have seizures I would go to class I’d have a seizure have to
go to class I’d have a seizure have to
go to class I’d have a seizure have to go home go to the hospital and then deal
go home go to the hospital and then deal
go home go to the hospital and then deal with the same thing two days later so
with the same thing two days later so
with the same thing two days later so two weeks into the school year I
two weeks into the school year I
two weeks into the school year I realized this wasn’t going to work so I
realized this wasn’t going to work so I
realized this wasn’t going to work so I talked to my guidance counselor and I
talked to my guidance counselor and I
talked to my guidance counselor and I asked if I could have the light bulbs
asked if I could have the light bulbs
asked if I could have the light bulbs changed in the room or if the class
changed in the room or if the class
changed in the room or if the class could be held in a different classroom
could be held in a different classroom
could be held in a different classroom or if I could take the class online
or if I could take the class online
or if I could take the class online literally any option that would prevent
literally any option that would prevent
literally any option that would prevent me from having to physically deal with
me from having to physically deal with
me from having to physically deal with the flashing lights and I was told by my
the flashing lights and I was told by my
the flashing lights and I was told by my guidance counselor that Stanton didn’t
guidance counselor that Stanton didn’t
guidance counselor that Stanton didn’t do accommodations and that if I needed
do accommodations and that if I needed
do accommodations and that if I needed an accommodation I would have to leave
an accommodation I would have to leave
an accommodation I would have to leave for the integrity of the program so I
for the integrity of the program so I
for the integrity of the program so I was taken aback and I reached out to the
was taken aback and I reached out to the
was taken aback and I reached out to the assistant principals and the principal
assistant principals and the principal
assistant principals and the principal all the way up to the superintendent of
all the way up to the superintendent of
all the way up to the superintendent of Duval County Public Schools who all told
Duval County Public Schools who all told
Duval County Public Schools who all told me that Stanton does not do
me that Stanton does not do
me that Stanton does not do accommodations and that for the
accommodations and that for the
accommodations and that for the integrity of the program I would have to
integrity of the program I would have to
integrity of the program I would have to leave the school and that’s when I
leave the school and that’s when I
leave the school and that’s when I started advocating as a student and I
started advocating as a student and I
started advocating as a student and I did the only thing I could do is I told
did the only thing I could do is I told
did the only thing I could do is I told my own story to every met everyone that
my own story to every met everyone that
my own story to every met everyone that would listen and to a lot of people that
would listen and to a lot of people that
would listen and to a lot of people that wouldn’t and I ended up getting my own
wouldn’t and I ended up getting my own
wouldn’t and I ended up getting my own story put into the Florida Times you
story put into the Florida Times you
story put into the Florida Times you in part because the school
in part because the school
in part because the school administrators were so adamant in the
administrators were so adamant in the
administrators were so adamant in the idea of not doing accommodations that
idea of not doing accommodations that
idea of not doing accommodations that they frequently put in writing that for
they frequently put in writing that for
they frequently put in writing that for the sake of the school and the integrity
the sake of the school and the integrity
the sake of the school and the integrity of the program I would have to leave
of the program I would have to leave
of the program I would have to leave because of my disability and when my
because of my disability and when my
because of my disability and when my article first hit Florida times-union
article first hit Florida times-union
article first hit Florida times-union the reactions fell into one of two camps
the reactions fell into one of two camps
the reactions fell into one of two camps the first camp told me that Stanton
the first camp told me that Stanton
the first camp told me that Stanton doesn’t accommodate and that if I needed
doesn’t accommodate and that if I needed
doesn’t accommodate and that if I needed an accommodation I would have to adjust
an accommodation I would have to adjust
an accommodation I would have to adjust or move on and the second camp was many
or move on and the second camp was many
or move on and the second camp was many many students and parents who I had to
many students and parents who I had to
many students and parents who I had to talk to before who came to me and told
talk to before who came to me and told
talk to before who came to me and told me that they experienced similar issues
me that they experienced similar issues
me that they experienced similar issues not just at Stanton but at other high
not just at Stanton but at other high
not just at Stanton but at other high schools in Duval County and they didn’t
schools in Duval County and they didn’t
schools in Duval County and they didn’t speak out about it because they were
speak out about it because they were
speak out about it because they were afraid of facing intense backlash so
afraid of facing intense backlash so
afraid of facing intense backlash so this led me to realize how important it
this led me to realize how important it
this led me to realize how important it is to educate people on educational
is to educate people on educational
is to educate people on educational issues and rights and education and that
issues and rights and education and that
issues and rights and education and that led me to found my website equal
led me to found my website equal
led me to found my website equal opportunities for students equal
opportunities for students equal
opportunities for students equal opportunities for students is a blog
opportunities for students is a blog
opportunities for students is a blog that does text posts and video
that does text posts and video
that does text posts and video interviews and what we do is we have two
interviews and what we do is we have two
interviews and what we do is we have two purposes one is to educate people on
purposes one is to educate people on
purposes one is to educate people on educational laws and educational rights
educational laws and educational rights
educational laws and educational rights and teach people about educational
and teach people about educational
and teach people about educational resources so options that you might not
resources so options that you might not
resources so options that you might not have known you had beforehand and laws
have known you had beforehand and laws
have known you had beforehand and laws you might not have known were in place
you might not have known were in place
you might not have known were in place before because I experienced many many
before because I experienced many many
before because I experienced many many people who didn’t know that disability
people who didn’t know that disability
people who didn’t know that disability discrimination was covered under the
discrimination was covered under the
discrimination was covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the
Americans with Disabilities Act and the
Americans with Disabilities Act and the individual the I DEA that didn’t know
individual the I DEA that didn’t know
individual the I DEA that didn’t know that these laws were in place and the
that these laws were in place and the
that these laws were in place and the second is to allow students and parents
second is to allow students and parents
second is to allow students and parents to tell their story in education to
to tell their story in education to
to tell their story in education to verbalize when they have experienced
verbalize when they have experienced
verbalize when they have experienced discrimination and not just so that they
discrimination and not just so that they
discrimination and not just so that they can hopefully reach people who can help
can hopefully reach people who can help
can hopefully reach people who can help them but also to show principals and
them but also to show principals and
them but also to show principals and teachers and college presidents that
teachers and college presidents that
teachers and college presidents that these issues do still happen on our
these issues do still happen on our
these issues do still happen on our campuses and not just issues of
campuses and not just issues of
campuses and not just issues of disability discrimination racial
disability discrimination racial
disability discrimination racial discrimination sexual assault sexual
discrimination sexual assault sexual
discrimination sexual assault sexual harassment gender discrimination
harassment gender discrimination
harassment gender discrimination discrimination based on sexual
discrimination based on sexual
discrimination based on sexual orientation these things do happen at
orientation these things do happen at
orientation these things do happen at simple
simple
simple to shed a light on it and I have been
to shed a light on it and I have been
to shed a light on it and I have been advocating as a student been
advocating as a student been
advocating as a student been participating in student advocacy for
participating in student advocacy for
participating in student advocacy for about five years now and here are some
about five years now and here are some
about five years now and here are some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned one
of the biggest lessons I’ve learned one
of the biggest lessons I’ve learned one of the most key values that I learned
of the most key values that I learned
of the most key values that I learned was best articulated by my friend Maddie
was best articulated by my friend Maddie
was best articulated by my friend Maddie who started a program at Penn State
who started a program at Penn State
who started a program at Penn State called Schreyer for women it’s a support
called Schreyer for women it’s a support
called Schreyer for women it’s a support group for women in Penn State’s Honors
group for women in Penn State’s Honors
group for women in Penn State’s Honors College and in my interview with Maddie
College and in my interview with Maddie
College and in my interview with Maddie I asked her what advice would you give
I asked her what advice would you give
I asked her what advice would you give to another student who was trying to
to another student who was trying to
to another student who was trying to start a similar Club at their school and
start a similar Club at their school and
start a similar Club at their school and she told me find your tribe and it’s
she told me find your tribe and it’s
she told me find your tribe and it’s incredibly important to find people that
incredibly important to find people that
incredibly important to find people that agree with you that agree with your
agree with you that agree with your
agree with you that agree with your premise and want to work towards
premise and want to work towards
premise and want to work towards improving it because if you want to go
improving it because if you want to go
improving it because if you want to go fast go alone but if you want to go far
fast go alone but if you want to go far
fast go alone but if you want to go far go together the sound of many voices
go together the sound of many voices
go together the sound of many voices calling out for change is much more
calling out for change is much more
calling out for change is much more powerful than one voice calling out for
powerful than one voice calling out for
powerful than one voice calling out for change and you’d be surprised how much
change and you’d be surprised how much
change and you’d be surprised how much farther you can go when you’re not the
farther you can go when you’re not the
farther you can go when you’re not the one shouldering all the burden yourself
one shouldering all the burden yourself
one shouldering all the burden yourself now in the fall of 2017 some white
now in the fall of 2017 some white
now in the fall of 2017 some white supremacist groups on Penn State’s
supremacist groups on Penn State’s
supremacist groups on Penn State’s campus started leaving out propaganda
campus started leaving out propaganda
campus started leaving out propaganda and this coupled with Richard Spencer
and this coupled with Richard Spencer
and this coupled with Richard Spencer attempting to requesting a space to
attempting to requesting a space to
attempting to requesting a space to speak on our campus led my friends Tessa
speak on our campus led my friends Tessa
speak on our campus led my friends Tessa Rae Sam and I to form the group no hate
Rae Sam and I to form the group no hate
Rae Sam and I to form the group no hate Penn State and we wanted students to
Penn State and we wanted students to
Penn State and we wanted students to have a peaceful way to resist the
have a peaceful way to resist the
have a peaceful way to resist the message of white supremacy while still
message of white supremacy while still
message of white supremacy while still creatively and proactively celebrating
creatively and proactively celebrating
creatively and proactively celebrating the diversity and unity that makes a
the diversity and unity that makes a
the diversity and unity that makes a place like a college campus great and
place like a college campus great and
place like a college campus great and our vision was to have a concert but not
our vision was to have a concert but not
our vision was to have a concert but not just any concert a concert where we have
just any concert a concert where we have
just any concert a concert where we have many different kinds of performers and
many different kinds of performers and
many different kinds of performers and we have visual art pieces displayed and
we have visual art pieces displayed and
we have visual art pieces displayed and we have a co-created art piece where all
we have a co-created art piece where all
we have a co-created art piece where all the attendees can come and work together
the attendees can come and work together
the attendees can come and work together to create a monument of the unity and
to create a monument of the unity and
to create a monument of the unity and diversity that our campus stands for we
diversity that our campus stands for we
diversity that our campus stands for we actually for Martin Luther King Day 2018
actually for Martin Luther King Day 2018
actually for Martin Luther King Day 2018 just had our first event and through
just had our first event and through
just had our first event and through planning that one of the things I
planning that one of the things I
planning that one of the things I learned is that everyone has skills that
learned is that everyone has skills that
learned is that everyone has skills that are useful for outreach I do stand-up
are useful for outreach I do stand-up
are useful for outreach I do stand-up comedy at Penn State didn’t seem like it
comedy at Penn State didn’t seem like it
comedy at Penn State didn’t seem like it would be useful but I have a friend that
would be useful but I have a friend that
would be useful but I have a friend that I met through stand-up comedy his name
I met through stand-up comedy his name
I met through stand-up comedy his name is Joe very talented Camille
is Joe very talented Camille
is Joe very talented Camille you just ended up finishing a tour of
you just ended up finishing a tour of
you just ended up finishing a tour of Pennsylvania when I told him about the
Pennsylvania when I told him about the
Pennsylvania when I told him about the concert we were doing he told me he’d be
concert we were doing he told me he’d be
concert we were doing he told me he’d be more than happy to be one of the
more than happy to be one of the
more than happy to be one of the performers at it through doing stand-up
performers at it through doing stand-up
performers at it through doing stand-up I also met a very excellent painter Anna
I also met a very excellent painter Anna
I also met a very excellent painter Anna who was gracious enough to allow us to
who was gracious enough to allow us to
who was gracious enough to allow us to use some of her paintings to set up the
use some of her paintings to set up the
use some of her paintings to set up the atmosphere we were trying to for this
atmosphere we were trying to for this
atmosphere we were trying to for this concert um we met my friend Sam who was
concert um we met my friend Sam who was
concert um we met my friend Sam who was planning it with us in know hey Penn
planning it with us in know hey Penn
planning it with us in know hey Penn State is a keyboard player for a local
State is a keyboard player for a local
State is a keyboard player for a local band Doppler Poppins and through his
band Doppler Poppins and through his
band Doppler Poppins and through his connections in the music scene of State
connections in the music scene of State
connections in the music scene of State College we were able to get
College we were able to get
College we were able to get well-respected local musicians roschmann
well-respected local musicians roschmann
well-respected local musicians roschmann Aurora and Eric Ian farmer to also play
Aurora and Eric Ian farmer to also play
Aurora and Eric Ian farmer to also play at this concert and donate their time we
at this concert and donate their time we
at this concert and donate their time we used our connections to contact local
used our connections to contact local
used our connections to contact local groups like Eko action and students for
groups like Eko action and students for
groups like Eko action and students for a better politics and the Center for
a better politics and the Center for
a better politics and the Center for women’s rights and we held a diversity
women’s rights and we held a diversity
women’s rights and we held a diversity Expo where students could come and learn
Expo where students could come and learn
Expo where students could come and learn about civic organizations in their area
about civic organizations in their area
about civic organizations in their area so that they could make sure that they
so that they could make sure that they
so that they could make sure that they were helping to better the State College
were helping to better the State College
were helping to better the State College community outside of just attending this
community outside of just attending this
community outside of just attending this one event we enlisted the help of a
one event we enlisted the help of a
one event we enlisted the help of a filmmaker Olivia who’s very very
filmmaker Olivia who’s very very
filmmaker Olivia who’s very very talented and helped us document the
talented and helped us document the
talented and helped us document the event so we would have evidence of what
event so we would have evidence of what
event so we would have evidence of what we created together and show other
we created together and show other
we created together and show other people that weren’t able to make it to
people that weren’t able to make it to
people that weren’t able to make it to the event and one of the best
the event and one of the best
the event and one of the best connections we made was with a woman
connections we made was with a woman
connections we made was with a woman Elaine who owns a local coffee shop and
Elaine who owns a local coffee shop and
Elaine who owns a local coffee shop and cafe called Webster’s and she was
cafe called Webster’s and she was
cafe called Webster’s and she was gracious enough to allow us to use her
gracious enough to allow us to use her
gracious enough to allow us to use her space at Webster’s for three hours on
space at Webster’s for three hours on
space at Webster’s for three hours on Martin Luther King Day absolutely free
Martin Luther King Day absolutely free
Martin Luther King Day absolutely free and thanks to all of the effort and
and thanks to all of the effort and
and thanks to all of the effort and energy and time that everyone put into
energy and time that everyone put into
energy and time that everyone put into this event we were able to have 250
this event we were able to have 250
this event we were able to have 250 people come through our event in the
people come through our event in the
people come through our event in the three hours that we held this on Martin
three hours that we held this on Martin
three hours that we held this on Martin Luther King Day and another thing I
Luther King Day and another thing I
Luther King Day and another thing I learned through through planning this is
learned through through planning this is
learned through through planning this is that plans change there they’re not
that plans change there they’re not
that plans change there they’re not permanent our initial plan was to have
permanent our initial plan was to have
permanent our initial plan was to have our Martin Luther King Day concert
our Martin Luther King Day concert
our Martin Luther King Day concert outside shortly afterwards we realized
outside shortly afterwards we realized
outside shortly afterwards we realized that Martin Luther King Day is in
that Martin Luther King Day is in
that Martin Luther King Day is in January and we are in central
January and we are in central
January and we are in central Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania that is not going to work but plans
that is not going to work but plans
that is not going to work but plans aren’t permanent there they’re
aren’t permanent there they’re
aren’t permanent there they’re changeable and they’re malleable just
changeable and they’re malleable just
changeable and they’re malleable just make sure you’re working at it a lot of
make sure you’re working at it a lot of
make sure you’re working at it a lot of people are afraid to get into advocacy
people are afraid to get into advocacy
people are afraid to get into advocacy because they don’t know where to start
because they don’t know where to start
because they don’t know where to start and they don’t think they have the
and they don’t think they have the
and they don’t think they have the skills that are necessary but you really
skills that are necessary but you really
skills that are necessary but you really just have to jump in feet first I mean
just have to jump in feet first I mean
just have to jump in feet first I mean through doing equal opportunities for
through doing equal opportunities for
through doing equal opportunities for students I learned how to conduct
students I learned how to conduct
students I learned how to conduct interviews I learned how to record and
interviews I learned how to record and
interviews I learned how to record and edit videos I learned how to run a
edit videos I learned how to run a
edit videos I learned how to run a website and about two years later we
website and about two years later we
website and about two years later we have more than 90 videos up if you just
have more than 90 videos up if you just
have more than 90 videos up if you just dive in the skills will come now I don’t
dive in the skills will come now I don’t
dive in the skills will come now I don’t want to make this sound like it’s easy
want to make this sound like it’s easy
want to make this sound like it’s easy because it’s not it’s a very very
because it’s not it’s a very very
because it’s not it’s a very very difficult process there’s a lot of time
difficult process there’s a lot of time
difficult process there’s a lot of time and energy involved and you will reach
and energy involved and you will reach
and energy involved and you will reach out to a lot of people who will disagree
out to a lot of people who will disagree
out to a lot of people who will disagree with your message entirely and you will
with your message entirely and you will
with your message entirely and you will run into a lot of bureaucratic
run into a lot of bureaucratic
run into a lot of bureaucratic roadblocks but it is necessary to push
roadblocks but it is necessary to push
roadblocks but it is necessary to push through it because the end result is
through it because the end result is
through it because the end result is worth it and I like to remind people
worth it and I like to remind people
worth it and I like to remind people that the race towards justice isn’t a
that the race towards justice isn’t a
that the race towards justice isn’t a sprint it isn’t even a marathon I
sprint it isn’t even a marathon I
sprint it isn’t even a marathon I consider it a relay race like when you
consider it a relay race like when you
consider it a relay race like when you think about it
think about it
think about it Brown didn’t fight to toe Piku Board of
Brown didn’t fight to toe Piku Board of
Brown didn’t fight to toe Piku Board of Education for himself he did it so that
Education for himself he did it so that
Education for himself he did it so that his daughter could go to a school that
his daughter could go to a school that
his daughter could go to a school that wasn’t separate but equal’ you have to
wasn’t separate but equal’ you have to
wasn’t separate but equal’ you have to make sure that you’re pushing the bar as
make sure that you’re pushing the bar as
make sure that you’re pushing the bar as forward as you can for the next
forward as you can for the next
forward as you can for the next generation so I like to think that I do
generation so I like to think that I do
generation so I like to think that I do the work that I do is that another
the work that I do is that another
the work that I do is that another epileptic student that’s still in high
epileptic student that’s still in high
epileptic student that’s still in high school can take AP calculus without
school can take AP calculus without
school can take AP calculus without having to go to the hospital every other
having to go to the hospital every other
having to go to the hospital every other day and honestly every time I start an
day and honestly every time I start an
day and honestly every time I start an event I learned one new thing I did that
event I learned one new thing I did that
event I learned one new thing I did that worked
worked
worked and the about three that didn’t but I
and the about three that didn’t but I
and the about three that didn’t but I can say that every event I’ve done and
can say that every event I’ve done and
can say that every event I’ve done and continue to do improves on the last one
continue to do improves on the last one
continue to do improves on the last one and that’s that’s truly the key here and
and that’s that’s truly the key here and
and that’s that’s truly the key here and there really is an incredible power in
there really is an incredible power in
there really is an incredible power in student advocacy and the more people
student advocacy and the more people
student advocacy and the more people take it up we can make sure that we
take it up we can make sure that we
take it up we can make sure that we leave our schools our campuses and our
leave our schools our campuses and our
leave our schools our campuses and our cities better than we found them before
cities better than we found them before
cities better than we found them before thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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