On February 22, Williston will host its first Why Not Speak? (or WNS) Day. The community will gather to speak about our differences and similarities through the lens of varying perspectives, lifestyles, races, ethnicities, familial backgrounds, religions, socioeconomic statuses, sexual orientations, cultures, gender identities, etc.
“It is a day to speak truthfully, listen intently, learn modestly, and engage respectfully,” according to Erin Davey, director of inclusion, who organized the event.
This year’s theme is “Changing the Narrative.” Assembly speaker Rev. Eric Taylor Doctor, author of the book Unapologetically ME: Living Truth, will kick off the day. We will then host about 30 workshops, ranging from body image to sexual assault to racism. We’ll also welcome teen book author Lisa Papademetriou, author of Discover Yourself–and Others–in a Good Book (or Fifty), who will speak about the importance of diverse books in schools; a local all-male theater troupe called Phallacies, who will speak to our male identified students about sexual abuse; and Sydney Satchell, who will run a workshop called Celebrate your Journey.