D.A.N.G. Club Takes Off

D.A.N.G. Club Creates Welcoming Environment

Diversity And iNclusion Group is a dedicated group of students and staff working to create something new. By Amara Whited, Nicholas Belcher, and Kaila Burnside

The D.A.N.G. (Diversity and Inclusion Group) Club was created by overlapping GSA and other diversity groups with the intention of creating one large, diverse, and multipurpose club. Many schools usually split into groups for black students, hispanic students, and other marginalized groups, but GEHS takes a different approach.

“Whenever you have separate clubs, that promotes more segregation than it does inclusion,” D.A.N.G. sponsor Jonathan Green said. “[It’s] very intentional.”

Green sees a benefit to the diverse group, rather than a drawback. There was originally only a GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) with little to no intentional room for other marginilized groups. With D.A.N.G., it creates a space where there is never too little space for anybody.

“Mr. Green and Ms. Gehrt had applications for the board… to put several of us in leadership positions,” junior Elizabeth Fiedler said. “We’re the ones that primarily direct where the club is going.”

The club has a student run board system, with a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and multiple directors. These students are handed the reins of the group and take charge.

“We’re talking about LGBTQ issues… there’s some limitations to what we can do right now with COVID and doing more with the community,” Fiedler said. “But in the future I think that’s where we’re really headed…to not only work in our school but in our community.” The goal overall is to learn and to hear about others struggles.

“[It’s] a really supportive environment where all of us can learn on topics that can be kind of uncomfortable,” Fiedler said.

No topic is out of reach for D.A.N.G.. The student board members don’t shy away from topics that may make people uncomfortable.

“We’ll have talks about black lives matter and cultural identity… really important subjects that people should be aware of,” senior Kaylah Newman said.

The road hasn’t been smooth for D.A.N.G., but the students and sponsors involved don’t back down from a challenge.

“There have been challenges, but I think the important part of hitting those challenges is being able to overcome those challenges,” Green said. “It’s been an achievable process to overcome any of the obstacles we face.”

Disagreement and discussion is an important part of the group, even encouraged by the sponsors and board members. Although not a major meeting mainstay yet, the board members see only a space to grow.

“With us being new that’s only a place for us to grow, and I think we’re going to grow in the right direction,” Newman said. “People are going to start asking questions because they’re going to feel like this is a safe environment that we’ve created.”

D.A.N.G. has ambitious goals for the future.

“We’re planning on coordinating with the GSA to advertise both of our clubs simultaneously because we do want to work with a lot of the different groups to expand our outreach,” Fiedler said. “We will have a table [at lunch] set up side by side.”

The D.A.N.G. club has two sponsors: Mr. Green and Ms. Gehrt; And seven executive board members: Kirsden Collins, Amajae Glover, Avery Gates, Aaliyah Moss, Felix Kester, Elizabeth Fiedler, and Kaylah Newman.

D.A.N.G. Club

February | Vol. 40 | Iss. 1