On Thursday morning, students gathered at San Jose City Hall to take part in the Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, marking a significant milestone in the history of the Civil Rights Movement.
Participating students from Notre Dame High School paid tribute to Ruby Bridges, who, at the tender age of six, became the first African American student to integrate an all-white school in New Orleans in 1960, facing hostility from a violent mob in the process.
Helena Ledeit, one of the students involved in the walk, expressed her belief in the power of activism to instigate change. “Students especially are so passionate about it. All around, you can be involved — through art, through protest, even through this simple walk,” she stated. Ledeit shared her aspiration to contribute to a better world, saying, “I wanna see a change to the world, I wanna be a part of it and leave this place a little better than I came into it.”
Tanisha Fitzgerald, who serves as the director of student leadership and a mathematics teacher, underlined the importance of inspiring her students to take courageous actions, similar to Bridges. “I think it’s important for them to know that it doesn’t matter how old they are or how young they are, the focus is that this 6-year-old girl could do something brave, and so could they,” Fitzgerald remarked.
The annual event, which aims to encourage young people’s engagement with social issues, was initiated in 2017 by a group of fifth-grade students in South San Francisco.
This gathering serves as a powerful reminder that activism can start at any age and that the legacy of courageous individuals like Ruby Bridges continues to inspire the younger generation to advocate for justice and equality.
Inspiringly, such events solidify the understanding that collective action, even something as simple as a walk, can make a significant impact, fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility for positive change.