Aarika Roy and Josue Perez live in different cities and grew up in distinct cultures, but the two New Hampshire high school students share similar life experiences.
As children of immigrant parents, attending school in predominantly white settings has motivated them to seek certain changes in their communities.
Roy is a junior at Nashua High School North. Born to Indian parents, Roy’s upbringing fueled her passion for civic engagement, activism, and climate justice.
She believes the Nashua city government is doing a “great job” welcoming immigrants but still has room for improvement. She suggests providing recognition for cultural holidays could ensure inclusivity for all residents.
She says she remains committed to making a positive change for underrepresented communities, particularly when it comes to climate justice. She also says she would like to see more individuals participate in local decision-making processes.
Growing up in a Spanish-speaking household in Manchester, Perez, a Derryfield School senior, learned English by watching TV and attending special classes. His dedication now leads him to college with the dream of becoming a lawyer.
Drawing inspiration from his childhood, Perez hopes his city will foster more language accessibility programs with more “people-oriented places” that encourage inclusion. He would also like to see the local Latino community participate more in city government and ask the people in authority to dedicate funds to interpreters and translation.
He loves the variety of cultures in Manchester, and while he enjoys how it is expanding, he says the city needs more places for entertainment.
