FRISCO, TEXAS – Sister’s Against Silence (SAS), a new club at Centennial High School, made its debut at the club fair this year as well as at their first meeting. The group highlights the struggles with violence that women in society face and provides strategies to keep women safe in dangerous situations.
Leena El-Nachar is president of SAS and has put in much of her time to create an important and unique club for Centennial.
“Sisters Against Silence is a club where we speak about and shine a spotlight on the issues of gender violence and harassment whilst also teaching young women specific safety precautions they can take to protect themselves,” says Leena El-Nachar.
Being a woman today can be very challenging and even terrifying. Raising awareness for not just yourself, but others as well, of the possible struggles that young girls go through is an asset that can keep women safe in the long run.
“I came up with the idea for the club because I noticed how there… [are] many female empowerment clubs at our school but none that specifically cover the issues of gender violence, and I think that this topic is so important because it’s a place where everybody feels comfortable speaking about a serious topic such as gender violence,” says Leena El-Nachar.
The club’s officers include Leena El-Nachar, Audrey Ferriss, Emily Belagaroid, Ashika Vinjamaram, and Gabriela Martinez. El-Nachar serves as president, overseeing the meetings and reaching out to possible promoters and people who can give insight into their experiences.
Ferriss, the club’s Vice President, helps lead the club by actively supporting President El-Nachar and the other officers with tasks like promoting events and expanding the club´s network.
Belagaroid is the Outreach Coordinator and is responsible for building connections with external organizations and helping expand the club’s network.
Additionally, Secretary Vinjamaram manages administrative tasks, setting a solid foundation, taking meeting minutes, and keeping records.
Lastly, Resource Manager Martinez oversees the management and allocation of the club’s materials, ensures that resources are used efficiently, and tracks inventory.
The club’s officers and members donate their time with the goal of making a safe space to speak about women’s safety and discuss anything they might need to get off their chest about past occurrences.
