Why Is Diversity on My Island Important To Me?
On May 2, two Edgartown School students were recognized for their essays.
Molly Pogue, 6th Grade * Matheus Brito, 7th Grade * Edgartown School

Diversity is important to Martha's Vineyard because you learn new cultures. Diversity is important to me because I learn from others. Learning helps bring everyone together and learn from each other.
Matheus Brito

The best place to teach other people about their heritage or nationality who they are, and respecting other heritages, is with kids who could carry the knowledge on for generations.
Molly Pogue

Congratulations to Edgartown School students Matheus Brito and Molly Pogue for their thoughtful essays: "Why Is Diversity on My Island Important To Me?" Thank you to MVYLI youth leaders for the Multicultural Sustainability Project, especially to Marcelle Alves, Tallula Brodsky, Lucie Dougherty-Soares, Taynara Goncalves, Kristine Hopkins, and Jacqueline Menton. As part of the "Minorities in the MV Public Schools: Panel & Public Forum" in 2010 at the Martha's Vineyard Hebrew Center, Isabella El-Diery's participated. Then she and Jacob Lawrence, Maggie Riseborough and Sivana Brown organized the Multicultural Assembly at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School with Charlayne Hunter-Gault. As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement, we're grateful to all who are carrying on this important legacy for sharing our collective dream for a  multicultural island and world. 
Dr. James Weiss, Superintendent, Martha's Vineyard Schools
 
 

MVYLI Youth Essay Excerpts

If people of all cultures got together and got to know each other as individual people for who they are and not what people think there culture is, or what race they are, differences could be celebrated. 
Kristine Hopkins, Junior 

I love to get to know people that are multicultural. Each person has a different story and each one of them will impact you in a different way. The island is filled with multi-cultured people and not everyone knows it. We are all a big community, a big family filled with amazing stories to share with one another. 

Taynara Goncaleves, Sophomore

In high school I saw a stereotypical image people had of Brazilians. I reached out and invited them to a luncheon hosted by MVYLI. All these kids stated their dreams for their lives and their island. They want to be lawyers, doctors and other careers. I was happy, and proud of them. 
Marcelle Alves, Sophomore 

I've lived on Martha's Vineyard my whole life, like my mother. In seventh grade I finally went to the Cape Verde Islands. People were so welcoming, open, loving and giving. It was an honor to know these wonderful people were related to me. I want to be like them, welcoming, open, loving and giving. 
 
Lucie Doughtery-Soares, Sophomore
 
 
 

 
 
 



Martha's Vineyard Youth Leadership Initiative

P.O. Box 4551 * Vineyard Haven, MA 02568

mvyouthleaders@gmail.com * www.mvyli.org