As a leader of Student Organization Against Racism, senior Callia Blake said the club creates a space for her to speak about obstacles students may face regarding their race.

According to adviser Daniel Perez, Student Organization Against Racism (SOAR) hopes to assess racial issues in the community and start actively addressing those issues.

“SOAR is about discussing and evaluating certain racial problems,” Perez said.  “We are talking about those issues but also thinking of ways to enact change.”

Blake said SOAR provides a safe place to discuss race.

“It is a good space to feel like you have that solidarity and sense of you aren’t the only person going through this and you have this community of people,” Blake said.

Even though Blake does not attend Park full-time, she still wants to be involved in racial issues at the school.

“I want to be an information resource and assist students who attend the school full time to help fix racial problems,” Blake said.

Perez said SOAR intends to discuss the composition of higher-level classes at Park.

“We want to advocate for the diversity in the composition of higher level classes, the content of some classes and the representation of people of color in those classes,” Perez said. “A few years ago it was pretty disheartening to walk into honors classes. Students described it as a mostly homogenous caucasian population, but now in some classes there are a lot more people of color.”

Perez said that the main goal for the year would be to recruit active club members that are racially diverse.

“We are trying to get more people to join because right now, we have about six active participants at this point and I know there is an interest from more people,” Perez said.

SOAR meets at 8 a.m. Tuesdays in room L8 3/4.