Courtesy of Miles Tranchida

All are welcome in Diversity Club every other Thursday in room Science 302, according to junior and club president Ash Balido. Upon his arrival here at North as a sophomore, Balido believes that this specific club can foster both inclusivity and collaboration.

After noticing a lack of diversity in his day-to-day classes, Balido found that the Diversity Club offered him the chance to connect with people who come from a wide variety of backgrounds and who hold unique beliefs.

“The first time I stepped on campus, I went straight to Diversity Club, because I realized there were no other POC kids like me around me,” Balido said. “I was like, maybe I’ll try this out and see if I’ll meet anyone. And I did.”

The new faculty advisor of Diversity Club, David Taylor is proud of the  passionately involved student leaders and members of Diversity Club. Taylor hopes to convey to his students that diversity is something good and something that everyone should embrace. 

“Making sure that we recognize that difference isn’t something to hide, rather something to celebrate,” Taylor said. “It’s a big part of the creative learning process, the more differences we have allows us to see into other perspectives and be more open to new ideas.”

Currently, the Diversity Club is planning its annual event called Acoustic Latte Lounge set to take place on Feb. 2. This “open mic night” is a place where everyone is encouraged to showcase individual talent, according to Balido. 

“Acoustic Latte Lounge is where we take the library and we decorate it,” Balido said. “We set up like a kind of a mini stage, we have like two or three microphones at the front. We usually have a piano set up and a couple of guitars out for people to use.”

As the year closes, Balido is hopeful for future meetings and believes that the  Diversity Club can be a place for anyone and everyone to feel welcomed and accepted. 

“We believe that everyone has a place somewhere in this school and if you find it nowhere else then we want that place to be here at the club,” Balido said.