Since kindergarten, Humza Yousuf has been attending public school in Elmwood Park, New Jersey where the now high school senior has learned plenty about different cultures, languages and traditions through their diverse school system. The fact that Humza is a Queens, New York-born whose parents are from Pakistan has never stood in the way of his social ability nor educational opportunities in his hometown. This is why it has come as a shock that a Board of Education member from his very own district is considered a racist.
Gladys Gryskiewicz, an Elmwood Park Board of Education member, was found to have posted discriminatory remarks on social media that are being described as racist and urged the deportation of Muslims. “I was dumfounded,” said Humza Yousuf on the matter. The seventeen-year-old stood in front of Elmwood Park residents, the town’s Board of Education members, councilmen, teachers, fellow peers and their parents and spoke in his defense where he stated that his race should not come in between his education nor his rights as an American citizen.
“I couldn’t believe that someone who represents such a diverse group of students and teachers made those racial comments.” Humza’s approach to the situation resulted in a man causing a scene in front of the audience by ranting against Humza’s religion and calling his prophet a pervert. The man could not be escorted by Elmwood Park Police immediately due to “freedom of speech.” Once he finally was removed from the event Humza cried, “Why do they hate us!?” according to a witness that night.
The aftermath was surreal. People in and out of Elmwood Park stood up for Humza and posted on every social platform in order to address the situation and defend their peer. Not so long after, Humza created a petition titled “Education Has No Race” where the primary goal is to demonstrate to the public that not only does his hometown protest against office members discriminating against race or religion, but people all over the nation and world are against the matter too. Humza plans on "making Elmwood Park schools entirely racist free [again] and making sure that students’ education will not be compromised by their color. race, religion or background.” He then created wristbands and a social media hashtag that say “EP UNITED” which, to him, symbolizes a town that will never be defeated as long as it’s people remain united. The slogan stands beside his favorite quote: “All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing”. Humza believes “bigoted and racist people like Gladys or Donald Trump won’t destroy the world but it will be the smart, rational people who do not do anything and allow bigoted individuals to destroy the world. At the moment, I am confident that the people are standing up against Gladys’s racist comments and Trump’s racist rhetoric.”
Humza plans to positively impact lives and make the world a place where his mother won’t be given a side eye for covering her hair and African Americans will not be discriminated by the cops due to their skin color.
People who died at war, worked effortlessly to create a religion-accepting constitution, people who are not able to speak for themselves and people who are discriminated on a day-to-day basis motivate Humza to fight for what is right. After Gladys Gryskiewicz’s comments received attention, Humza found the confidence to speak about what is right and stand up for what he believes in. “It is my responsibility as a human being who lives on Earth to take action. If there was racism towards Jewish people, white people, Hispanic people or any other person or specific race, color, religion I would have spoke[sp] out against it and made an attempt to initiate a similar response from the people.”
If you too believe in a nation free of racism and want to help make a difference in student's education, feel free to sign Humza Yousuf's petition to have the Board of Education member resign at https://www.change.org/p/new-jersey-state-senate-e...
