Dylan Rush is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Vista High School for AZPreps365.com

Following a series of incidents regarding police brutality in the spring of 2020, many gathered to protest and fight for the rights of the oppressed. Some gathered in city squares, hoisting signs in the air, unified in their goal to combat racism and police brutality. They wanted to be heard. The students at Desert Vista High School, too, just wanted their voices to be heard. 

So they walked out. 

On June 4, 2020, every Desert Vista student, along with their teachers, conducted a ‘race walk’ to demonstrate their frustration with police brutality and how minorities are treated in America. Some parents, along with athletic coaches, also joined.

“With everything going on in the world, we just wanted to support all races as a show of solidarity, not only for our community, but the rest of the state, the rest of the country,” said boy’s basketball coach Jordan Ballard. “They walked together to show support for one another.”

Desert Vista didn’t walk alone. 

Joining them was Mountain Pointe High School, their athletic rival. Especially in basketball. 

“I thought it was really cool that they decided to walk with us,” said junior guard Andrew King. “We really go at it on the court. We’re at each other's throats. For them to join us, it showed a real sense of community. It showed how much bigger this was than all of us.”

The high school's leadership committees had shirts made, and coordinated the where, what, when, and how. The school was diligent about making sure this was an organized, peaceful gathering, one that would fill the students with empowerment.

“It felt amazing,” said junior forward Tayan Thompson. “To be out there with my team, and with my classmates, the protest made me feel like my voice mattered. I’ll never forget it, it was a very memorable day.”

Desert Vista hosts monthly assemblies, preaching the importance of diversity, equality, and to be accepting of students and people of all cultures, of all backgrounds. 

Additionally, they have instituted a program with the purpose of diversifying their student body, accepting more minority students into their building. 

“They have done a good job of making me feel welcome,” said Thompson. “I’ve never had a single instance where I felt pressed about my race or my skin color, on or off the court. I think students have taken the assemblies much more seriously since the Black Lives Matter movement last year, and I definitely think that is a good thing.”

Along with assemblies and diversity programs, Ballard believes that there is one thing that creates a sense of community above all else: Sports.

“Sports truly bring people together,” said Ballard. “I always preach it to my team, be good to each other, pick your brother up. We say brother because it doesn’t matter if you’re white, Black, Hispanic, Asian - we’re a family and we’re all we got. We’re there for each other, just like we as humans should be in all walks of life.”

In a time filled with uncertainty and division, Desert Vista has consistently shown its commitment to ensuring equality among all races, among all people. 

With the pandemic, police brutality, and everything else going on in the world, Ballard reminds his students to focus on what is within their power.

“We can control how we treat one another. We can have each other's backs in games, as well as off of the court. We can always work hard for each other, to make sure we all feel comfortable, and that we are all successful,” Ballard said.

Desert Vista has made it clear that they stand together, united as human beings regardless of skin color. Nothing can take that away from them.