5-31-2022 4:34am

LOCAL STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD:

ROAH HASSAN, 2022-2023 STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD

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WELCOMING NEW LEADERSHIP: ROAH HASSAN

by Peyton Davis, Grade 12 student at Catonsville High School and an intern in the BCPS Department of Communications and Community Outreach

The Board of Education of Baltimore County is comprised of adults with degrees and years of professional experience – except for one student member of the Board (SMOB). As the newly-elected SMOB Roah Hassan will contribute her young yet powerful voice to important discussions.

Roah is a junior at Perry Hall High School who loves English and classic literature, citing “The Alchemist” as one of her favorite books. However, Roah’s daily roles as a member of BCPS don’t end at the 2:30 p.m. bell.

Hassan’s term as SMOB starts on July 1. As SMOB, Roah will get to collaborate with the other school board members to make decisions on student welfare, budgeting, and essentially anything that could concern her fellow BCPS students.

Roah Hassan, 2022-2023 SMOB

ACTIVIST IN THE MAKING

Roah’s journey to this elected position involved years of advocacy and finding her own voice. “I started doing student government in 4th grade,” Roah says, “but no one was listening. I quit once I discovered that I wasn’t going to make the impact that I wanted that way.”

It wasn’t a club or organization that got Roah started on her current path. In fact, it was organizing work that Roah initiated on her own. At Hereford Middle School, with a predominately white population, she advocated for racial equity. One day, Roah was invited to a SMOB voting forum. Roah says, “This is where it clicked. I was so excited. I ended up going more into activism instead of student council.”

This experience in activism has served Roah well. As an activist and organizer, Roah knows how to speak her mind, elevate the voices of others, and take on initiatives that may seem daunting. All of these years of behind-the-scenes work and public service culminated with her win as candidate for student member of the board.

As an activist and organizer, Roah knows how to speak her mind, elevate the voices of others, and take on initiatives that may seem daunting.

“I knew that the results were coming out that afternoon because I got an email,” Roah recalls. “I was so nervous that a friend told me to drive to Target. Halfway there, he called me to tell me to turn around. After dragging on the moment for way too long, I was told via Google Meet that I had won. My friends were muted on FaceTime, but they could tell I won just by my screaming reaction.”

Roah, in the center of the top left photo, with other Perry Hall students during a School Safety Black-out she helped organize

Roah organizing an event

THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

When reflecting on the election experience, Roah credits a large part of her success to her ability to stay on top of current events. According to Roah, “Students want to know the realities and flaws of the system – if something was happening, I was addressing it through online platforms. This includes school safety threats and stigmatized topics.”

One of the very important yet stigmatized topics that Roah is passionate about is sexual assault, and she has heard stories about sexual assaults going unaddressed. “Sexual assault has never been talked about directly in schools,” Roah says.

Roah thinks that her insistence on speaking out about taboo topics and listening to the voices of students regarding current issues is something that greatly contributed to her success. Her only regret on the campaign was not being able to virtually visit more schools. “Although I met a bunch of amazing students around the county, I questioned if I met with enough schools. I really want to be able to hear the voices of everyone in BCPS,” Roah says.

One of Roah's "I voted" stickers

WORKING WITH ADULTS

Although Roah is ecstatic to be working with the Board of Education, she has encountered some difficulties with being a youthful voice. “Sometimes, our country overlooks youth power,” she says. “When I was youth organizing, I’d often make calls to adults. Once I said my age, a lot of the adults tuned out. It’s common to think that young people are illogical, and therefore disregard their opinions.”

“Sometimes, our country overlooks youth power.” - Roah

Also, Roah has found a considerable difference between working with students and working with adults. “Whenever I talk about addressing racism, most of the time, adults are shocked and students are not,” she continues. “Students are really open-minded; they want to hear and listen. Whenever I’m speaking with adults, I feel like I have to be more persuasive. In general, adults are very rooted in what they believe, while kids are constantly growing and evolving with the world they live in.”

Despite the way in which youth voices can be disregarded, Roah is determined as always. “I will definitely fight for my seat at the table. I made a promise that my voice won’t be the only one. That is to say, I’m not going to be the only student in the room. I’m representing every single student in BCPS.”

“I’m not going to be the only student in the room. I’m representing every single student in BCPS.” - Roah

Roah with a friend

Roah has topics that she wants to address during her term, and she’s not going to shy away because of her age. “I think we need some changes to our budget and where we’re allotting money,” she says. “There are schools that need infrastructure changes, and there’s a bus driver shortage due to underpaying. Free AP exams, free school lunches, and free menstrual products in bathrooms are all important. Montgomery County provides free menstrual products, and I’d love for BCPS to join them.”

WOMEN IN POWER

Not only is Roah a youth voice, but she is also a young woman. “I’ve definitely experienced misogyny on the campaign,” Roah says. “I’ve been called too aggressive or angry for simply voicing my opinion – which is something that my male peers are praised for. A passionate woman is hysterical, while a passionate man is admirable.”

While Roah doesn’t give attention to those who spread sexist remarks, it certainly made her raise an eyebrow to be criticized on her outfits instead of her policies.

Despite the challenges, Roah is very proud to be a woman leader. “It’s very empowering,” she says. “There hasn’t been a female SMOB for three years. I cannot wait to be a woman on the board and serve as a role model for young girls. I want to inspire others to grab positions that they want and channel their passion. Have faith in your power and your community.”

LEGACY

Even after Roah’s one-year term ends, her impact on the county will continue. “I hope that I leave behind a seat that can be shared with other students,” Roah says. “I want my legacy to be that I amplified voices other than my own – emphasizing the power of the youth voice, not whatever specific amendment I got passed or whatever success I had.”

“I want my legacy to be that I amplified voices other than my own.” - Roah

Roah is constantly reminded of her intended legacy by the youngest voices in our county. “The BCPS community always lies within the student,” she says. “It hits me especially when I visit middle schools. Seeing young people so passionate and excited about change made me realize how much young people want to get involved. I could listen to their ideas for hours; those are the kids that I’m doing all this for.”

As for Roah’s future, she wants to pursue a career as a political activist. “Ending up in the U.S. Congress is the ultimate goal, but at the end of the day, I do this because I love it,” she says. “I want to do it for the right reasons and be held accountable for my actions.”

No matter where Roah’s future leads her, she will definitely be making change and inspiring people wherever she goes.