When students discuss “school spirit” with their teachers, Malden’s diversity is often mentioned. The citizens of Malden might have their ideas of how diverse Malden High School is, but it is difficult to create a story without hearing from the people who walk through these halls every day. The staff and students at this school have built connections with one another that they will never forget. Yahaira Marquez, the English teacher leader, who has been teaching at Malden High since 2008, grew up in Brooklyn, New York where she was surrounded by a community of mostly Hispanics. Throughout her time in Brooklyn, college “wasn’t a shared goal.” This lack of motivation inspired Marquez to encourage her students to avoid falling behind. “Whenever I see Hispanic students slip, I frequently say ‘Come on Latinos!’ We can’t let hardships stand in the way. Whenever I see Hispanic students succeeding, it touches a certain part of my heart because I see myself in them.”
Robert Grinnell, who has been teaching Spanish at Malden High for five years, has had encounters with students who struggled with their identities, expressing the Latin components of their personalities, and fitting in with their friends at school. These students often struggle to “stay true to their Hispanic roots which are mostly expressed at home, while also learning to express themselves in the ‘Americanized’ system that is school.” However, Grinnell believes that Malden High has successfully given Hispanic students a voice to express themselves, whether it is inside their Heritage Spanish Classes or in after-school clubs such as the Latin American Culture Club (LACC) advised by teacher Kristina Gilbert. The first meeting was held on April 11th of this year.
The LACC has made goals such as providing a space for Latin American students and helping them embrace their cultures. The club will be working with The Northshore Hispanic Association to celebrate Hispanic heritage with a Hispanic Heritage Festival. This event was originally planned for September 21st, 2024, but due to weather conditions, it was rescheduled for Sunday, October 13th, 2024. For more information on other club events like this one, anyone interested can follow the club on Instagram @lacc.mhs or join the Google Classroom with code “ywyq7q6.” While Malden High alumn Marianne Rivadeneira believed that nothing changed throughout her four years here, her experience was overall positive. She had no trouble but felt that she “often found myself wanting to express myself and my culture, but it was hard to explain it or they just didn’t understand. I also felt like I wasn’t Hispanic enough to show that part of myself, I was scared they would see me as a phony or just not authentic enough.”
These feelings are shared amongst many of the students at MHS which is a problem that the LACC is attempting to resolve. While former students such as Rivadeneira might feel there was a lack of representation, some current students say otherwise. Gabriella Lemus, a junior at MHS, has had a pleasant experience as a Hispanic student. Lemus said “When I go to school, I don’t ever feel pressured to hide my Hispanic identity. MHS is a high school with a lot of ethnic and racial diversity, allowing it to feel like a welcoming and open environment for students. I have never felt any sort of hostility or threat as a Hispanic student.”
While there is a lot of progress that can be made at MHS, there is no doubt that the school is filled with students and staff members who are dedicated to advocating for the representation of Hispanic students and their voices. This school is arguably the most prominent piece of evidence that supports the argument that Malden is one of, if not the most, diverse cities in Massachusetts.
