By Paige Jackson ’24
Last Sunday, January 7th, Common Ground visited The Frederick Gunn School campus for the filming of their first episode of the new year: Youth Activism: Tomorrow’s Protest Today, which featured a panel of young female activists, including Deja Foxx, Aalayah Eastmond, Hadley Duvall, and Danielle Butcher Franz.
This episode focused on the issues of the future and what can be done to help right now. Deja Foxx is a 23-year-old activist striving to protect women’s reproductive rights and comprehensive health care. She began her journey at 15 when she became homeless, and since then, she has graduated from Columbia University and worked alongside Kamala Harris in her presidential campaign. Danielle Butcher Franz takes a controversial role in the activism world; calling herself a conservative environmentalist. As a young woman from rural Minnesota, Franz aims to protect wildlife and our beautiful environment. Hadley Duvall became known in 2022 after sharing the story of her pregnancy at age 12 due to being raped by her stepfather. Duvall is continuously pushing for women’s rights to pregnancy prevention and abortion as a senior in college at Midway University in Kentucky. Aalayah Eastmond became involved in activism after she survived the Parkland massacre in 2018 as a high school student. Since then, Eastmond has graduated from Trinity Washington University with a degree in Criminal Justice and is currently working in DC on many activist organizations.
Prompted by Common Ground host Jane Whitney, the panelists had a vivant discussion on each woman’s experience and how their lives became centered around activism. This episode differed from previous episodes of the season because Common Ground offered a Q&A for Frederick Gunn students and other audience members after the show. Many of the students lined up behind the microphone to ask panelists various questions about the show or their experiences. Common Ground’s interns helped to organize the Q&A with the help of Mr. McMann. Students asked questions about what it is like becoming an activist, how the panelists handle negative feedback, and what it is like to disagree with loved ones over political issues.
“It was inspiring to see people close to my age being given a platform to further civic change,” commented intern Marley Kennedy. “I liked the chance to connect with them on a personal level through the Q&A.”
The next episode of Common Ground, Reality Bites Back: America’s Trip Down Fantasy Lane, will be filmed in the Thomas S. Perakos Arts and Community Center on January 21st at 4 o’clock in the afternoon.
