This past week the Rye City Human Rights Commission announced four individuals – three youths and one adult – were the recipients of its annual human rights awards. Today meet 2022 Rye Youth Human Rights Award winner and Rye Neck High School senior James Fall.
Your Name: James Fall
Your Role: Rye Neck Students for Racial Unity – Club Co-Founder and organizer.
The name the award: 2022 Rye Youth Human Rights Award from the Rye City Human Rights Commission
MyRye.com: Describe yourself in one word.
Fall: Committed.
Where do you live in Rye or Rye Neck?
Fall: Brook St, Rye Neck
Tell us about the activity that led to the award.
Fall: Last year, me and my friend Eduardo founded the club Rye Neck Students for Racial Unity. Our purpose was to make our school more inclusive, spread different cultures, and provide a safe environment for discussion and support. This wasn’t an easy process, and took a lot of time and commitment.
After building strong support for the club last year, we had excellent discussions about current events and topics, successfully came up with multiple projects to improve our school and get out our message, and created the framework for our club. We have many more projects in store for this year, and our biggest goal for this year is to ensure that the club has the support it needs to continue after we graduate.
Why did you get started in this area–what or who prompted you to become involved?
Fall: In coming up with the idea for the club, we took inspiration from Rye Neck’s GSA Club, Women’s Empowerment Club, and Students for Refugees. Seeing the good work those clubs did for the community, and wanting to contribute to the impact they had on our school, definitely was a factor in the club’s creation.
I have always been passionate about racial injustice, and I have had personal experience with racism in my life. My biggest goal was to provide a safe space for those who may have struggled with those issues to speak, and just create an open-minded space for anyone interested.
School Social Studies Teacher Shawn Tedrow and Rye Neck senior James Fall.)
Who nominated you for the award?
Fall: Our club supervisor and organizer Mr. Tedrow nominated us for the award, and we are so grateful for everything he has done for our club. Without Mr. Tedrow’s shared passion for this club, we would not have been able to get anywhere and he deserves the award as much as we do.
How did you hear you won the award?
Fall: I was walking to school (running a bit late), when I got a phone call from two of my friends telling me that they wanted to see me in the principal’s office. I had no idea we were even nominated for the award, so I was shocked and very happy when I heard we were being recognized.
What’s next?
Fall: Our next goal is a community art project in which we can involve the entire school, in doing so we can build support for the club and gain new members for the future. Because we were a bit late to start up the club this year, our biggest goal is to build a following for future years so that the club can last without relying on us. We are currently looking for people to join, and focusing especially on younger grades.
Outside this work, what are three of your favorite things to do in and around Rye?
Fall:
1. My favorite place in Rye is Poppy’s Coffee Shop. I have been going there since I was a toddler and both the food and the staff are completely amazing.
2. Oakland Beach is my favorite beach in the area. I spend a lot of time there with friends year round, and it is such a relaxing place to spend the day – especially during the summer.
3. My favorite restaurant in Rye is Kelley’s Sea Level. It is another restaurant that I have grown up around, and it’s my family’s go-to place for food in Rye.
Thanks James!
So delighted to hear about James Fall’s award and for the work he, his friend and Mr. Tedrow have been doing. As a former Interim Principal in the Rye Neck Elementary School, I know and loved that community well.
Mary C. Norton, Ed.D.