Pink Twist on BVH community
New Pretty in Pink club at BVH
Freshman Ella Roberts and Melissa Martinez Murillo (left to right) make posters for future fundraising events during a Pretty in Pink meeting. Meetings take place every Tuesday in room 206.
Bright colors of pink fill the scene and words of encouragement powerfully flow through the air as the Pretty in Pink club marks its beginning at Bonita Vista High (BVH) for the 2022-2023 school year. A new club founded just three weeks after the start of the new school year participates and makes an appearance at the annual BVH club fair to make their mark on the campus and show students who they truly are as members of the community looking to gather support and bring positive change for all.
“At the club fair we tried to spread the word about us and have students join the club. There were a lot of people who wanted to join,” Pretty in Pink club president and senior Aaniya Dorrah said. “We want them to see that we are gonna have fun and we want to do fun things so [in club fair] we just wanted to showcase what we can do and encourage people to join.”
Dorrah founded the club after beginning her college application process and wanting to show that not having ‘perfect grades’ and a GPA that wasn’t a 4.0 “wasn’t what would define me,” she commented. She wanted to start a club to showcase her skills and allow for other members to do so as well when they began to apply.
“For the other girls, this is something for the colleges to see that we are good people, we do good things for the environment and [we] will be a good addition to the [college] campus. This is something [similar to] an extracurricular activity as well,” Dorrah said.
Pretty in Pink club Vice President and senior Makayla Edwards explains that the club is ultimately a safe space on campus and provides a positive environment. The environment is predominantly made up of women who participate in a lot of community service events to bring the community together. She adds that although women primarily make up the club, men and any other students are more than welcome to join.
“In the beginning it was mostly just girls coming together for the club and I think what brought people together was the need to have a positive environment for women but ultimately anyone can join and also participate in our community service,” Mak. Edwards said.
Dorrah explains that the club meets every Tuesday at lunch in room 206 and plans on how to work with local organizations and businesses. As well as hosting community events like garden planting and mural painting. The club strives to do things that will “leave everyone in the community with a positive impact,” Dorrah shares as the club is constantly making plans.
“We do have big plans and a lot of events that we can do as a whole [team]. We have things like a toy drive for Christmas and also a shoe drive. A big one that we want to do is we want to start volunteering at a nursing home so we can help the elderly have a fun time while they are there and have something different from their everyday schedules,” Dorrah said.
Pretty in Pink secretary and junior Malaysia Edwards highlights how great the Pretty in Pink club truly is for herself and shares that it has offered her several opportunities for things she values most. She adds how prior to joining she was searching for how to become more involved and find a safe place where she could empower not only herself but others as well.
“What pushed me [to join] was that my friends were involved in making the club but then I also wanted other people to feel safer, other women to feel safe and comfortable in our environment at school. To serve as a safe place to come to and [by joining], I wanted to be a part of that safe place,” Mal. Edwards said.
Dorrah shares that the Pretty in Pink club has come to the BVH community to stay and show their power through positive acts in the community. Not only to build friendships and serve as a safe space, but also as a group serving to provide support for all.
“The important part of having a Pretty in Pink club [at BVH] is really having the girls who don’t consider themselves as social or on the other hand are super social, be together and meet each other. They become friends and discover that a lot of people have this underlying sensation of wanting to do good,” Dorrah said. “This is where they can apply and build skills they will carry with them for the rest of their life as they share ideas and work together to make things happen.”
I am a senior at Bonita Vista High and this is my second year on the Crusader. Last year I was an Arts and Culture Editor and this year I am the Features...
