While most LHS students are still in bed, taking advantage of the ever-disappearing late arrival mornings, a select group of dedicated students are filing into the black-box theater, greeting their friends and getting ready to discuss anything from racial equality to the week’s current events.

Since 2011, LHS Can We Talk has brought together students of all genders, races, and backgrounds for the common purposes of acceptance and life preparation.

As a school counselor and head sponsor of the club, Lynisha Thomas spends her day dedicated to the well-being and futures of students. She organized the club in effort to provide a resource for students to voice their issues, and to get equipped for their lives post-high school.“Our group is really helping all students navigate through life,” Thomas said.

The group meets every Thursday during block weeks from 8 to 9. However, they spend more time advocating causes in the halls of LHS, and taking field trips to educational and vocational institutions and other locations that reinforce the clubs purpose.

This year alone, members have had the opportunity to visit colleges such as KU, JCCC, and Washburn. They also go to places like the Topeka Capital and the Brown v. Board of Education site to enrich their understandings of the progression of politics and the civil rights movement.

Because the group was originally aimed at under-privileged and struggling students, Can We Talk provides financial assistance and support to college-bound students. The club has concentrated on finding scholarship opportunities and financial aid programs, along with the frequent college visits.

Not only are the members concerned with their own futures and well-being, but work to inform their peers about relevant issues.

Can We Talk’s most recent in-school advocacy project was seen in the rotunda last week over all lunches, raising awareness and of dating and domestic violence. In conjunction with the FYI Club, the group set up booths with information about the issue and resources, as well as games to raise funds for local domestic violence centers such as Headquarters and the Willow center.

Before going out in their community, the club has to bring about and explore issues through discussion. This is the majority of the Thursday Morning agenda.

After Thomas gets the group quiet, and goes through the upcoming events that the club has planned, she introduces the day’s conversation topic.

“It helps create an open forum to have conversations what happens at Lawrence High School,” Thomas said. “From diversity, prejudices in the school, dating, to not being treated well by teachers and advocating for yourself as a person in school, and as an adult. Its kind of an open place for them to get out (opinions).”

At any given meeting, the black box is crowded with 25 to 30 members. This school year, a total of 113 students signed up and have attended the club at least once.

Senior board member Carleta Nunez started attended Can We Talk at her middle school, and continued when she came to LHS. “I saw all of the other kids and how it made a positive effect on their lives, so I thought I could benefit from it,” Nunez said.

While students come for different reasons, some for class credit, some for something to do on that late arrival morning, they all join in the common cause of sharing experiences and supporting each other.

The club covers a variety of topics, ranging from racial issues, to last week’s topic of domestic and dating violence. The group is open to discussion in many arenas.

Though Can We Talk is open to all students, the majority of people that come to meetings are minority students, making race and cultural disparities a hot topic.

“I feel like a majority of our members are minorities,” Nunez said. “So when they see us coming together, all of the students will have another person to talk to. Its kind of like your second family outside of home. You can always rely on your Can We Talk friends, and your leaders and board members.”

Thomas is intent on making the group a place for all races to be able to come together, and recognizes the role it plays in everyday life.

“To me, everyone wants to be afraid of talking about race,” Thomas said. “Because we are color blind, and we don’t see race, but we do. There was a generation of people that were taught ‘oh, we don’t see color, we’re colorblind’, but the reality is, that race plays a part in peoples lives every day.”

Keeping this in mind, Can We Talk is devoted to addressing and eradicating existing disparities and prejudices, and creating a community that is constantly working towards equality and a more informed way of moving through adolescence and beyond.

“I feel like our group is set up to spread awareness,” Nunez said. “I feel like it helps the kids be aware of everyday aspects of life, and how to get out of your comfort zone and be around people that you are not used to being around. And also going out of your way to learn and be appreciative of your history and your culture.”