Early in 2020, Sankalp Sharma ’20 knew he couldn’t sit back and watch while millions around the nation stood up against the racial inequities he saw throughout the US. He had to help the NCAAP and other organizations fund the fight for equality, but also realized that he needed to express (and others’) unique takes on the racial climate too: out of his efforts came Strength in Color, a poetry anthology full of different perspectives from a variety of students.
Sharma is no stranger to writing poetry. He wrote a book of poetry before Strength in Color, called Straight from the Heart. He already knew writing about racial justice would come naturally to him. “I don’t write poetry depending on how the weather is, or the nature,” he said, “I like to write about my views on current issues that I see in my life.” Poetry was his go-to form of self-expression, and this time, he would utilize it to help others too.
He contacted some “great friends from high school,” many fellow alumni of Mira Loma, to help him out in the process. Alumni contributors were former Mira Loma Today Editor Alexandra Huynh ‘20, Abigail S Caliph Despanie ‘20, Vishal Athota ‘20, Luis Cruz-Perez ‘20. Abigail Soukouang also contributed. “Thankfully, they were all interested, which made the process happen,” said Sharma.
Communication proved to be a challenge. Sharma explained, “Every single author just graduated and had a lot on their schedule due to school, work, or other priorities.” Despanie is a rising musical artist, and Cruz-Perez was extremely busy with soccer training. Yet, none of them let their hectic schedules interfere with the important work of publishing the anthology. “We were still able to push through and work together to create this piece.” As Sharma saw it, the dedication of every author was a testament to the importance of the issue, and how nothing could get in the way of educating others about the problems people faced.
Sharma found himself learning throughout the process. His own friends, he found, had completely different perspectives on racial tensions than he did. Their ordeals were entirely different, exposing emotions that he hadn’t felt in his own daily life. “It showed me how strong our generation is,” he remarked. Through the strength, he also alluded to the change he says our generation wants to see. Said Sharma, “Our generation has come together in a tough time to support our brothers and sisters, and I think that says a lot about how much we want to see change.” He expects the anthology to showcase this generation’s talent and collective push for a better future.
The variety of perspectives within the single volume makes this anthology exciting for Sharma. When asked for his favorite, he simply said, “I don’t have a specific favorite, because each piece is different and carries a different feeling.” He thinks that the diversity of Strength in Color is what lets it mesh with such a variety of readers, and for each reader to relate to multiple parts of the work.
Above all, Sharma hopes the anthology will have a lasting mark, allowing his generation to stand together. This was how he could express that people could stand with each other even in the toughest of times. Said Sharma, “If we can be there for one another during even this hard and challenging time, then we will definitely have more unity going into the future.”
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