Griffin Group Becomes Diversity’s Cheerleader

Los Alamitos High School junior Kristi Hughes is tired of people perceiving her as an airhead.

Yes, she’s a cheerleader. But no, she’s not dumb and she gets good grades.

The 16-year-old student admits she hasn’t endured too much harassment, but still, she’s concerned about the racism and conflict prevalent in the world and sometimes in her school.

So the blond, blue-eyed teen is doing her part to embrace diversity. She is part of a human relations club at her school called Griffins With a Mission, which works to promote understanding and tolerance. The club, which takes its name from the school mascot, was formed about five years ago as a response to hate mail targeting minorities that began appearing in students’ lockers.

Saturday, about 150 club members were at the third annual Walk for Funderstanding at the Seal Beach Pier. Kristi helped run the booth for “tinkinkaling,” a dance form from the Philippines that involves a hopping between two wooden sticks held by two others.

“There’s a lot of different groups of people, there’s not one popular dominant group,” she said, referring to her peers on campus.

The fair Saturday was only one of many events the students have throughout the year to reach out to the community and to raise funds for workshops. Alyssa Rivett, 17, has been involved with the club since her sophomore year. She became interested in the idea of helping to create a more accepting world several years ago when she said she discovered she was the only “white girl” at basketball camp.

Today, half of the freshman class will attend a workshop at a local church taught by members of Griffins With a Mission. The rest of the freshman class will attend next semester.

Ana Cholo-Tipton may be reached at (714) 966-5890.