Jessica Ding, Badminton Club member and sophomore, explores the A5 Instagram page on Aug. 10 at CHS. Ding said A5’s mission to raise awareness of the advancement of Asian Americans in art and athletics is important.

The Counseling Center strives to provide an inclusive environment for all students at this school. Counselor Casey Danubio said that they work hard to advocate for all students who come from a wide range of culturally diverse backgrounds.

Danubio sponsors a variety of clubs, including Advancement of Asian Americans in Arts and Athletics (A5) and the Badminton club.

Danubio said, “I have a large Asian population on my caseload so I feel connected and committed to learning more about ways to challenge old stereotypes about Asian Americans.”

Jessica Ding, a Badminton club member and sophomore, said one living as a person of color in a predominantly white area could still feel isolated.

“Although Carmel is very inclusive towards minorities and has a good reputation for that area of things, sometimes when you’re a person of color, you can feel like your experiences aren’t universal enough so you don’t talk about them a lot,” Ding said. “Creating safe environments can show them that they aren’t alone here.”

To help create safe environments and share their passion, Ding and others started the Badminton club.

“We decided to (start the Badminton club) as a way to help share our passion and create a community gathering space for other people of our culture who might share that interest in Badminton,” Ding said.

Additionally, Danubio said it is extremely important for counselors, teachers and all staff to create inclusive environments for students.

“The culture of any school, club or activity should be one of inclusivity and provide physical and emotional safety to its members,” Danubio said. “No one can work to their full potential if they do not feel involved or invested.”