The annual All School Read took place on January 6, bringing Big and Little Sister groups together for cross-divisional conversations about the meaning of “home” as it is explored in the introduction to The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.

Every Westridge student read Cisneros’s introduction in preparation for the All School Read, in which she explores the idea of “home” not just as a physical space, but also as a feeling we carry with us. Students were asked to think about the spaces and objects that carry special meaning for them and make their space feel like home. In their groups, students shared objects that make them feel connected, comforted, and free to be themselves. Just a few of the items students shared included favorite books, pets, music, ballet slippers, and stuffed animals.

Later that evening, students also had a chance to hear from the author herself and ask questions as the English department welcomed Cisneros to speak to the Westridge community about the way she uses her writing as activism.