Creative Artists Agency (CAA) hosted a special screening on April 22 of the finale of PBS’s “The Class,” a six-part documentary series following six high school seniors from northern California during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Executive Producer Daveed Diggs (“Hamilton,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Snowpiercer”) joined guests at the Ray Kurtzman Theater for a night focused on student resilience in times of crisis.
The event began with a welcome from Palisades Charter High School, drawing connections between the students in “The Class” and those affected by January’s wildfires in Los Angeles. The screening and discussion were held in partnership with the SoCal Fire Fund to raise awareness about the urgent needs of students recovering from disasters.
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Reception began at 6:30 p.m., followed by the screening at 7:30 p.m., and a panel discussion at 8:30 p.m. The panel featured Diggs, Lafayette College President and Executive Producer Nicole Hurd, director/producer Jaye Fenderson, and additional guests, including Palisades Charter High School Director of Development Rene Rodman.
One of the evening’s most moving moments came from Pali High junior Alessandra Santini, who will serve as next year’s student body president. Speaking on behalf of her displaced classmates, Santini shared her personal story of returning to school for the first time since the fire.
“We didn’t just lose buildings,” she said. “We lost spaces tied to memories, routines, and comfort. But our community has shown up for us—and that’s something I’ll never forget.”
Santini’s initiative, PaliStrong, was created to support her peers during recovery. Her speech set the tone for a night centered on empathy, support, and collective action.
The evening concluded with a call to uplift not only the Class of 2025 at Palisades but also students across the country navigating compounded crises—from pandemics to natural disasters. As Diggs shared during the panel, “Their stories remind us that resilience isn’t just about getting through something—it’s about who we become in the process.”
