"I Hope We Can Bring Back That Energy"

Every year, students and educators from independent schools gather together for the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) People of Color Conference (PoCC) and Student Leadership Diversity Conference (SDLC).
This year nearly 6,000 people convened in southern California at the Anaheim Convention Center for the 30th year of the PoCC in order to engage in critical conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion in independent schools.

This year, six students and six faculty members from Episcopal High School attended the conference. Jerry Chen '19, Bay Cohen '19, Christian Hudspeth '19, Charlotte Joyner '20, Mei Kuo '19, and Halsey Ziglar '19 participated in the SDLC and were able to work with leading diversity practitioners on exercises to bring back to Episcopal to help create stronger bonds between the many diverse individuals that make up the fabric of our community.

Kuo was excited to wake up early each day and attend the conference to see her family group and home group. She felt that the SDLC was, "the one place where, for the first time, I could feel safe with over a thousand strangers. It was a place where I could finally relate to someone of my race who is going through the same troubles in life. SDLC was the place where I felt welcomed whenever and wherever I went. During our meetings, I learned so many things that I have always taken for granted. Sometimes people say 'It sucks to be woke,' and to be honest, it felt like that once I left the conference. But it is the people who are woke who are the game changers."

Joyner was particularly energized to return to campus and spread the word about the SDLC. She believed that, "this conference was a completely life-changing event. My perspective(s) were recognized as well as challenged which was something I wish I could experience more often. If I could only tell our school one thing about this conference, it would be: APPLY FOR THIS CONFERENCE." Cohen echoed Joyner's sentiments and added that, "I was given the opportunity to be exposed to so many different perspectives and opinions, which helped me learn a lot throughout the conference. I hope I can use what I have learned to teach our own school community about diversity and its importance."

Chen was thankful for the experience and said that, "the family group and affinity group at SDLC was the most supportive, inclusive, and empowering communities I’ve ever seen. The SDLC experience doesn’t have to end there, however; I hope that we can bring back that energy, inclusiveness and empowerment back to the Episcopal community even though it will be a long and challenging process."

The students will continue to spread their message by hosting workshops at the Virginia Diversity Network's Upper School Diversity Conference held at Collegiate School in Richmond and at the 2nd Annual MLK Jr. Day Symposium.

Faculty members Tom Berry, Laurén Carter, Rocío Mendizabal, Louis Smith, Joel Sohn, and Panos Voulgaris attended the PoCC and heard from scholars, activists, and fellow independent school educators on best practices and ways to create more equitable and inclusive environments.

Tom Berry, Math teacher, remarked that for the first time he felt he understood what it meant to examine communities through the lens of "intersectionality." He commented that, "Dr. Crenshaw's talk helped me understand the need to center diversity work around that concept. It is dangerous to separate complex people into individual characteristics without looking at the accumulated whole." He also commented on Dr. Anita Sanchez's keynote address that left nearly everyone emotionally moved and hopeful. "Her calm intensity and her message of hope and reconciliation were moving and motivating," Berry said. "I also loved that the PoCC and SDLC were held side-by-side. It reminds us that we are all in this together and that students are the motivation for everything we do. It was so exciting to see a large group of teenagers feeling comfortable with who they are and encouraging each other to speak their authentic truths."

Spanish teacher Rocío Mendizabal added her own thoughts that continued conversations and work must be done. "I came back from the conference with a renewed hope for unity despite our differences, and with the resolve to encourage those in our community who feel that they are not heard to add their voice to the conversation," she said. "At the conference, I heard over and over again that we need to take baby steps. I'll take that for now, but we have to move forward on diversity because it is the only right thing to do."

Louis Smith presented a workshop, "We Ain't Playing No Games: Breaking It Down Towards E Pluribus Unum" on Thursday morning. Joel Sohn sat on a panel, "Act Local: Creating a Statewide Diversity Network for Independent Schools" on Saturday morning and helped facilitate the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) affinity space for over 300 educators.

Sohn, English Teacher and Co-Director of Equity and Inclusion, came back with a renewed faith in the work of affinity spaces and a firm belief that the affinity spaces established by the Office of Equity & Inclusion in the fall of 2016 have been positive areas of growth for Episcopal. "The number of people who came up to discuss how empowered they felt from the affinity sessions was testament to the need for these spaces in independent schools," Sohn said. "There were so many fellow Asian educators who had never been in a room with others who had shared experiences. This work truly sustains educators of color who work in predominantly white spaces to return to their schools and feel that they can once again engage with colleagues to find action pathways forward for true equity and inclusion."

Associate Director of College Counseling, Laurén Carter summed up the conference as a place "to be understood, encouraged, and supported by those who walk along the same path. It was a place where a universal language was spoken. My mind was nourished and my soul uplifted."

The faculty cohort will use the lessons learned at the PoCC to make Episcopal an even stronger and more inclusive community in the years ahead. Berry remarked that the conversations and ideas promoted at the conference, "make you believe that this kind of supportive environment might actually be possible in the wider world."

The Office of Equity and Inclusion already have plans to garner interest for the 2018 PoCC and SDLC that will take place in Nashville, Tennessee. If you are interested in learning more about these experiences, please reach out to the office directly.
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