Student Diversity Leadership and People of Color Conferences

Director of Multicultural Affairs and Associate Director of Admissions Melinda Wright along with three students Jacqueline Grant ’10, Kierra Jones  ’09, and Chinazo Okpalnma ’08, headed to Boston to attend the Student Diversity Leadership Conference and the People of Color Conference, in December.

Hosted by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), The Student Diversity Leadership Conference is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders (grades nine–12) from around the country. It focuses on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community.

Participants examined issues of social justice, developed effective cross-cultural communication skills, practiced expression through the arts, and learned networking principles and strategies. Now in its 14th year, The Student Diversity Leadership Conference encourages students to apply the leadership principles they develop within their own communities after the conference.
 
The People of Color Conference, now in its 20th year, is also hosted by the NAIS. It provides support and networking opportunities for teachers and administrators of color and allies in independent schools as they pursue strategies for success and leadership.
 
Conference participants attended 90-minute workshops offered by practitioners and experts in all aspects of diversity, multiculturalism and equity and justice work. Affinity groups helped attendees celebrate their own ethnic identities and keynote speakers connect the work of the conference with happenings in the world. Featured speakers at this year’s conference included legal scholar Frank Wu, founder and publisher of Tehalka.com Tarun Tejpal, filmmaker and multiracial advocate Kip Fulbeck, New York Times International Business editor Marcus Mabry, and producer and anchor of National Public Radio’s Latino USA, Maria Hinojosa.