Two weeks ago, 10 of us attended the ISACS Diversity Summit where we spent two days learning from Allison Park of Blink Consulting and Dawan Julien of Courageous Conversations. There were many highlights, including a session on how to use the Courageous Conversations compass and agreements. If you're interested in learning more about these tools from Courageous Conversations or other information from the Summit, please email me.

Below, I've included information about ongoing DEI initiatives and resources that might be of use to you.

DAC/DEI COORDINATOR UPDATE

Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC)
The DAC has been meeting throughout the year to create a multi-year action plan to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across Lab. Our work has consisted of looking at historical documents from Lab, as well as diversity plans from other schools to help clarify our hopes and goals for DEI efforts at Lab. We will keep you updated as our work unfolds.

DEI Liaisons Spotlight on Aria Choi
Aria Choi, HS Counselor describes the work she has done as a Liaison this year:
I have partnered with students, parents, faculty, staff, and administrators regarding DEI work. Students have reached out to me to chaperone workshops at Social Justice Week and to seek counseling around experiences related to their racial, religious, and gender identities. I was invited to DEI-centered conversations with candidates during the selection process for faculty and staff positions. I look forward to continuing my work as a liaison by supporting the work of the first cohort of Peer DEI Facilitators, affinity groups, and ongoing work to help Lab demonstrate its commitment and leadership in integrating DEI into everyday life.

AROUND THE SCHOOL

SEED and Lab

I have learned that in past years, we have had active SEED groups at Lab. SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) is a national program that creates opportunities for sustained conversations about race, gender, class, sexuality, religion, culture, and more for school communities. We already have a number of folks that are SEED trained or are getting trained to lead SEED groups this summer. Learn more about the National SEED Project.

If you are interested in participating in a SEED group next school year (about three hours a month throughout the school year), please fill out this form.

Over the course of this year, I have been encouraged by our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. I appreciate the opportunity to continue the work with all of you. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, comments, or concerns.

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DEI Peer Facilitators

15 U-High students applied and have been accepted as DEI Peer Facilitators. These students participated in two Saturday trainings focused on DEI concepts and facilitation skills and will meet again in April to continue skill building and plan a meaningful workshop for a 9th grade assembly in the spring.

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Shared Definitions

I find it worthwhile to define how I'm using terms related to my work. While you might have differing definitions of the various words I share with you over the next months, I hope these definitions clarify how I use these terms and how they might inform the work of DEI here at Lab. I plan to highlight different terms in each newsletter. The definitions below come directly from Gender Spectrum's The Language of Gender.

Gender identity: our deeply held, internal sense of self as masculine, feminine, a blend of both, neither, or something else. Identity also includes the name we use to convey our gender. Gender identity can correspond to, or differ from the sex we are assigned at birth. The language a person uses to communicate their gender identity can evolve and shift over time, especially as someone gains access to a broader gender vocabulary.

Gender-expansive: An umbrella term used for individuals who broaden their own culture's commonly held definitions of gender, including expectations for its expression, identities, roles, and/or other perceived gender norms.

Non-binary: An umbrella term for gender identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine.

Sex: Used to label a person as "male" or "female" (some US states and other countries offer a third option) at birth, this term refers to a person's external genitalia and internal reproductive organs. When a person is assigned a particular sex at birth, it is often mistakenly assumed that this will equate with their gender; it might, but it might not.

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Reducing Bias in the Hiring Process

Throughout the year, many search committees have engaged in training and conversation around implicit bias and how that shows up in hiring. It has been encouraging to be in conversations with many of you that involve self-reflection, leaning into discomfort, and examining bias.

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Common Book Initiative

The University of Chicago's Office of the Provost and Center for Identity + Inclusion have launched a Common Book Initiative this year, as part of the University's ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion. In partnership with the Center for Identity + Inclusion, Lab has joined in this initiative. This year's book selection is Thi Bui's graphic memoir, The Best We Could Do, which details the author and her family's journey from Vietnam to the United States as part of the wave of refugees in the 1970s. Many of you have already read the book or are in the process of reading it. We hosted one book discussion last week. The conversation felt safe, affirming, and meaningful. I will share future book discussion dates when we return from Spring Break and hope you'll consider joining in.

RESOURCES & TOOLS

Being Nice Is Not Going to End Racism, Robin D'Angelo

In this video, Robin D'Angelo, author of White Fragility, discusses the system of racism and how niceness falls short of being anti-racist.

Affinity Group Resource Page, Rosetta Lee
This webpage includes information about affinity groups at independent schools, how to implement them, and other useful information about the value and importance of affinity groups.

Disability Justice, Mia Mingus

In this video, Mia Mingus briefly introduces the concept of disability justice and how it encompasses many aspects of identity. This video was shared at the most recent PA DEI Committee meeting, courtesy of guest speaker, Michele Friedner.