March was Disability Awareness Month, and before spring break, we were honored to host both Aimee Ruben and Karla Gilbride. Aimee is the owner of Game On State, a non-profit business in Media that models inclusive hiring practices. She spoke at Lower School Gathering, then with Middle School students before Meeting for Worship. Later in the week, Karla, a lawyer and activist who was the General Counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the first blind lawyer to argue a case before the Supreme Court (she won her case 9-0), spoke with Middle and Upper School students at assembly about how blindness has shaped her life’s work, and why the scope of her work includes not just advocating for people with disabilities, but for everyone facing discrimination. Our thanks to Aimee and Karla for speaking to our students, and to Dean of Equity, Justice, and Belonging Louisa Egan Brad for bringing these speakers to campus.

In December, seven Westtown School employees traveled to the National Association of Independent Schools’ People of Color Conference (PoCC) in Denver, Colorado, to take part in seminars, master classes, and workshops on a range of topics. PoCC has been held annually since 1986 and it is specifically designed to support equity and inclusion for people of color working in independent schools. Here are some of their reflections.

“PoCC is always a great place to connect and recharge. Since I work primarily in the Middle School, I loved the opportunity to get to know my colleagues from other divisions, some of whom teach my younger son, Hugo. I especially enjoyed the Latinx affinity session which has grown substantially since I first attended PoCC almost 20 years ago. The session that stood out to me the most was Playing with Polarization: Building Empathy and Understanding Through Creative Dialogue. The session began with a very intentional seating arrangement so that everyone had a place to sit and other participants to engage with. There were several prompts at each table for us to consider that dove into polarizing topics ranging from wealth and privilege to immigration and education. Instead of diving right into these potentially triggering topics with students, the presenters used a metaphor-driven approach that provided them with an opportunity to engage in dialogue around topics that mostly involved different phenomena in nature. The structure of these conversations was meant to have students develop their listening, empathy, and creative problem-solving skills before tackling more polarizing topics such as U.S. politics during the election. As teachers, we had a chance to practice this method in small groups while learning how the Field School staff navigated the last presidential election cycle.” ~Carlos Charriez, Middle School science faculty

“As an educator new to the independent school system I did not know what to expect attending my first professional conference. What I walked away with was a sense of camaraderie and personal empowerment. I had the opportunity to visit the International School of Denver and hear directly from their EJB Director and a BIPOC student affinity group over the challenges and successes they have encountered rolling out this work in their community. I attended very personal and thought-provoking workshops such as Colorism in the Latine Community and The Erasure of Black Girls in Schools, two topics that impacted me as an educator and mother. The most powerful thing that I walked away with, however, was the opportunity to hear from other professionals and connect with some in affinity groups that allowed us to be vulnerable with one another and feel a little less alone. Our experiences are not unique no matter what part of the country we were from. I think one of the hardest parts of EJB work is feeling like you are never doing enough but attending PoCC and just looking over the thousands of amazing educators, administrators, and students I take some comfort for now. There are a lot of amazing educators out there doing the work, and giving their students and communities the voices they deserve. We are the dreams of our ancestors.” ~Jenn Andres, Lower School Spanish faculty

“While Sekou Andrews was commenting on what it is like to be a BIPOC educator at our PWIs [predominantly White institutions] and then exist in the space at PoCC, I was thinking about how this experience is intense and also in isolation. To feel extreme community and belonging for a few days at the conference can make the readjustment back to my full-time community feel more removed. However, I am not white every day of the year. At my first and at this PoCC experience, I attended the Multicultural Affinity Group. I think this group suits me most because people in the room look all different kinds of ways, and yet, we end up sharing so much. This is how it is for me here at Westtown as well. No one looks just like me, and yet I find things in common with my peers, my students, and other community members.” ~Fran de la Torre-Shu, Upper School Learning Specialist

“My own experience of the PoCC was one of professional nourishment. Given that so many Equity, Justice, and Belonging-type positions across independent schools are held by people of color, PoCC offers a unique opportunity to connect with and learn from the experiences and expertise of many people who occupy roles similar to my own. I was able to engage with speakers and participants at sessions that focused on financial aid beyond tuition (similar to Westtown’s Full Access program) and engagement of alums of color, among other sessions, as well as hear firsthand from experts in the field including Kenji Yoshino (New York University School of Law, author of Say the Right Thing: How to Talk About Identity, Diversity, and Justice) and Ruha Benjamin (Princeton University, author of Race after Technology) whose work has previously informed my own practices. Being able to connect with people in parallel and adjacent roles at other independent schools was invigorating and I returned with new ideas for collaborations with our Advancement and Admissions teams, as well as other strategies and tools that I’m already beginning to implement. I also left with an even greater appreciation of the excellent work that Westtown has put into building inclusive spaces and practices here at our school over the course of decades.” ~Louisa Egan Brad, Dean of Equity, Justice, and Belonging