Identity, Election, and Inspiring Change at Friends’ Central’s Diversity Conference

On Saturday, November 12, Friends’ Central School hosted Philadelphia area public, parochial, and independent schools for the second annual Diversity Conference, entitled Different Voices, Same Vision: Selfhood and the American Perspective. Created in 2015 and led by FCS student Simone Gibson ’17, this year’s conference provided a space for students and teachers from different schools to discuss topics in race relations, make sense of this year’s election, and inspire people to take action and advocate for change.

Gibson, now a senior at Friends’ Central, was inspired to bring the Diversity Conference to fruition after attending the NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) as a sophomore. In the Conference Mission Statement, Gibson shared that the purpose of the conference is “to bring independent and non-independent schools together in a safe setting where students learn from and have conversations with each other about diversity issues.” With highlights like a powerful poetry performance by Philly Youth Poetry Movement (PYPM) and a presentation by noted speaker Andres Celin of Youth United for Change, the conference grew in popularity and number this year, more than doubling last year’s attendance, illustrating the need for and power of this type of conference.

This year’s conference went deeper into the idea of one’s identity and what it means to be American in today’s society. Gibson explains, “Many people have been questioning their own identity and their family’s existence in America. This year, we wanted to go deeper with that idea of identity to help people be more aware of their existence in America, and how they can begin to change their communities’ perspectives of who they are.”

That theme of identity was highlighted right from the beginning of the conference, with a keynote address by Mariama Richards, Assistant Head of School for Academic Program at Friends’ Central, who spoke about cultural identity and holding onto one’s identity while navigating their larger, diverse community communities. Her speech was punctuated by an activity that asked participants to write something – an object or word – that describes their background on a balloon. Dwight Dunston, Assistant Director of Admission and alumnus of Friends’ Central, explained, “After writing on their balloons, each person lifted the balloons into the air, illustrating how we bring our identity and our culture to our schools and communities and how we hold a piece of someone else’s culture, of who they are, each day. We are responsible for taking care of people’s culture, of who they are.”

The conference was timed to take place shortly after the election, which was a hot topic of discussion this year, particularly during the chaperone workshop facilitated by Andres Celin of Youth United for Change and during the performance and panel by Philly Youth Poetry Movement. Celin’s talk, “The Elephant in the Room,” provided a space for faculty to open up and discuss this year’s election. Dunston shares, “Celin’s workshop gave faculty a chance to really open up and make sense of the election, giving us the tools to continue to inspire students and be a support system for them.”

The themes of the performances by Philly Youth Poetry Movement, which highlighted self-affirmation and positivity, particularly rang true for the students in attendance. Gibson shared, “PYPM spoke about moving forward with positivity and supporting one another. It was comforting to hear one speaker explain that we’ve been through this before, with a president whose views were different from ours, but that we need to have faith in one another, get active, get involved, and make an impact.” Another student attendee commented, “PYPM was empowering and shed light on so many topics that I care about. I can’t wait to share what I learned and experienced with my school.”

Keino Terrell, Middle School Dean and English teacher, believed that the conference could not have come at a better time. “For many, the conference came at the exact right moment for them, as it provided space for emotional healing and connection,” Terrell said. “Many of the thoughts expressed – from both students and adults – offered the fear of uncertainty and the questioning of a society that they knew to be less than perfect but no longer morally and ethically ambiguous. This was difficult for many to reconcile but the process seemed to start with the ability to connect with other committed people and the hope seen in our young people.”

Through participation in discussions that spanned many different forms of diversity and workshops like Social Justice and Sports, The LGBTQ Community’s Story in America, Respectability Politics, Black Men and the Media, and Racial and Ethnic Labels in the US, attendees were given the tools needed to continue these conversations and exercises at their respective schools in order to educate and advocate for change in their own communities. Art Hall, Upper School Principal, commented, “The big conference takeaway was that it allowed for candid discussions, which served as a platform for growth, progress, and civil discourse. Post-election, the conference allowed students to process their thoughts around feeling marginalized, taking those feelings and flipping them so students could move into methods of empowerment. At the end of the day, students were asking themselves how they can promote change, minimize fear and misunderstanding, and be a better citizen to all. The legacy that Simone leaves behind will last for years to come.”

Upper School Dean of Students Tom MacFarlane also shared, “We owe it all to the vision and sheer will power of our amazing Simone! She refused to take no for an answer or to accept any skepticism, pulling together a massive team of students, teachers, administrators, and family members in the process. She was right that there is a need for an event like this, and I feel like we have something now that we can sustain and continue to develop in the coming years. Simone perfectly exemplified the difference that a single student can make.”