“Timeless Resources, Renewable Energy, Harvesting a Sustainable Legacy: Nineteen years of Diversity and Advocacy Training for Independent School Students.”
This was the rich title bestowed upon the 2012 Student Diversity Leadership Conference. Over 1400 high school students from independent schools throughout the nation congregated in Houston just a week ago to attend the 19th annual SDLC.
Ask any past attendee to explain the conference, and you’ll get various versions of “life-changing”, “eye-opening”, “powerful”, and “I can’t even…its like…just…inexplicable.” It’s the type of experience that makes you want to jump to your feet, beat your chest, and change all the injustices present at the world with the wave of your energized hand and your newfound might, will, and understanding. At the same time, it is an experience that teaches you to be logical: to take in facts, understand that total empathy is impossible but acceptance of people from all walks of life is necessary, and to be a calm, noble, efficient leader in your endeavor to reform your world on whatever scale is the key to making change.
Interested yet?
The goal of the SDLC is for attendees to “develop an appreciation of their own identities, build effective cross-cultural communication skills, better understand the nature and development of effective strategies for social justice, and practice expression through the arts where networking with peers.” Amazingly, the conference manages to achieve each and every one of the above in a mere two and a half days.
How?
SDLC uses intense workshops, frank and open conversation facilitated by trained faculty, massive group activities and keynote speakers to achieve its desired effect of informing and enlightening its attendees.
Upon arrival, students are broken up into “family” groups of approximately 60 students, and then they are further subdivided into “home” groups of 10 students. Two SDLC faculty members are assigned to each family, and the whirlwind of conversation begins. Examples of activities include “Identity Twister” (a physical game of twister using core identifiers instead of the usual colorful dots to illustrate the many catagories society uses to define our identity and the restrictive nature of trying to fit in all of them at once) and “Gender Spectrum” (in which group members place themselves on a line according to how strongly connected they feel with either the male or female gender).
Home groups are used to further conversation at a more intimate level, and peer facilitators, who are past SDLC attendees returning to the conference, serve as a resource and guide within home groups. Outside of family groups, students also hear from a selection of keynote speakers including Helene Cooper, Bernard Harris, and Barathunde Thurston.
The entire body of attendees does convene for a number of activities. The Silent Movement is a cherished activity by all SDLC’ers; it is, arguably, the quintessential moment of the conference. Every student sits together in a gigantic room and is asked to be utterly silent. Two SDLC faculty members then rise at the center of the mass, and ask students to stand up if they identify as _______ (fill in the blank with a race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic level, ability, or religion). The key phrase which is repeated after every standing is “Look around at the people that are standing. Now look at the people who are not. Understand the significance of both places” It may sound cut and dry on paper, but a moment of truth and awe is born as students shed their protective exterior and share their entire identity to a group of strangers.
Hewitt sent two student representatives to this year’s SDLC: Chinelo Okpala ’14 and Paula-Ann Reid ’15. Both were new to the conference and expressed only praise and honor to have attended upon their return. Chinelo says, “The experience was indescribable, I met so many beautiful people and being in such an accepting environment I was able to share and learn so much.” Paula-Ann adds, “What happens [at SDLC] stays there; you are receiving love from everyone you share with. Outside of SDLC I would say no [you shouldn’t readily allow your exterior to completely fall away and expose your true identity and inner thoughts], but with the environment SDLC creates, just go with it. It’s potentially the only time you’ll get to be who you really are. That level of freedom helps people to discover themselves.” Mrs. Gallin attended the adjacent PoCC (People of Color Conference) and also had a unique and eye-opening experience.
Check out Paula Ann and Mrs. Gallin’s interviews with Hewitt Times reporter Chelsea Gardner:
Interview with Ms. Gallin
Chelsea: Could you explain what happened at the PoCC conference? How is it different from SDLC?
Ms. Gallin: [SDLC and PoCC] came together only occasionally, so the adults and kids were separated a lot. We saw a speaker at the opening event that they didn’t see. We were also able to watch a film, Coexist. http://www.coexistdocumentary.org/
Chelsea: What is the most significant concept or idea you took away from the conference?.
Ms.Gallin: I feel more strongly than ever that affirmative action, as a legal policy, should be considered. I don’t want it to end any time soon, because the wrongs which we seek to redress haven’t been corrected yet. Particularly, students doing the college application process don’t usually want to talk about it, but they do feel it. There’s always been affirmative action but it’s easier to speak resentfully [about it].
Chelsea: Who was your favorite speaker and what was your favorite activity?
Ms.Gallin: I think that all were great. A Look in the Mirror [workshop] was the first; it was very important and about the achievement gap in test scores.
Chelsea: How did it feel being a white minority at a conference for people of color?
Ms. Gallin: For me, the most significant experience was being in a huge minority, so just to look around me and see faces of various shades of brown was exciting. It’s not that I want to be in a minority, but it was one of those things that white people don’t get to do often. It was an interesting experience because the percentage of white people both kids and adults that were at the conference were significantly greater than people of color in independent schools.
Chelsea: Would you ever go back to PoCC?
Ms. Gallin: I don’t think I would ever get the opportunity again, but anyone who can go should go.
Interview with Paula-Ann Reid ’15
Chelsea: How did you feel going to the SDLC for the first time? Would you want to go back?
Paula-Ann Reid: I was nervous, excited, and anxious about going to the conference for the first time. I had heard so much about SDLC and knowing that I had an opportunity to go brought on a wave of emotions. I would go back in a heartbeat.
Chelsea: Can you give a brief explanation of the conference and why it exists?
Paula-Ann: SDLC stands for Student Diversity Leadership Conference. It is an opportunity for independent school students across America to come together and discuss topics that are usually ignored in school. Throughout the days there are intense discussions about topics such as race, religion, sexual orientation, etc. The main goal of the conference is to learn about yourself and those around you and then to apply the information to your school and your daily life.
Chelsea: What kind of activities did you participate in?
Paula-Ann Some of the activities were the silent movement activity with all 1,400+ students, identity twister, ‘Racebook’, and a gender identity spectrum with my family group, which is the smaller group that we are all split into on the first day.
Chelsea: Being home from the conference for a week, what has stuck with you?
Paula-Ann: What really stuck with me was the idea of micro- aggressions, the beauty of the silent movement, and the acceptance of the SDLC community. Micro-aggressions are direct or indirect insults or offensive comments towards a person, race, religion, etc. I have realized that even if something is meant to be a joke, it isn’t always funny and sometimes they can be hurtful. Even subtle dismissive looks when a person is speaking can cause damage. After SDLC, I became more aware of these issues. The silent movement was very powerful. The diverse range of the room was beautiful. The room was peaceful and in a reflective mood. I did not feel judged because no matter what, you were not alone. I took in the similarities and differences throughout the room. A lot was said through the silence. Everyone that attended the meeting was friendly. I sat at lunch and dinner with total strangers for a majority of the conference and they treated me as if we were friends for years. Many people shared their stories and they received nothing but love in return. I met a lot of great people at the conference.
Chelsea: Have you been to a DAIS meeting? How does DAIS compare with SDLC?
Paula-Ann:I occasionally go to DAIS (Diversity Awareness Initiative for Students) meetings and I attended the last general conference at Poly Prep. DAIS and SDLC are similar in the topics that are discussed and their main goals. DAIS and SDLC follow similar community norms such as being respectful, listening, and leaning into discomfort. It also encourages diversity awareness among students. The next DAIS meeting is this Friday at Chapin from 6- 8:30 and the General Conference is on May 11, 2013 at Chapin from 11am-11pm.