Graland Sponsors Denver Diversity Conference
Four members of the Graland team recently came back from a powerful diversity conference in Denver excited to share what they learned about issues surrounding diversity in education. Graland and other organizations sponsored the conference to provide educators, board members, parents, and students the tools to build more inclusive school communities.
Four members of the Graland team recently came back from a powerful diversity conference in Denver excited to share what they learned about issues surrounding diversity in education. Graland and other organizations sponsored the conference to provide educators, board members, parents, and students the tools to build more inclusive school communities.
The CIRCLE Conference (Connecting Inclusive, Responsive Communities Leading Education) featured keynote speaker, Rodney Glasgow, a founding member and now chair of the National Association of Independent School’s annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference, a 20-year tradition that draws more than 1,500 high school students nationwide.
Glasgow spoke on "The Power of One: Love Itself is a Revolutionary Act.” He used personal storytelling to highlight the importance of self-actualization and self-advocacy, as well as the most intimate form of activism - one person standing for his sense of right. Looking at contemporary issues such as the “Black Lives Matter” versus “All Lives Matter” debate, the speech examined the power of an individual to affect change through a life of bold authenticity.
“As a former classmate who watched Rodney grow up and as a diversity practitioner who has benefited from his work, it was absolutely wonderful to hear him speak about ‘truth’ and ‘growth,’” shares James Foreman, diversity coordinator. “In conversations about diversity topics, we should speak from the ‘I’ perspective to give listeners a deeper understanding of ‘truth’ from the personal experience.”
In addition to the keynote address, CIRCLE offered attendees the chance to participate in workshops alongside middle and high school students. Students also attended a separate segment of the conference called STAMP, Students Taking Action and Making Progress.
“I had an engaging and thought provoking conversation with a high school senior,” says Dan O’Neill, drama teacher. “We spoke candidly about her experience revolving around race and the misconceptions about how we look on the outside. We also spoke about meeting students where they are at -- about listening to a student’s experiences, and rather than trying to fix it, trying to absorb and accept it.”
Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts, Graland was unable to send students to the 2015 conference but will work to offer the CIRCLE/STAMP experience to Grades 7/8 in the future.
“These conferences are empowering and invigorating for children of any color,” says Kali Paguirigan, music and movement teacher. “CIRCLE reminded me how proactive we need to be as an institution to move forward in our work towards diversity and inclusivity.”
Lee Lee Newcomb, drama teacher, agrees: “Graland’s participation is what strengthens us as an institution to continue to strive for greater inclusivity, a more diverse community and a continued commitment to equality. I am excited that we will continue to participate in the future, showing that we as an institution, a faculty and a student body are committed to the ideals of equal education.”
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Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
