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Welcome to my page about two of the many ways I have participated in and encouraged Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion refer to organizational frameworks that seek to promote "the fair treatment and full participation of all people," particularly groups "who have historically been underrepresented or subject to discrimination" on the basis of identity or disability.
Many years ago, in a pre-pandemic era, a wave of new families, primarily from China, began moving into our school district community. The children seamlessly integrated into our schools, quickly mastering English and excelling academically. However, the adults seemed to isolate themselves, showing an inclination to establish a separate Parent Teacher Organization. This division cast a shadow over our once tightly-knit community, unintentionally driving a wedge among us.
Enter Mrs. Joan Anderson and me... the visionaries behind the idea that would unite us: The Multi-cultural Committee, later evolving into the EWSD Cultural Initiative Foundation, Inc. Our committee's mission was to organize events aimed at bringing the adult members of our school district together, fostering a sense of unity and understanding among the diverse groups in our community. We hosted various events, including dinners with entertainment, lectures, and presentations representing a multitude of cultures.
What made these gatherings exceptional was that they brought together not only faculty and staff but also community members, including parents, business leaders, and politicians. By forging connections and deepening mutual understanding, we positively impacted the lives of our community's children.
You can click on the images to explore the programs from these exciting events, beginning with the Lunar New Year Celebration. As you'll see, these events grew in complexity over time. I played a significant role in leading planning meetings, managing digital invitations, tracking RSVPs, arranging tables, and designing the event programs.
1. Lunar New Year.pdf2. Dwali.pdf3. Big Fat Greek Celebration.pdf4. Falafel Ball.pdf5. FinalFiestaProgram.pdfCulture Camp CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION.pdf
Culture Camp (Click the Arrow to Read)
Culture Camp (Click the Arrow to Read)
Culture Camp provided a new, in-depth opportunity for community members and staff to collaborate, connect and learn from each other even beyond the possibilities offered by the wonderful dinner events.
The first event of the evening was called Breakout! This fun team building activity involved tables of parents and staff solving cultural clues to open the various locks on a locked box. A set time frame was given and the room was filled with tables of enthusiastic participants as everyone shared their knowledge about the various “culture” questions. All phones had to go into the center of the table…no Googling allowed…we all had to rely just on each other’s knowledge and connecting what we each knew. By playing this game, the adults had a chance to experience the type of cooperative learning that our students often participate in during classes that not only builds knowledge, but skills of cooperation, collaboration and critical thinking.
Next was a tasting from around the world! Many volunteers contributed delicious desserts. Jamaican rum cake, Jamaican milk cake, chia pudding and organic rice pudding from China, jalebi from India, Irish soda bread from Ireland, cannolis from Italy, and German stolen, were just some of the treats we all heaped on our plates. Recipes, holiday traditions and the significance of some of the desserts were shared as we enjoyed the coffee and tea break.
A very special part of the evening was the community conversation that took place in two parts. What Can We Learn From Our Kids? What Can We Learn For Our Kids?
The Secondary ELA Chair introduced three students from his Wheatley SWS (School Within A School) class called Civil Disagreement. The students shared important aspects of what they learned in the class which met twice a week to discuss how to communicate ideas effectively and respectfully in a world where no one seems to want to listen to anyone who disagrees with them. Some ideas the students shared included:
Gather statistics and facts so that an issue can be argued with truth and evidence rather than just personal opinions.
Look to find common ground.
Use the phrase “I hear, I believe.” Acknowledge that you hear the other person’s position, while still sharing how your belief may be different from theirs. This helps ensure the other person feels understood while still providing the opportunity to effectively communicate your own thoughts.
The students then shared that the techniques they learned in class permitted them to:
Create an environment where everyone felt welcome to share their ideas, even if no one else agreed with them.
Come away from the class armed with the tools to peacefully and effectively discuss anything from a personal disagreement to an intense political argument.
Develop a commitment to the idea that anyone can learn to civilly disagree.
The evening ended with the adults talking at their tables about the following two topics:
#1 Cultural Inclusion/Exclusion: What are some examples of each that you have seen or experienced in our community?
#2 Cultural Myths, Misconceptions and Misunderstandings: What are some examples?
After discussing, we took back our phones and entered our answers into an app called “Padlet” which allowed us to see and share our responses with everyone attending Culture Camp.
“As members of the Cultural Initiatives Committee, we often say to each other, we really are more the same than we are different. We hope you have grown in some way through tonight’s experience and that you, in turn, will be able to open up conversations with your children about some of the things we discussed and experienced tonight.”
From the Williston Park Times, January 19, 2018
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