SALSA(Spanish and Latino/a Student Association) hosted its first all school dance. The group shared many of the meals that they enjoy in their home countries with NMH students, as well as some Salsa dancing lessons. Students gathered in Social Hall to enjoy the festivities and all were pleased! The delicious foods and fun dancing allowed the students and faculty to share a great night filled with laughter and entertainment.

The Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) is a student affinity group for LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) students and their allies at NMH. The group meetings weekly on Tuesday nights. Recently, the students decided to invite faculty to one of the meetings in order to share with them things they would like for them to know about the LGBTQ experience at NMH. The meeting kicked off with introductions and a brief activity. The activity consisted of total silence and the students and faculty walked around the room, reading stories of anonymous LGBTQ teens, not NMH students, and responded with advice and/or agreements with the topic. After completing this, the group gathered and shared thoughts on each of the different stories. They also discussed general trends in the stories, most of which related to experiences the students have had. The meeting ended with students relaying to the faculty what they could do to be supportive of the group and the individuals that are a part of the group.

Last year Circle of Sisters, the affinity group for girls of color, hosted a haunted house, which has now become a tradition. Friday, October 28, the second annual haunted house was hosted in Social Hall. The girls set up an array of scary materials in Social Hall and charged a one dollar entry fee. The money that the group raises throughout the year will be split in half and half of it will go towards a scholarship organization for underprivileged kids. The Brothers, the affinity group for boys of color, helped the girls by setting up and scaring people throughout the night.  The girls played the movie “Friday the 13^th” in the waiting area and provided cookies and juice for students to enjoy before entering the haunted house. The event was very successful. Students had a great time getting scared and the group raises over one hundred dollars.

Social Hall is the building on campus where most affinity groups hold their meetings. It also houses the office of multicultural education. Each year, there is an open house, to familiarize students with the building, where it is on campus, and the different affinity groups that hold their meetings in Social Hall. This year the open house featured board games, music, snow cones, popcorn  a Sushi Station, and a showing of the season premier of Fox television’s hit show, Glee. Many students piled in to the building and shared good times and lots of laughs. The students began their own “Jenga” tournament and many gathered to observe the matches. The Office of Multicultural Education is responsible for hosting the event and it was a success. Students not only got to know Social Hall, and the groups that meet here, but also have a fun time.

The Sisters close their meeting.

To open the school year and welcome new students of color, Circle of Sisters (affinity group for girls of color) and The Brothers (affinity group for boys of color) sponsored a gathering. Both groups are comprised of the students of color at NMH. The faculty of color introduced themselves, so students would recognize them around campus and the group members introduce themselves as well. Everyone enjoyed ice cream and cookies while getting to know one another. The gathering is an annual event and it went successful as usual this year. The new students got to sit down and chat with returning students of color. Both groups meet separately throughout the year, but occasionally have gatherings between the two. This gathering always marks the start of the work for  these two affinity groups.

The Borthers close their meeting.

On Sunday April 3, 2011, NMH sent six students to the Asian American Footsteps Conference at Phillips Andover Academy. Held for the first time this year, the conference is attended by Asian, Asian American and mixed-heritage Asian students who attend independent, secondary schools in New England. This conference, in particular, provides students with an opportunity to speak about issues that are related to the boarding school experience and the connection between international and domestic students of Asian descent.

Suchin Pak addresses Cathy Blewer '11, Andrew Okamura '11 and Ellie Li '12

The goals of the conference are to inspire, educate, connect, and affirm Asian, Asian American and mixed-heritage students at our schools.  Speakers at the conference included MTV News Team’s SuChin Pak, professor at UMass Boston, Dr. Peter Nien-chu Kiana, Tufts University’s Senior Lecturer, Jean Y. Wu and more. The day was packed, as the conference began at 9am and did not finish until 4:00pm. However, students returned from the conference with nothing but good words to say of the conference. The conference is made possible by a grant from the Abbot Academy Association and Phillips Academy’s Asian Society and Office of Community and Multicultural Development. NMH looks forward to sending students once again next year!

image courtesy of Worcester Academy

On Thursday, March 3rd, NMH Director of Multicultural Education, James Greenwood, was an invited facilitator at a Diversity Day “Teach In” at Worcester Academy in Worcester, MA. The first event of its kind, the Worcester Academy Diversity teach in was primary student-led, with outside facilitators like Greenwood serving as guidance and resources for the student facilitators.

Co-chaired by Worcester Academy seniors Ariel Hooker and Michael Prentice-Glasgow, son of Worcester Academy dean of students, Rodney Glasgow, the event included the entire upper school and took place in lieu of classes.  Glasgow states that the idea for the teach in originated last year when Worcester Academy students attended the 2010 Regional Diversity Conference hosted at NMH last March.  The 2010 conference was a collaboration between the two school’s diversity directors.

Learn more about the event at the Worcester Academy Website:

http://www.worcesteracademy.org/podium/default.aspx?t=204&nid=590584&bl=/default.aspx

After a fun-filled night playing the Michael Jackson Experience on the Wii video game system (an event hosted by the Circle of Sisters) , and the girls spending a night at co-faculty advisor, Metta Dael’s (Admission) house, both the Brothers and the Circle of Sisters joined together on Sunday afternoon February 13, 2011 in Social Hall for a retreat. The groups were joined by alums Jacob Aduama ’10 and Mary Diaz ’10.

The day opened with words from Director of Multicultural Education, James Greenwood (History) followed by  fun ice-breakers which helped to bring students together before the activities began. Following the ice-breakers, the alumni spoke about their experience at college so far. While both are freshmen in college, each had different things to say as Aduama attends Northeastern University in Boston, MA, and Diaz attends Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. Students were able to get insight into the transition from NMH to college, as well as questions answered about the application process, and aspects of diversity at college.

Following the presentation of college, The Brothers and Circle of Sisters split off into their separate groups where they each enjoyed different workshops. The boys were led by faculty members Ron Smith (Performing Arts), Gorgui Diaw (World Languages), and Kenton Atta-Krah (Admission) in African drumming workshop while the girls were led by co-Faculty Advisor, Janae Peters (English), in a workshop about beauty.

To end the day, the Brothers and Circle of Sisters met with Dean of Students, Nicole Hager, as well as associate deans,  TJ Farmer and Kim Shearer. Each of the faculty members came to show their support and liaison with the groups. The conversation was based on commentary the students felt should be heard by the Dean of Students as well as the other faculty who came to Social Hall. The students were freely able to discuss their thoughts and feelings on what it is like to be one of the only students of color in class, as well as how they feel about the teaching of certain books with racial slurs such as Huckleberry Finn.

After four hours of concentrated work and conversations in Social Hall, Dean Hager, invited both of the groups over to her house for a dinner. The dinner was fun and warm, as it was nice to have dinner in an actual house with the NBA Magic / Lakers game playing in the background. The night was finished off with some video games as students slowly drifted off back to their rooms for a night of study.  A great time was had by all!

Reflection on Black History Month by Orelia Jonathan ’11:

Black History Month takes place in the month of February and is a month to remember the events in the history of the African Diaspora. The goal of Black History month is to educate the American people about African American’s cultural backgrounds and their achievements.

Black History Month was originally created when Carter Woodson created Negro Week in1926. The son of former salves, and the second black person to receive a degree from Harvard University, Carter Woodson understood the value of education. By creating this week he hoped to instill in other Blacks the importance of education, and encourage pride of their race. It was long after Woodson died in 1950, in 1976, that the name of Negro Week was changed to Black History Month and the length of the celebration changed. But today we are thankful for Woodson’s stand.

However, Black History Month often sparks a debate about whether it is right to have a month dedicated to the history of one race. One of the most common arguments states an interesting question: why is black history celebrated over the shortest month of the year? This statement is often followed by the complaint that Black History Month makes it right to ignore other African American history for the other 11 months of the year, thus promoting racism. It is also argued that since we have a month dedicated to African American history, it separates it from American history making it unequal.

While there may be a huge controversy over the ongoing existence of the month, it is only proper to honor the astounding African American figures who have made their mark on history. People such as our president Barack Obama, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and Ernest Green.  Let us take this month to think of all the ways that Black History is American History for all of us – and to continue to honor Black History year-round.

To close the week of MLK celebrations, NMH hosted its winter Diversity Summit on the afternoon of Sunday, January 23rd.  The keynote speaker was Rodney Glasgow, director of diversity at Worcester Academy, co-chair of the NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference, and classmate of NMH Director of Multicultural Education, James Greenwood at the Klingenstein Center for Independent School Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.

The summit was opened to all, and those who showed were invited into an warm, inviting setting.  Glasgow was very warm and down to earth with everyone present. Glasgow spoke about what it was like to attend a predominately white all-male independent school – as a gay, black, teenager. He invited the students into his life, and told of how he was his own Civil Rights Movement.  Further, he encouraged them about how they could each be their own Civil Rights Movement by standing up for what they believe in.

Student Diversity Committee Member, Cora Sloan '13, leads a diversity workshop

Many students were inspired by Glasgow and, at the end of his talk, were invited to the microphone to share their own beliefs and in what ways they were going to stand up for what they believe in. Greeting students with a warm smile, Glasgow appreciated any and all comments, allowing students to ask personal questions about his life.

Following the talk, two workshops were held in the Blake Classrooms, one led by members of the Student Diversity Committee, and the other led Glasgow. As always, the Diversity Summit proved to be an enlightening and inspiring.  The final summit will be held later this Spring, in April 2011.

Rodney Glasgow with Student Diversity Committee Member Catherine Blewer '11