Advancing Inclusion and Belonging at SJK: Learnings from NAIS PoCC

The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) People of Color Conference (PoCC) in Denver provided opportunities to learn, grow, reflect, and connect from start to finish. All five members of the SJK delegation participated in pre-conference workshops on a variety of topics, leaving them so fired up that we spent that evening debriefing our sessions and planning the ways that we might bring our learning back to SJK. The session on Listening Circles, for example, included important discussions about agency and language. In this session, participants reflected on the nature and meaning of the term “ally,” reflecting on the ways in which it differs in spirit and practice from the term “accomplice.” We sometimes think of “accomplice” as a pejorative term. Our speaker cited this metaphor to reframe that: If I walk beside you offering encouragement as you carry a heavy bucket of water from the well, I am an ally. If I actually help you carry the bucket, I am an accomplice. By participating in a series of listening circles, we were asked to collaboratively reflect on our current practices and envision the ways in which we might deepen them.

There are two acronyms we worked with at this conference. DEIJ stands for “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice”; justice implying “access” — the hands-on work of ensuring that barriers are recognized and addressed. DEIB, a less familiar acronym, includes the word “Belonging”. In another pre-conference workshop on “Fostering Belonging”, participants learned that prioritizing “belonging” for all helps us to create spaces where people feel included, lack of equity is addressed, and we can celebrate and learn from the diversity of our community.

The main conference was filled with further opportunities for learning. As the keynote speaker at the opening General Session, poetic voice artist Sekou Andrews encouraged participants to make waves in the pursuit of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in our schools. “Splash, splash,” a refrain from his performance, became a common thread in the workshops and presentations throughout the conference. So, too, did his message about prioritizing growth over perfection. 

American legal scholar Kenji Yoshino encouraged us to avoid complacency with an important shift in mindset. By seeing ourselves as goodish rather than good, we are more likely to pursue growth in the field of DEIB and beyond. Acknowledging that our DEIJ awareness and skills are work in progress will help cultivate our collective curiosity and help inspire change for the betterment of our School Community. As participants in Yoshino’s Master Class, entitled An Ally’s Guide to Conversations About Identity, we were invited to consider the communal nature of resilience while exploring strategies for strengthening our communities. 

One of the key takeaways from Yoshino’s masterclass was the concept of the Platinum Rule. In the familiar “Golden Rule” we are encouraged to “treat others as you want to be treated.” Yes, at first glance that makes sense — be kind to others as you would want them to be kind to you.  Digging deeper, we might make an underlying assumption that how we want to be treated is how everyone wants to be treated. This doesn’t take into account that different people have different needs and barriers. The Platinum Rule instead encourages us to “Treat others as they want to be treated.” In other words, we should avoid making assumptions about what they need, or how we can best support one another. Dialogue, openness, humility and mutual respect are how we come to understand our different needs and challenges, and how to create a place where all people feel they belong and can contribute.

We look forward to sharing our learning at future PD events at SJK, as we continue to build a strong School Community together. Splash splash.