Statement from Director of Diversity, Equity and Belonging
Our vision is to create a community where everyone experiences a sense of belonging as soon as they walk through the doors of our building. As members of one of the most diverse cities in the world, we celebrate the fact that we all hold multiple identities, and we aim to ensure that everyone can stand proudly in their racial, ethnic, religious, gender, sexuality, and socioeconomic identities.
We ensure that diversity, equity and belonging come to life within our curriculum, our school structures, our policies and our overall programming. We approach this work in several ways, from creating affinity spaces for students from historically underrepresented identities, to learning about the diverse histories that make up our community and our city. We also create programming to learn and listen about important topics such as racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, sexism or homophobia in developmentally appropriate ways, while simultaneously celebrating our various cultural traditions and accomplishments.
We understand that a diverse community fosters a rich and compassionate learning environment for everyone—students and adults alike.
Diversity, Equity & Belonging Coordinators & Committees
The work of diversity, equity and belonging asks us to lean into the core values of community and equity. It requires that all constituencies participate in this work and considers how we can strengthen our programming so that each member of our community can experience belonging at Friends. In order to encourage the distribution of this work across all divisions and offices, we have Diversity, Equity and Beloning (DEB) Coordinators for each division. The faculty who serve in these roles are teachers who have demonstrated leadership and expertise in this field. We also have Diversity, Equity and Belonging Committees for staff/faculty, Upper School students, parents, the Board of Trustees, and Alumni. The Coordinators and Committee members work with the Director of Diversity, Equity and Belonging, as well as the Specialist for DEB to ensure that their goals are aligned to the diversity, equity and belonging goals of the senior administration.
Affinity Spaces
One way that we build community and affirm identities is by offering various affinity groups. Affinity groups allow for community members to bond with others who share an identity. think deeply about a part of their identity with other people who also share that part of their identity. All affinity groups are led by facilitators who are trained by the Director of Diversity, Equity and Belonging.
Middle school affinity groups are held once a month and are led by teachers. The affinity groups that are offered are the following:
- BIPOC
- Boys II Men (for anyone who self-identifies as a boy)
- Jewish Affinity Group
- QSqaured (for anyone who self-identifies as LGBTQIA+, or who is exploring their sexuality)
- Sister Circle (for anyone who self-identifies a girl)
- White Allies Affinity Group
Upper School affinity groups are led by Upper School facilitators, and are supported by members of the Upper School. The affinity groups that are offered are the following:
- BIPOC*
- Mixed Affinity Group (for anyone who self-identifies as mixed race/multiracial)
- Sister Circle (for anyone who identifies a young woman)
- QSqaured (for anyone who self-identifies as LGBTQIA+, or who is exploring their sexuality)
At this time, we offer affinity groups for faculty and staff to further investigate how their racial or ethnic identity may impact their various roles as educators.
Parent Affinity Groups fall under the purview of the Parents Association, and more specifically under the Parents Association Diversity and Inclusion Committee (PADIC). These spaces are led by parent volunteers and have a faculty/staff liaison. All facilitators are trained by the Director of Diversity, Equity and Belonging. The affinity groups that are offered are the following:
- BIPOC*
- Jewish Affinity Group
- Muslim Affinity Group
- Parents who identify as LGBTQIA+
- Solo parents (anyone who is parenting without another person)
Upper School Culture/Identity Clubs
In our Upper School, we have a range of student-led clubs, including several that center the identities of our student population. While all clubs fall under the umbrella of student life in the Upper School, the CPEJ team works closely with the “identity” clubs. Our Culture/Identity Clubs take the lead in Heritage Month celebrations in the Upper School and often bring these celebrations into the Middle School. Identity clubs are created and led by students with faculty advisors. In addition to leading Heritage Month activities, identity clubs work with the CPEJ office to host lunch time discussions for the Upper School, lead class-meetings that honor their identity, and organize cross-divisional events with Lower and Middle School students across the school year.
List of Upper School Culture/Identity Clubs
- Asian Culture Club
- Black Culture Club
- Gender & Sexuality Club
- Jewish Culture Club
- Latinx Culture Club
- Muslim Culture Club
- West Indian Culture Club
Meet the Diversity, Equity & Belonging Team
Kirsti Peters
Director of Diversity, Equity & Belonging
[email protected]
(646) 979-5126
Sanika Shah
Specialist for Diversity, Equity & Belonging
[email protected]
(646) 979-5107
*When we use the term BIPOC, it is to represent, Black, Indigenous, and people of color. POC as defined by the National Association of Independent Schools include those who identify as Black/African American, Latinx/Hispanic, Asian/South Asian, Native American, Middle Eastern, Multiracial, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.