DEIB In Action

This year’s Global Fair, sponsored by the PA KInD Committee, was a beautiful showcase of King’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. After a three-year hiatus, the event returned to the lower school gym, where families transformed the space into a multicultural hub.

Students, faculty, and staff enjoyed a Day of Action hosted by the Gender and Sexuality Awareness Club (GSA) in King’s Upper School. Community members gathered during the FLEX period for activities and speeches focused on promoting acceptance and a greater understanding of issues relevant to trans youth. 

Members of the middle school affinity group, Students of Color at King (SOCK), enjoyed food, games, and bonding with upper school students from the Black Student Union (BSU), Hispanic and Latin American Affinity Group, and the Asian American and Pacific Islander Affinity Group (AAPI) over lunch on Wednesday, April 13. Led by faculty advisors, the cross-divisional gathering inspired conversation and camaraderie in a welcoming setting.

Eight members of the King community attended the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) Commission on Diversity’s Student Diversity Leadership Conference on April 2 at Hopkins School. The event brought independent schools across the state together to foster cross-cultural understanding and take action to improve the school communities regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion.

A delegation of students, faculty, and staff proudly represented King School at the NAIS’ People of Color Conference and the Student Diversity Leadership Conference in San Antonio, Texas.

Throughout the year, King School celebrates the different cultures of members of the community. Recently, King parents Prachi and Rahul Iyer talked with second grade students about the significance of the Diwali holiday. During the discussion, students learned about the meaning of the holiday as well as the traditions, foods, and decorations that accompany it.

During this year’s Sukkot holiday, the Jewish students’ affinity group shared a meal and conversation under a sukkah.

Through weekly meetings, the group aims to build stronger connections with each other in spaces where they can discuss their shared experiences.

In its first year at King School, the Hispanic/Latinx affinity group aims to create a safe space for students who identify as Hispanic or LatinX to share and celebrate their heritage. Members of the group have begun to plan activities for the year to raise cultural awareness and help Hispanic communities in need.

Parents journeyed through the Lower School and learned about countries around the world during the annual Global Studies Celebration. Each grade was provided an age-appropriate theme to discover their shared humanity while they investigated the world and strived to understand new perspectives.

Award-winning authors Veera Hiranandani, Sheela Chari, and Sayantani DasGupta have a few things in common – their Indian heritage, their love of writing, and motherhood. The authors have known each other for over 10 years and have developed a special friendship that offers advice, encouragement, and support in their accomplished careers as Indian-American authors. “It was enlightening to see how their diverse identities have influenced their writing as authors. With this event, we are continuing to provide experiences that seek to educate, engage, and empower students with new perspectives,” said Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dr. Clyde Beverly III, who organized the event on May 11 in partnership with the Indian Cultural Center (ICC) in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. 

April 22, marks the annual Day of Silence, led by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), to raise awareness about the discrimination and harassment LGBTQ+ students face in schools. The Day of Silence has been held each year in April since 1996.

King School observed the day as a Day of Action with optional student-led initiatives to celebrate and support members of the LGBTQ+ community. The Gender and Sexuality Awareness (GSA) Club in King’s Upper School organized a gathering to mark the occasion. Students also participated by wearing pronouns pins, rainbow stickers, and colorful clothing. “Here at King, part of our values is that individuals are able to be seen as their authentic selves,” said Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dr.Clyde Beverly III. 

When the Russian forces invaded Ukraine at the end of February, upper school students Anabelle Creveling ’22 and Meredith Joo ’23 sprung into action. They started to network, searching for ways to connect with those directly affected by the attacks.

Together they learned that history teacher Lindsey Rossler had a friend and colleague at the American School of Warsaw. Poland, which is adjacent to Ukraine, has welcomed the largest number of Ukrainian refugees since the onset of the conflict.

The seventh annual music residency, El Sistema, returned to King School in person this year with a powerful new sound. Talented student musicians from King’s Middle and Upper Schools collaborated with seven El Sistema USA music programs from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Connecticut. The collaboration resulted in an original composition that premiered at a community concert to showcase the learning and partnership that took place over the weekend. The overarching focus of the residency is to inspire a connection between communities of different socioeconomic backgrounds, using music ensembles to encourage deeper communication among its participants.  

King School’s sixth grade students revved their engines as they built custom-designed Lego cars for students in Peru and Costa Rica. The design process included competition, as students raced against one another, using balloons to propel the cars forward. After perfecting their designs, the students disassembled the cars, carefully packaged them up, and sent them off to fellow students in Peru and Costa Rica. The collaboration is part of King’s partnership with the Orphaned Starfish Foundation (OSF). 

Journey back to ancient Egypt with an exhibit curated by fifth grade students at King. The exhibition features Egyptian hieroglyphics, King Tut’s tomb, an informational display of the Nile River, pyramids, mummies, and more. Over the past few weeks, the class has explored the ancient culture and developed projects that best demonstrate their interest.

“I wanted to study sports because that’s something that I’m interested in,” said Paxton Freeman ’29. “I wondered about what types of activities the Egyptians used to do for fun and started researching sports that were around back then. That led me to archery.” Inspired, Paxton made a target, an arrow, and a crossbow out of cardboard box and wood for his project.

Throughout the month of February, as King celebrates Black History Month, a host of interesting guests have visited campus to share their unique stories with students. The Middle and Upper Schools welcomed Geiszel and Manual Godoy, owners of Black Sands Entertainment. The Lower School hosted Danielle Robinson, niece of prominent singer and record label executive Sylvia Robinson, and Rochelle Ballantyne, slated to become the first female African American chess master. Each visit contributed its unique perspective to the school’s theme for Black History Month, “Expressions of Excellence and Joy of the African Diaspora.” 

For Juana Martinez-Neal, being a children’s book author and illustrator is about more than just creating colorful imagery – it’s about telling a story. During her visit to King’s Lower School, Martinez-Neal shared a presentation that painted a picture of life growing up in Peru and how her upbringing and culture have influenced her interests and career path as an author and illustrator. Using paintings and drawings that spanned her career, Martinez-Neal shared the progression of her experience with various art mediums to tell her own story. 

This year, King School observed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with programming that explored the principles that build and strengthen a community. “Our youngest students learned about the importance of being an upstander and a good friend, while our older students deeply examined King School’s commitment to diversity as an essential element in the school's goal to prepare students to be true citizens of the world. Our entire student body was engaged in this work,” said King’s Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dr. Clyde Beverly.