From left to right: Christine King Farris (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s sister), Senator John Lewis, Hank Aaron, and Caroline G. Blackwell (NAIS Vice President for Equity and Justice)
Outside of the convention center with Wildwood teachers, from left to right: Holli Plummer, Ethan S., Toochi B. (behind), Rachel A., Dali A., Pamela G., Don Smith, and Kamal M.
This year’s annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) and People of Color Conference (POCC), put on by the National Association of Independent Schools, were held in Atlanta, GA. Wildwood upper school students in attendance were Rachel A., Dali A., Toochi B., Kamal M., Ethan S., and Pamela G., as well as faculty members Tahnee Munoz, Grace Chu, Clarissa Quintero, Sharon Greene, Collette Bowers Zinn, and chaperones Don Smith and Holli Plummer. This year's multicultural conference was sold out, with more than 1,600 high school student participants from independent schools across the nation.
This year's theme was Advancing Human and Civil Rights—Fulfilling the Dream Together. With a focus on reflecting on the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., organizers called for students and educators to think critically about today's human and civil rights concerns and use Dr. King's approach to injustice and social equality as inspiration.
Attending workshops, affinity group sessions, wellness events, and film screenings, students and educators were able to network and return to their local communities and independent schools with a sense of empowerment for affecting change through collaboration.