Every year, the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE) holds a High School Students of Color Conference. Groton School has been attending the conference for several years, previously organized and chaperoned by Assistant Director of Admissions, Cultural Alliance leader, and Director of Diversity Outreach Ronnie Dixon (who departed last year to Phillips Exeter Academy). Last year marked a gap in attendance, because of AISNE’s overlap with Spring Long Weekend.

This year, the conference ran from Saturday, April 14 to Sunday, April 15, and Cultural Alliance leaders Michelle Brito and Carolyn Chica organized for a group of 20 students to attend, accompanied by Ms. Brito and Jake Kohn as chaperones. Ms. Brito was pleased by the opportunity to take so many students, mentioning that they had only been able to bring six students to the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) in Anaheim, California last fall. Ms. Chica expressed her excitement for another conference opportunity as well, hoping for students to develop their leadership skills and social awareness.

Each year there is a different theme for the conference, and this year’s was “The Art of Social Justice.” Keynote speakers included Ricardo Pitts-Wiley, an actor, director, playwright, and composer; John Jennings, a graphic designer and professor of media and cultural studies; and Sarah Kay, a New York based poet, performer, and educator. Students spent the weekend listening to these speakers, gathering in affinity groups, attending and engaging in workshops, and meeting students from other schools at social events.

“We realize it is a social opportunity and there are fun aspects,” Ms. Chica said, “but we also want to underscore this idea that we want kids to engage meaningfully.” The Groton group enjoyed both of these aspects of the conference, participating in activities like the Saturday night dance and games of four square, as well as attending workshops such as “Love Your Melanin”, “Literacy as Social Justice”, and “Hip-Hop Class Called ‘Cali Swag’”.

She and Ms. Brito sent out an application via email at the end of winter term for any interested students. “We were asking for meaningful reflection as to why they think it would be important to go,” Ms. Brito explained. Ms. Chica added that they sought students who they believed would bring what they learned at the conference back to the Circle to implement positive change. In the end, they chose a group of 20 diverse students, including students from all forms except the second, as well as members of all but one of the identity-based affinity groups offered at the conference.

Groton students were surprised by how well prepared they felt for the work they engaged with at AISNE. Kochoe Nikoi ’19 said, “It’s interesting to step out of the Groton bubble and realize that at our school, we are actually so heavily exposed to issues of diversity and inclusion, whether through workshops or even club discussions. For some of the other schools’ students, this was their first exposure to discussions like the ones we are so used to having.” The conference also contrasted from Groton’s work in that it offered solidarity through a range of affinity groups. Rose Gil ’18, who attended the LGBTQ+ affinity group, said, “It was amazing and gratifying to be in an affinity group where there were so many queer people of color like myself, i’m forever grateful for the experience.”

Ms. Brito and Ms. Chica said that they want to thank all the people who helped arrange for this opportunity, including the students who applied, for thinking deeply; the Deans, for helping coordinate the event; coaches, for their flexibility; Health Center Director Lynn Pitsinger, for giving advice regarding the overnight stay; the Dining Hall staff, for providing lunches; and the Administration, for funding this opportunity.