Gavin Schmidt ‘24
Jack Crowley ‘24
Although the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement is a global push for equality, on a local level, it has also impacted EA through reinforcing the role that diversity and equality plays in the community.
T.J. Locke, Head of School comments on these protests saying, “Sometimes the world needs to understand a perspective, and I think we have seen the need for that more and more in our society.” Chaplain John Daniels adds,“People want to be heard, people want to be respected, and I think the more you provide opportunities for dialogue, that it is a good thing.”
In June 2020, faculty members, administrators, various board members, and alumni formed the EA Board of Trustees Task Force and the Alumni of Color Advisory Board. These committees merged together and then the members divided into seven subcommittees. The main purpose of these committees is to discuss how EA is confronting racism in hopes of implementing policies to make Episcopal a more equitable and accessible place. Not only were these committees assembled to create more spaces to voice opinions at Episcopal, but also to educate students and teach them how to take action against racism.
These discussions lasted until fall of 2020. “[The committees] covered areas around accessibility, curriculum, financial aid, and community engagement, which culminated in a strategic plan to create an equity inclusion plan at Episcopal,” stated Mike Letts, Head of the Upper School.
Through hours of dialogue, the committees are helping EA reform to create an accessible environment for everyone and to provide places for students to converse and practice equality. Ayinde Tate, Director of Diversity and Inclusion, said,”I have been extremely thankful to be a part of both of those committees and have had a voice in the room.”
Many community members deem these discussions vital to taking steps to ensure a more inclusive and equal environment for all races. Locke believes that any discussion is beneficial saying, “[These conversations] are really helpful, and sometimes they are not so helpful. But, it’s the idea that we are doing the conversations.” In addition to these conversations, EA is also creating more opportunities for open dialogue about topics ranging from community issues to global crises. Locke shared that EA has increased discussion spaces in comparison to previous years, commenting, “We have lots of student groups, more than we have ever had before, and when I talk to alumni about what it was like when they were here, they didn’t have that or any place to kind of have those conversations.”
Tate adds, “I think actually really creating an opportunity for people to express their voice has been key.” Tate identified that Episcopal has also improved through support offered to students, whether that be through psychologists, religious leaders, or faculty. EA is working towards establishing diverse methods of support in hopes of making campus feel more inclusive, comfortable, and welcoming for all students.
The BLM movement and the conversations EA is encouraging will allow students to understand their role in making history. Tate says, “The Black Lives Matter movement will be looked at as the modern day civil rights movement in the years to come.” Daniels, who also advocates for the need to engage in constant dialogue and conversation with one another in order to learn empathy, adds, “We all want the same things, but we are all not coming from the same place.” Rohith Tsundupalli ‘24 provides even more insight to the historical significance of the BLM movement, noting, “At Episcopal, students must realize that they are the future, they are a part of history in the making, they have an opportunity to spark change in the society, and learn how to lead the way for future generations through this incredible, empowering movement of equality.”