Toni Radcliffe ’14: A succession of conversations concerning diversity and community life followed this year’s annual Can Drive skit due to a Vestry member wearing a Kanye West mask as he portrayed the famous singer.
Senior Warden of the Vestry, Connor Boyle ’13, remarked, “To clarify, the mask was a last minute addition to the skit. However, every member of Vestry saw it before the skit went up and the decision was made on the fly to proceed with it. The entire Vestry takes ownership of the use of the mask.”
The mask resembled what is commonly referred to as blackface—theatrical makeup worn to create a stereotypical caricature of African Americans. The term originates from a form of minstrelsy that spread during the 1830s in which Caucasian Americans would perform comedic skits, variety acts, dancing, or music, with their faces painted black.
Thomas D. Rice, a young, white actor residing in New York City, learned an African American entertainment routine focused on the mythical Jim Crow, an escaped slave with a knack for trickery. He used burnt cork to paint his face to portray this famed legend and thus began minstrelsy.
To respond to this sensitive subject, the Vestry, Chaplain Jim Squire, and Dr. Christopher Row, faculty assistant to the Vestry, met with Courtney Portlock, Director of Diversity and Community Life, and Sam Willis, Upper School Diversity Coordinator, to discuss the topic of diversity as a whole.
“After the Can Drive skit, the Vestry contacted me,” remarked Portlock. “Mr. Willis and I both met with a few members of the Vestry prior to having full meeting with the Vestry. We gave them some background information on why people might have been offended or what may have been the cause of some energy and attention to the chapel skit. [It] gave us a great opportunity to have [a] conversation, discussion and, also, a mini-history lesson to show why blackface can be seen as problematic or offensive.”
Willis and the Vestry had already begun to talk about the issues of diversity in chapel. “I think my involvement actually started before the Can Drive skit,” noted Willis. “I had asked to speak to Vestry particularly about how people of color and women are represented in chapel talks or through their skits. I cautioned them against showing one type of example for all of those things. So when I saw the Can Drive skit, I had some students and faculty members come to me to express their concern over the skit. I wanted to be there as a resource to help the Vestry respond most appropriately to help the community.”
The Vestry was directed to recent media coverage of blackface. One such example was a skit performed by Waverly High School in New York where two white male students were in blackface as they reenacted the domestic violence incident between music celebrities Chris Brown and Rihanna that occurred in 2009.
Boyle stated, “Originally, the meetings were aimed at internalizing and understanding the critical feedback that Mr. Willis and Mrs. Portlock had received. As time went on, it became apparent that we needed to make this dialogue open to everyone. The next logical step was a public forum for these conversations.”
The Vestry then held a roundtable table discussion open to any student or faculty member interested to discuss the incident. Those who attended were encouraged to share their opinions on the subject.
“When I saw [the mask,] I wasn’t—‘oh he’s making fun of black people,’” stated LoLo Lomax ’14. Patrick McCarthy ’13 further explained, “He wasn’t portraying African Americans as a whole.” Najah Majors ’13 commented, “Some people are just saying they were offended but they don’t know why. While some have a history, not every black person is offended in the same way. And some white people do not always understand that. Everyone is affected differently based on experiences that have taken place in their lives.”
At the end of the discussion, Row remarked, “What an amazing thing that’s just happened here. It’s the beginning of a conversation that educationally needs to continue.”
Squire noted, “Ultimately what happens in Chapel is my responsibility as Chaplain of the school. The Vestry, Dr. Row, and I were involved in deciding the most appropriate response to those in our school community who were offended by the skit. After we brought together the Vestry with other students in a round table discussion that included Mrs. Portlock and Mr. Willis, we felt that an important moment in our school life had occurred. I think that we as a school are blessed to have the leadership of the Vestry as they are committed to creating a culture of respect at Episcopal and to bring out the best in humankind. As leaders they never avoid the difficult conversations that sometimes need to occur.”
“I’ve tried to assure students that this is a positive thing,” stated Portlock, “because it allows us to do what we do as educators and makes a moment where folks can learn and grown. Hopefully, moving on from this point, folks will just be mindful and know that there are some consequences attached to resembling blackface.”
Willis added, “If as an educator, if we are truly trying to prepare our students to be global citizens and leaders, they need to forge a sense of empathy, and I think empathy comes with understanding. And while these conversations aren’t easy to have, particularly as white people, they’re conversations that need to be had.”
“Now, weeks after the skit, the Vestry is pressing forward with this valuable experience in mind,” stated Boyle. “The Vestry learned to employ more cautiousness and recognize possible issues that the vast majority of people overlook. Additionally, everything that goes on in Chapel, especially within a Chapel skit, must be thoroughly planned and rehearsed. Our hope is that, by facilitating this dialogue on a personal level and on a larger scale like the Chapel roundtable, the community will grow as a whole.”

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