Large Tartan Delegation Attends NAIS People of Color Conference to Advance DEI Work

The Tartan delegation consisted of six Upper School students and 17 adults which included administrators, teachers from every division, school counselors, deans and hosted program leadership.
St. Margaret’s had a delegation of 23 students and professional community members attend the 2022 National Association of Independent Schools’ People of Color Conference and the adjacent NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference, which took place last week in San Antonio, Texas.
 
The Tartan delegation consisted of six Upper School students and 17 adults which included administrators, teachers from every division, school counselors, deans and hosted program leadership.
 
They participated in workshops and attended events over four days, advancing St. Margaret’s ongoing strategic work around fostering an inclusive school community and developing cultural competency skills to effectively engage across cultures, perspectives and backgrounds.
 
“What makes these parallel conferences unique is that they serve both as professional development and community–professional development to bring concrete DEI skills back to St. Margaret’s, and community to be in a shared space with more than 7,000 educators and students who are equally passionate about making the world a better place,” St. Margaret’s Director of Equity and Inclusion Victor Cota said. “I am proud that St. Margaret’s invests so generously in this type of growth, and I am eager to see how this learning will continue to impact our students and families.”
 
In addition to attendance at various workshops, presentations and keynote speaker events around diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and well-being, three members of the St. Margaret’s professional community presented at the NAIS People of Color Conference.
 
Mr. Cota, along with Early Childhood School Director Cris Lozon and Assistant Director/Pedagogista Sonia Yoshizawa, presented “Early Childhood Education and DEI: Shaping Meaningful DEI Work at the Early School Level” to a standing-room-only crowd of more than 150 educators. Their presentation dug into constructivist theory, created an understanding of DEI work with students ages 2-5, and dissected real-life case studies in the context of children’s play.
 
Professional community members and students also participated in optional affinity groups where individuals could profess the joys, realities and challenges of life within shared lived experiences.
 
Upper School freshman Mimi Spangler was one of the students who attended the NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference.
 
“I was able to take myself out of my comfort zone and learn about things I have never heard or thought of before,” she said.
 
The NAIS People of Color Conference provides a safe space for leadership, professional development, and networking for people of color and allies of all backgrounds in independent schools.
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An Independent Preschool Through Grade 12 College-Preparatory Day School in Orange County California

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