RE Log Spring 2019

SPRING 2019 Ransom Everglades LOG 19 perspective, you bring something unique and different to the discussion that others can learn from.” In Aug. 2017, Darrow Dutcher Hodges ’63 honored her late son by creating the Douglas Vogt Dutcher ’80 Fund for Equity and Justice Initiatives, an endowment designed to allow for diverse and insightful speakers and events on RE’s cam- puses. Upper School students have heard from Richard Blanco, the first immigrant, Latino and openly gay person to be the poet for a U.S. president’s inauguration, and they watched two plays designed to create conversation on diversity and inclusion: “Incognito” and “Defamation.” Diego Duckenfield ’20 said such efforts were critical to “engender conversation on diversity issues among the faculty and the student body and look for ways to make students of all backgrounds feel welcomed.” RE’s students are doing what good students do: They are pushing the adults. They are seeking expanded program- ming at the Middle School; even more training for faculty, leadership and students; a DEI director to advise and lead; and more safe spaces on both campuses. “We still have a long way to go regarding how to listen to others and how to create inclusive, productive conversations,” said Donna Zheng ’19 . They also want more out-in-the-open con- versation on hard topics and greater minority representation throughout the school. “It is imperative that Ransom Everglades incorpo- rates diversity into its student body and faculty,” said Greg Estime ’19 . “For the majority of racially diverse kids at predominantly white independent schools, they feel as if they represent their race, culture, or an entire group instead of just themselves at school,” said Luisa Guarco ’20 . “I’m glad that RE’s trustees and leadership are thinking about these issues and creating formal opportunities for the students to discuss the major issues we see.” Oberstein-Harris and Barash Murphy say Ransom Everglades is moving in the right direction, but they recognize how com- plex the issues connected to DEI are, and how much hard work remains. “You can say all you want, but people need to see action,” Barash Murphy said. “If excellence in education means multiple perspectives around the table, every kind of inclusion, we need to work towards that. We need to have every kind of background represented on our board, on our campus, on our faculty and on our staff. This is not symbolic. This is imperative.” Luisa Guarco’19 For the majority of racially diverse kids at predominantly white independent schools, they feel as if they represent their race, culture or an entire group. Viviana Freyer ’20 Change cannot just come from us, the students; we need professional faculty support. Greg Estime ’19 I believe my responsibility as a student invested in this issue is to be a voice for all minorities on campus. Elana Oberstein- Harris ’93 and Elizabeth Barash Murphy lead the RE board’s Student Life and Inclusion Committee