Current Events Resource Group (CERG) hosted Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, who spoke about the importance of student activism.
Sudden executive orders, from the controversial immigration ban to the withdrawal of the “Trumpcare” bill, have sparked much confusion and debate. These rapid changes have made some Choate students uneasy, both for their own well-being and the well-being of their friends and family. In response, a group of faculty members created the Current Events Resource Group, or CERG, to educate and show support for students.
The founders of CERG are Dr. Keith Hinderlie, the Director of Equity and Inclusion; The Rev. Ally Brundige, the Director of Spiritual Life; Ms. Libby Peard, the Director of Parent Relations and International Students; Mr. Thomas White, an HPRSS teacher and the Director of Faculty Development, and Dr. Curtis, the Headmaster. The Rev. Brundige said, “In light of how rapidly changes were coming out of the current administration, with pretty broad, sweeping impacts on different communities, including people in our own school, the committee wants to respond, and to respond in a timely manner.”
CERG’s goals are to provide information in a timely, useful manner and to offer support for affected students by using community resources. This has been done through a number of initiatives, starting with a visit from Yale Law Professor Michael Wishnie P’16, in response to the executive order some have referred to as a “Muslim ban.” Mr. Wishnie was heavily involved in a Yale legal team challenging the order. At his talk, Mr. Wishnie answered students’ questions and concerns as well as providing advice.
Another program hosted by CERG included a discussion forum with Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, a social activist who spoke at the Boston Women’s March. Rev. White-Hammond talked about social activism, passion, and how to make a vision a reality. Most recently, there was a forum called “Protest 101” about the best ways to peacefully protest. About this program, The Rev. Brundige stressed that “this could be for any issue, from any perspective. If you care about an issue, and you’re going to show up at a protest, you have to organize what to do.” Dr. Hinderlie added, “We are responding to the expressed needs of the community. Students were upset and confused. The success of the program is up to the students, and so far, every forum has been well-attended.”
Because the goal of the group is to respond to sudden, current issues that may alarm students, CERG cannot plan out every program they will host. “We’ll figure out our goals,” said Dr. Hinderlie. “We don’t know what’s coming.”
However, some programs are already on the calendar. On Thursday, April 6, there was a panel entitled “Wellness in the Time of Uncertainty” in Elman Auditorium with Dr. Olivia Moorehead-Slaughter, an award-winning psychologist from the American Psychological Association, and Dr. Maria Trumpler, the Director of Yale’s Office of LGBTQ resources. On April 23, Bishop John Selders and Camelle Scott-Mujahid, who led the Protest 101 forum, will return for a two-hour course called “Organizing 101: How To Advance Your Issue Strategically and Effectively.”
When asked which part of the committee she was most proud of, The Rev. Brundige said, “I’m most proud of the school. It’s taken this proactive step to support the heart of the school, which is you all: the students.”
