Choate’s 32nd annual Diversity Day included a keynote speaker session featuring Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz and Mr. Ndaba Mandela, a Q&A session, workshops, film screenings, and a lunch with the speakers. This year’s theme “United in Difference” reflects Choate’s values of taking pride in its diverse community and represents the continued efforts in creating a well-informed and globally aware student body.
This year’s Diversity Day theme was reflected in having two guest speakers united in their goals. Dean of Equity and Inclusion Dr. Rachel Myers said, “Because this year’s theme has the word ‘United,’ it struck me that it could be really great to have more than one keynote speaker.”
Students also appreciated the ability to work with multicultural speakers who had familial connections to prolific activists. Racquel Welcome ’24 shared, “I think it was interesting that they chose two speakers, but I think it really went along with the theme because Nelson Mandela and Malcolm X had very different methods in terms of civil rights and human rights, but they’re united in their goal, even though they had different methods.”
Dr. Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, is a renowned author, speaker, and social activist. As a professor of criminal justice, she advocates for economic, social, and criminal justice for all. She carries on the legacy of her father through her work in advocating for the importance of education and ensuring that every voice is heard. “A culture of excellence demands effort, sustained effort, and so we create a culture of excellence. What we strive to do, more than simply make a name for ourselves, is strive to leave a legacy for others,” she shared.
Mr. Ndaba Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, is the co-founder and chairman of the Africa Rising Foundation, an organization that supports the education and health of youth in Africa. After losing both his parents to AIDS, Mr. Mandela started advocating for breaking the stigma around HIV and AIDS. Continuing his grandfather’s legacy, he encourages others to expose themselves to different cultures and to use their voice. “It’s important to always stand up for your rights no matter how far or insurmountable those times may be. Always stand up for what you believe in,” he said.
Following the keynote speakers session, 100 students attended a lunch with Dr. Shabazz and Mr. Mandela. Cassatt Boatwright ’24 shared, “It was a great way to interact with the speakers on a smaller scale. Students were able to ask more questions, and it was really amazing to hear about their experiences more in depth.”
Community members participated in various workshops and film screenings revolving around this year’s Diversity Day theme of “United in Difference.” Students and faculty members learned about a variety of topics such as social issues impacting Choate and the global community.
Science Department faculty member Dr. Selena Gell co-facilitated a workshop on “Race and Medicine: Historical and Contemporary Issues,” which aimed to teach students how racial differences have impacted accessibility to healthcare. Dr. Gell shared, “I hope students would take away the idea that although race is not a biological concept, it is a concept that has had a huge impact on the health of a lot of people in this country, and the racist history, both in medicine and in government, politics, economics.”
Another workshop focused on the model minority myth and Asian representation at Choate. This workshop was led by Aria Ramnath ’24 and Zainab Khokha ’24 and examined the realities, experiences, and consequences of this stereotype in conjunction with other races. “By debunking stereotypes that were created specifically putting minorities against each other, we can understand our differences and become more unified as a community,” said Khokha.
Khokha also led a filmscreening that concentrated on the education inequities in desegregating American schools. She shared, “The desegregation of schools is one of the most important ways to educate children about differences. I think if you want to raise a generation of people who are open to diversity, the only way to do that is to be able to show kids people who are different from them.”
A workshop on reproductive rights versus reproductive justice continued conversations from the Roe v. Wade panel that took place a few months ago. Students were given a chance to further expand and explore greater nuances in the topic of abortion. Welcome, one of the facilitators, shared, “I felt like I had a lot of lingering questions, thoughts and ideas that we wanted to talk about. It was just a great way to continue thinking about the topic. By the end, people were saying different things they wanted to do to kind of take action within the Choate community.”
Diversity Day gave students a chance to think critically about and discuss topics that might not come up in everyday conversations. Khokha shared, “It’s hard because I feel like people are often so wrapped up in their busy lives, that it’s kind of hard for them to take a breath and step back. So, I hope that by doing things like Diversity Day and by having these speakers who encourage us to use our voice, like Dr. Shabbazz was saying, be able to talk and spread our ideas, we can try to make the world a better place.”
The Choate community was able to learn from both the keynote speakers and each other, gaining a greater insight into systemic inequalities both within the community and globally, and helping students continue conversations and develop a well-informed perspective on cultural and social issues. “I hope that students engaged in Diversity Day with an openness and willingness to listen, learn, and question. I hope folks will question — question yourself; question to further learning and grow empathy,” said Dr. Myers.
