Ethel Walker School
January 22, 2019
In observance of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Walker’s community came together on Monday, January 21 to learn and explore the importance of social justice through student-led workshops, presentations and a panel moderated by student Justice League heads.
Following an opening assembly, Upper School students broke into groups and participated in workshops about various issues related to social justice, including Thinking Outside of the Black-White Binary; America’s War on Drugs; Black Girl Magic Movements; Privilege, Race as a Social Construct; and Race and Education. Middle School students participated in a collaborative mixed media art activity with art faculty member Corina Alvarezdelugo, illustrating various MLK quotes through collage and drawings. Faculty and staff members engaged in their own equity workshop, facilitated by Jason Fredlund and Luz Burgos-Lopez from RE-Center, a Hartford-based nonprofit diversity education program dedicated to nurturing a generation of future leaders in a diverse world (discoveringdiversity.com).
Jason and Luz were later joined by Bulaong Ramiz-Hall, director of the Multicultural Center at Amherst College and Derek Hall, a program director at RE-Center for a panel discussion moderated by Justice League heads Tricia Saint Fort ’19, Emily Ross ’19, Liyanni Vazquez ’20 and Alaina Vermilya ’20. The panelists shared their backgrounds and why they believe social justice work is so important, encouraging students to find their community, embrace diversity, lead with love and stand up for equity.
The day concluded with a rousing, flash mob-style rendition of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song,” performed by members of Choir, Gospel Choir and Rock Band.
