Year 1: Learning and Growing
By Carolyn Burke. Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
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hen I moved from Brooklyn to Buffalo last July, I had no idea what to expect initially. I knew that I would be entering into a new community and potentially new climate, but I also had a very strong feeling that I was about to have an experience, unlike anything I have had in my lifetime. I was drawn to SEM because of its incredible sense of welcome and belonging. I could tell immediately that it was the kind of place where a kid can freely grow into who they were truly meant to be. When I walked through these halls on my first day, even though masks were always on, staff, students, and anyone else I walked past went out of their way to introduce themselves to me and make sure I had everything I needed to get settled. Students stopped by my office unannounced to tell me about how excited they were that I was here and their vision for DEI in the future. They shared with me surveys and other resources that they had created and wanted to know all about my experience living in New York City. I felt at home almost instantly. Being a Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion can be challenging work. It requires a great deal of empathy, patience, and consideration from multiple sides of an argument. It requires someone to create a space where everyone can be heard as well as provide adequate room for people to grow. I have learned while doing this kind of work in schools that to begin that work and then do it well, one needs to first fully understand, embrace, and immerse themselves in the culture of the environment. I jumped into as many SEM traditions as I could right away like Hanging of the Greens, and I supported our Black Student Union in planning some of the events for Black History Month. My favorite event was our Black History Month Food Festival where students and their families made and shared food from the African Diaspora* with our community and subsequently, in
advisories, watched a documentary on Netflix entitled “High on the Hog” where they learned about the origins of these cultural foods and their significance to the communities they come from. Then I began to do some research. DEI Interviews: During my first couple of weeks at SEM, I had the privilege to sit down with all of the adults in our school community one-on-one. These informal conversations served multiple purposes. First, as a way for me to introduce myself to everyone but more importantly as a way for me to hear from every staff member about what they loved about SEM, their level of comfort with DEI work, and their dreams for the future of our school. Analyzing Climate Survey Data: I was able to get my hands on DEI climate surveys that have been distributed by Education Collaborative for the past couple of years. This helpful data gave me insight into what students and faculty were thinking and about issues revolving around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Alumnae of Color Conversation: At the end of February, I was able to meet and speak with alumnae of color via Zoom from all over the country. I hope to be able to meet with more alumnae in-person very soon. Rm 110’s Open Door Policy: As people got to know me and become more comfortable, they’ve been able to walk into my office and share with me concerns, ask me questions about curriculum, or general advice on how to handle DEI topics. It’s been wonderful to have so many inspiring conversations with staff, faculty, and students. DEI Office Hours: I have held several DEI Professional Development sessions for staff. They have been on Mindset Framing, Culturally Responsive Teaching, and Antiracism. The week following each session, I open up my Zoom room for folks to come and ask questions,
discuss how they are implementing the things they learn into their classroom or work at SEM and how to push their learning further. Anti-Racism Task Force: I am a member of the Anti-Racism Task Force, which seeks to educate, practice, and seek out ways to participate in anti-racism efforts in and outside of our school. The task force is made up of myself, members of the Board of Trustees, and faculty/ staff. DEI Working Group: I have created a smaller working group that is made up of faculty members and administrators. We meet once a cycle to read books, articles and have deep dive into discussions about how to make SEM a more inclusive environment. I have learned a lot about SEM in the last couple of months. The faculty is hard-working, passionate, and purposeful, and the administrative team is always seeking out ways to make the student experience a great and memorable one, but what has impacted me most of all in my time here so far has been the incredible student body. I have learned that graduates of Buffalo Seminary find ways to lead, innovate and transform spaces. One of the core pieces of my work moving forward will be finding ways to harness that power in our current students through the creation of a Student Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team. This team would empower their peers to educate, innovate and support each other while navigating this increasingly complicated and ever-evolving world. I look forward to learning and growing alongside the members of our SEM community in the years ahead. *The African diaspora is the worldwide collection of communities descended from native Africans or people from Africa, predominantly in the Americas. African diaspora populations include but are not limited to Africans, African Americans, AfroCaribbeans, Afro-Latin Americans, Black Canadians – descendants of enslaved West Africans brought to the United States, the Caribbean, and South America during the Atlantic slave trade.
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