Kindergarten students explore Identity work.
The Importance of Identity Work with DEIB By Priya Kenny | Co-Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (LS/MS)
Being a Diversity Director allows me the flexibility to be in the heart of different areas of the school. I’m involved in admissions interviews, strategic administrative programming, in-depth conversations around race with colleagues, and best of all, student and faculty identity work. Identity work is the foundation piece of my duties and projects. If we don’t understand what our “I” perspective is, then we can’t possibly understand the “I” perspective of another person. Talking to others about how my identity shapes the way that I see the world helps them think and speak about how theirs does, too. Identity work is not only the starting point of all of our conversations related to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, but it's a part of this work that can’t be skipped.
I play a very small role in the scope of the incredible work that our teachers do to build our curriculum and pedagogy for our students. Our faculty has engaged in challenging work around DEIB and they continue to engage for the sake of the students. We’ve checked our biases around books we read, challenged age-old grading practices, centered what belonging looks like for our students of color, and practiced strategies for helping others who make harmful remarks. This work is also predicated on the fact that we respect the dignity of every human being, we strive for justice and peace, and we love our neighbors as ourselves. The values echoed in our beautiful Baptismal Covenant in which we root all the work that we do. St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 9
