460 Students Convene for Student of Color Conference

Last Saturday, 460 students gathered from 32 different schools across the Northeast to participate in the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE) Student of Color Conference. The goal of the conference was to bring together high school students of color, who identify as minorities in their community, in an effort to create more opportunities for connection. The conference lasted from Saturday evening to Sunday afternoon and visitors stayed overnight in the Love Gym.

Multicultural Affairs Administrative Intern Tamar Nisbett said the event had an “empowering” effect of bringing a large, diverse group of students of color from around the region together for a weekend.

“Not only are their accents, hair care regimens and cultural backgrounds not questioned by others around them, but they also feel like they can speak openly and honestly about events that have made them feel uncomfortable in their schools,” Nisbett said. “Hearing that students at other schools face similar challenges creates a bond, and students can also learn about new ways of responding to hurtful events through talking to their peers.”

The two-day gathering consisted of a variety of events. Students were given the chance to connect with peers in their affinity group, listen to speakers in the Assembly Hall, experience various workshops and speak comfortably about their experiences as people of color at New England independent schools.

“I’d like more opportunities for students of color or other minorities to have the chance to connect and network with people on campuses outside of our own.”

On Saturday night, students congregated in affinity groups to discuss shared issues. This was followed by a keynote address from Attorney Cortlan J. Wickliff and a dance to conclude the evening. Early the next morning, students attended various workshops hosted by the Exeter community and affinity groups met once again. The conference ended with a keynote by Edward E. Curtis IV as well as several slam poetry sessions.

Physical Education instructor Olutoyin Augustus-Ikwuakor said the event gave students a real sense of “belonging and identification” to their school communities, a situation that can be rare for many of the visitors.

For visiting student Ebbie Banks, this was the exact scenario. “I felt comfortable sharing my own opinions and got lots of insight on how to deal with different microaggressions that a lot of students face at independent schools,” he said.

One of the most commonly discussed issues at the event stemmed from students trying to hide their true personality. According to Nesbitt, students with who she talked felt like they had to “be someone else in front of their white peers and teachers, of isolation, of crying themselves to sleep for weeks—until they found an adult of color who they could confide in or joined an affinity group.”

The “Walk the Line” workshop dealt specifically with these types of situations. Closely resembling Exonian Encounters, the students lined up and listened to the workshop leaders read statements. If a statement applied to a student, he or she would step across the line. Banks thought the workshop added a unique “visual element” to finding support from peers dealing with similar issues.

Another notable workshop was the “Brotha Sista” forum. The event analyzed the relationship between minority boys and girls on campus and encouraged the groups to interact more often.

Lavar Harewood from the St. Paul’s School had felt this gap at his high school before. He learned a lot about the “feeling of isolation” at his workshop and was thankful for the opportunity to attend.

“There were even some points that others brought up that I hadn’t thought about before,” he said. “But now that I’m aware of them, I can relate to them too. It is nice just knowing that there are other people out here.”

The event was not all about lectures and workshops. After an exciting first day, Saturday was concluded with a dance in Thompson Gym. Students formed friendships and let loose in a way that the forums did not allow. Augustus-Ikwuakor believes that by bonding through the music and moves popular in their communities, the social connections made at the dance furthered the purpose of the conference.

“As I chaperoned the dance, I witnessed connections constantly being made through the artful expression of dance which led to more formal introductions and friendships,” Augustus-Ikwuakor said. “Students laughed and were energized in a way they typically can’t express in classrooms and forums.”

Indeed, these types of events during the conference even left students with ideas and inspirations for when they returned to their schools. One girl told Nisbett that she felt encouraged to create a dance team. While the student was originally afraid of receiving negative feedback, she now wants to try and challenge her community by utilizing the tools she learned from the workshops she attended.

Overall, the most students and faculty attending the event would agree that it was a huge success. Like the visiting students, many Exonians who attended the event—about 50 in all—were also inspired to establish more connections with other students of color across their own campus. In fact some, such as upper Khymaya Perkins, wish for the opportunity to attend the event again or similar activities.

“I would just suggest that we have the opportunity to go to other schools that host the event,” she said. “I’d like more opportunities for students of color or other minorities to have the chance to connect and network with people on campuses outside of our own.”