Diversity, Equity & Inclusion News
Celebrating Black Voices During Black History Month
 | Rafhia Foster Director of Enrollment How do you racially/ethnically identify? African American by way of Trinidad. What does that mean to you? I grew up being told and receiving affirmations that" Black is Beautiful" Langston Hughes has been one of my favorite poets since I was younger and sums it up in this poem: The night is beautiful, So the faces of my people. The stars are beautiful, So the eyes of my people. Beautiful, also, is the sun. Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people. |
 | Kris Ryan Head of Upper School How do you racially/ethnically identify? Black What does that mean to you? It means remembering the sacrifice, suffering, and hope of my ancestors. It means wrestling with and walking into the the legacy they provided for me through those things. It means struggling for a future where my family, Black people, and all people can live and love in freedom and full self-realization. |
 | Stacie Richardson Dining Services How do you racially/ethnically identify? African American/Black What does that mean to you? It's been said that a small group of people is going to be taken from one land and be brought to a strange land, and change the world. As Black people we have changed the world. What does Black History Month mean to you? The adversity that we have been through has not put us down but has made us great because we are accepted all around the world, because of what we went through here in the US, and what we have become in spite of all the strife. Black History Month is a celebration of our creativity and innovation despite having nothing. What would you want folks to know about Black History? In modern times, we have a Black woman who actually created the vaccine. Our greatness is always there, is always relevant, it did not ever stop, even though we were enslaved. We had creators before, it's just that we weren't allowed to publish; we were not allowed to have instruments to create music; we were also not allowed to patent anything we invented nor allowed to have a business. So there is a history, it’s just not written. We need to find and share those stories. Advice for young people:
Hope for the future: The creativity that young people will have in the future now that more is available to young people today as opposed to what we had growing up. Now that we have greater access to things, Lord knows where we will end up as a people. |
 | Gregg Mitchell Dining Services How do you racially/ethnically identify? African American/Black What does that mean to you? That we are a people with that unbreakable spirit, against all odds no matter what they try to do to break you down, to stop you; you are going to find a way over, under, around, or through. Think about how much systemic racism has been put in place to hold us back and we still overcame. Nobody stops you from going to college, nobody stops you from teaching other people. So, no matter how much has been put in place to stop all of us from being successful, we are still successful. It’s that unbreakable spirit that is in all of us. What does Black History Month mean to you? Understanding that History is written by the winners, whatever battle or war you got going on, whoever won it is going to be able to tell their version of the story. Our Black History is lost and we need to actively seek it out through events like this. Advice for young people:
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 | Joe Pittman Dining Services How do you racially/ethnically identify? African American/Black What does that mean to you?
What does Black History Month mean to you? People need to understand all the hardships and appreciate where things have come from. A lot of people sacrificed and died for us to be where we are. Actively seek out Black History, that is a side that is not often told – Black inventors, Black doctors performing open heart surgeries to separate conjoined twins, people who invented street lights, Black women who created the vaccine or that Black women sent man to the moon. Know that we are a people who are not given much but can still turn something out of nothing. We are resourceful in many ways. We're the trendsetters in the world as far as music, fashion, and sports. Advice for young people:
Hope for the future: Black stigma is going away due to Black prominence in entertainment and sports. More diversity in movies, roles of Black people have expanded beyond the drug dealer and bad guy; and more Black family role modeling is appearing on screen. |
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion News
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Meet Deauntra Thompson-Smith, Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Deauntra Thompson-Smith has been Shipley’s Assistant Director of DEI since January 2024. He holds a master’s degree in secondary education from Neumann University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in history from Delaware State University.Read More -
Nurturing Belonging & Connection in Lower School Affinity Groups
Affinity groups at Shipley help to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment, empowering students of diverse backgrounds to build authentic relationships, celebrate their identities, and grow into confident, compassionate global citizens. Learn more about our Lower School Affinity Spaces.Read More -
Creating a Culture of Kindness in Middle School
“Shipley is really special because three kids can go to a teacher and say, ‘I think it would be cool to do this.’ And the teachers and administrators support them all the way through.” Learn more about the Middle School's culture of kindness and November's Kindness Month events.Read More -
DEI at Shipley: Cultivating Belonging
Shipley's commitment to educational excellence extends to cultivating a sense of belonging within its diverse community. This article delves into how Shipley has embraced its DEI Strategic Plan, celebrating diversity, providing professional development, and creating affinity spaces to foster inclusivity and unity.Read More -
Shipley Recognizes AAPI Heritage Month
Shipley’s Asian Student Alliance (ASA), led by co-presidents Amber Feng ’24 and Anne Gu ’25, recognized Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with programming for Upper School students, including a presentation about AAPI Heritage Month by members of the ASA, and one by guest speaker Elvis Zhang ’17 about his life as an entrepreneur and Asian American.Read More -
Shipley Celebrates Lunar New Year with Musical Performance
Read MoreView a performance of the Lunar New Year Overture by Shipley's Chamber Orchestra, in an arrangement by Richard Liu ’25 and Bambi Tang ’23, and conducted by Mr. Jhonnatan Mata. The performance was organized by the Asian Student Alliance and the Chamber Orchestra in celebration of Lantern Festival, or the end of Lunar New Year. -
3-2-1 Care to Share? A Quiet Lesson in Diversity
Middle School is a time of physical and emotional growth and transformation, but the process that each child goes through is uniquely beautiful, messy, and complex. Through conversations in sixth grade SEED, teacher and Middle School counselor Lindsay Fick hopes that her students learn to acknowledge that for themselves and build the skills to accept it when it comes to others—a powerful lesson in viewpoint diversity.Read More -
Diversity in the Sport of Rowing
Shipley's Director of Rowing, Scott Gavin-Wisniewski discusses the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in the sport of rowing and how Shipley's Rowing Academy is working to counteract that. The program's strategic partnership with Philadelphia City Rowing (PCR) both informs how we advance DEI within Shipley's program, while also advancing equity in the broader Philadelphia community through our support of their efforts.Read More -
Shipley's Black History Month Celebrations
Black History Month was celebrated throughout the month of February as divisions and as a school. Take a look at the many activities that happened on campus.Read More -
Celebrating Black Voices During Black History Month
Shipley's Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion asked members of the Shipley community who identify as Black or African American what their race/ethnicity means to them, why Black History Month is important, and what are their hopes for the future.Read More -
Centering BIPOC Voices at Shipley: Rafhia Foster, Director of Enrollment
Rafhia Foster, Shipley's new Director of Enrollment, was the only African American girl in her class at a local independent school. As a Black, Muslim-raised Trinidadian, she brings with her to Shipley a rich tapestry of lived experiences. She knows well the feeling of not being heard or seen. Now, she embraces each opportunity to share her voice and story, bringing an effervescent spirit to Shipley's Admissions Office.Read More -
Paving the Road Ahead: Examining Shipley's DEI Efforts
Vision 20/26 compelled Shipley to “Cultivate a diverse and inclusive community” as a means of “increasing our ability to work across differences in our school, in our communities, and in the world.” Five years later, Shipley has taken great strides with its DEI efforts. Are we doing enough? Too much? How can we work together as a community to advance this important work? Our panel explores these questions and more.Read More -
Kathy Guy Dawson ’78: Creating a Safe Space for Shipley’s LGBTQ+ Community
Kathy Guy Dawson ’78, an Alumni Council member and former Trustee, became an inaugural co-chair of LGBTQ+ Alumni Association in 2021. She was the first black student in her class and the first member of her family to attend private school. Learn more about this Shipley Changemaker and how she's supporting the LGBTQ+ community at Shipley.Read More -
Rik Morris ’80: Giving Forward to Shipley’s LGBTQ+ Community
Rik Morris ’80 is a strong example of the Shipley spirit and the School’s commitment to supporting everyone in the community. “I don’t believe in giving back,” says the 2020 Alumni Service Award recipient. “I believe in giving forward.” Following his retirement as a Trustee a few years ago, Morris is serving as inaugural co-chair of the newly formed Shipley LGBTQ+ Alumni Association,Read More -
Peyton Turner '22 Named Main Line Student of the Week
Shipley Junior Peyton Turner has been named Main Line Student of the Week for the week of June 6.Read More -
Hakiem Coles ’07: Raising Funds for Shipley’s Black Students and Teachers
“Shipley was life-changing for me. It opened up my world," says alumnus Hakiem Coles ’07. His belief in the power of education to positively impact the lives of other black students inspired him to join Shipley's Black Alumni Association and establish a named endowed fund, the Black Alumni Association Fund, to support the curricular and cultural needs of Shipley’s Black students and teachers.Read More -
Spotlight on DEI in Lower School Classrooms
In the Lower School, a lot of DEI work revolves around helping students learn about themselves and aspects of their identities, as well as encouraging them to learn about their classmates and communities. From first through fifth grade, many of our students devoted classroom time to important discussions about different identity markers, the concept of community, and how we can support one another.Read More -
Centering BIPOC Voices at Shipley: Q&A with César Hidalgo
Valente Hidalgo, an eighth grader, interviewed his dad, César Hidalgo, who immigrated to the United States from Ecuador as a child. César describes what it was like growing up in Ecuador versus what it was like in the U.S., how he learned English, and how he shares Ecuadorian culture with his children.Read More -
Centering BIPOC Voices at Shipley: What Being Tibetan Means to Me
Tenzin Kyizom is one of our Middle School proctors. She shares about her Tibetan identity and what it means to her, exploring what it was like to be an Asian minority during elementary and middle school, celebrating favorite Tibetan customs, and examining some triumphs and painful moments she has experienced as an immigrant to the U.S.Read More -
Identity Interview: Wendy Eiteljorg ’86 Explains Her Purple Hair
Exploring and understanding identity is an important part of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work at Shipley. There are many parts of our identity that we are born into, but others that we choose. Middle School DEI Coordinator and English teacher Lila Corgan interviewed Wendy Eiteljorg ’86, Director of Curricular Innovation and Learning Design about her purple hair.Read More
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The Shipley School is a private, coeducational day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students, located in Bryn Mawr, PA. Through our commitment to educational excellence, we develop within each student a love of learning and a desire for compassionate participation in the world.
