DEI work underway at RE

8/27/2020

Ransom Everglades' newly appointed Anti-Racism Task Force commenced work in August with 16 members – alumni, parents and faculty. At about the same time, RE faculty and staff spent a day learning with three of the nation's foremost leaders on diversity, equity and inclusion. Director of Inclusion and Community Engagement Carla Hill shares this update on the school's progress on its redoubled commitment to DEI and anti-racism:

At the beginning of the 2020-21 school year Ransom Everglades prepared for a unique educational experience. In addition to preparing for virtual instruction, the RE faculty and staff participated in a day of diversity, equity and inclusion presentations by some of the country’s preeminent voices in DEI. All of the day’s presenters were generous with their time and took questions from our faculty and staff after each meeting. Dr. Dena Simmons, Director of Education at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, began the morning with her presentation, From Surviving to Thriving: Creating Equitable Learning Environments Through Emotional Intelligence and Culturally Relevant Practices. Her dynamic presentation reminded all of us of the importance of our unique, personal narratives.

RE’s faculty and staff had their own collective movie night in advance of the opening of school. Thanks to Head of School Penny Townsend and documentarian Robert Andre Lee, RE’s faculty and staff were able to view his personal story, The Prep School Negro. The theme of respecting the stories of our students and fellow RE community members was reiterated by Dr. John Daves, the Director of Community and Equity Affairs at St. Mark's School in Southborough, Mass. Not only did he further discuss Mr. Lee’s signature work, he helped to lead the discussion of RE’s summer REads by faculty and staff: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates and White Fragility, Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Dr. Robin DiAngelo. Members of the faculty and staff DEI Committee led breakout sessions with their colleagues to further discuss how our reading and the day’s presentations would inform our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion at Ransom Everglades.

After a poignant and moving letter was received from Ransom Everglades’ Black Alumni on June 19 – Juneteenth – recalling the less-than-positive experiences of Black students on our campuses, RE’s Board of Trustees, with the support of Mrs. Townsend, approved the formation of the school’s inaugural Anti-racism Task Force. Trustee Stephanie Dua and Director of Inclusion and Community Engagement, Carla Hill are the appointed co-chairs. Alumni, parents, faculty and staff were invited to apply to serve. A committee of five people that included RE faculty and Trustee members reviewed the impressive and heartfelt applications. The following people join me and Mrs. Dua on the 16-member Task Force:

Beverly Watson ’90

Caroline Miller ’06

Victoria Beatty ’00

Christine James ’99

Kareena Rudra ’20

Terron Ferguson ’04

Wendell Graham ’74

Dr. Jeaninne Lehr - faculty member and parent

Patrick Hession - faculty member

Patricia Sasser - faculty member and parent

Dr. Brandon King - faculty member

Olga Granda - parent

Fiacre Bienvenu - parent

Lisa Franklin - parent

The Anti-Racism Task Force’s mission will work to provide information and counsel to the school’s leadership and the Ransom Everglades Board of Trustees Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The task force’s work will focus on promoting and ensuring an anti-racist educational and work environment at Ransom Everglades. The task force will help create a school community that is inclusive and in which all members can reach their full potential.

Our school’s founder, Paul Ransom, remarked in his timeless letter to newly accepted students that Ransom Everglades students “do not shirk the great problems of life, but meet and solve them.” As a community, we’re taking the difficult step of being vulnerable as we do the work toward becoming a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive school and work environment. What seems challenging now will work toward the good of the entire school community for future Ransom Everglades Raiders whether they’re students, faculty or staff.

Check RE’s DEI page for a list of resources and updates on the school’s activities and programming.

Carla Hill

Director of Inclusion and Community Engagement

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RE founder Paul Ransom, circa 1903

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