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United We Stand: SC Student Discussion

To strengthen our mission and commitment to diversity in addition to responding to student requests, 37 faculty and 61 students met over Zoom today to discuss current issues and stand united together.  

Dr. Emily Weisberg, Mr. Mark Servé, and Ms. Lauren Morrow framed the conversation initially, encouraging our students to be productive, open, and sensitive about their feelings, observations, and ideas. Students were then put into breakout rooms roughly by age to engage in this discourse. 
 
These breakout rooms were led by students who attended the annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference and dedicated time this week to meet with the above teachers, Ms. Deborah Whitlock-Trotter and Ms. Ana Dias to ensure a productive forum. They have been taking a very active role in issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion for years. Simultaneously, teachers met in their own breakout room to share their thoughts and experiences. All came back together again in the same zoom conference after about 40 minutes to share what they had learned and voice hopes for the future. 
 
Clear from the beginning was the passionate care that our students have over social justice and equity. They recognize that Sierra Canyon is profoundly diverse and fervently desire to amplify this strength to edify our community. Also apparent is all the great work that students have been doing recently in communicating with one another about current events, creating digital platforms to host and encourage open forums on issues, and embracing activism by seeking out opportunities for change. Students founded the organization Black Kids Who Care, an activist group of students across Los Angeles, have created social media documentaries, have started a Discord team to pool resources and host discussions, and have reached out to individuals across the country to interview them on their life experience concerning civil rights, American history, and recent events. 
 
As a school, we could not be more proud of how all of the students engaged with one another.  They demonstrated decorum, respect, and a sense of optimism that this is a start to greater understanding and progress. We thank you for encouraging your children to take part in this event, encourage you to debrief today and be open to these important issues. 
Lower School: 11052 Independence Avenue
Middle and Upper School: 20801 Rinaldi Street
Chatsworth, CA 91311  | 818.882.8121
Sierra Canyon School is a private, independent, non-sectarian, co-educational, college preparatory school for students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12 located in Chatsworth, California. The highly cosmopolitan campus community is reflective of the Greater Los Angeles area and the world at large. Students are empowered to realize their greatest creative, ethical, intellectual and physical promise through small class sizes, a diverse student-teacher culture and a family-like environment.