AGENDA for UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS

9:00am Welcome/Performance (Faculty/Staff/Students)
9:30am Breakout Session I  

Creating Affinity Groups and Building Belonging | Debbie Taylor and her students Sofia Calle, Edrien Wangsawidjaja, and Caludia Nkidiaka (Cardinal Gibbons High School)
Affinity groups are voluntary, student-led communities that unite individuals with shared characteristics or interests that foster inclusion and provide a sense of belonging. Affinity groups promote professional and personal development, networking, and skill building. These groups boost student engagement and morale by exploring diverse perspectives and enhancing creativity and problem-solving. Affinity groups contribute to promoting diversity and equity in the school.

The Shift From Within - Connecting with the Self in DEIJ Work | Michael Robinson and Eden Balson (North Carolina for Community and Justice)
Young people are often told they are the future. They hear time and time again that change depends on them and that our world is in their hands. These words can be encouraging and empowering while also putting a lot of pressure on those it’s meant to uplift. We rarely give young people space to talk about how that feels. This presentation will provide students with a chance to re-center and ask themselves grounding questions as they continue to develop their interest and passion for change.
10:30am Breakout Session II 

Financial Freedom for Everyone | Brian Li and James Edge (Providence Day School)
The state of personal finance in America is in dire shape. Consumer debt continues to reach record highs while the racial wealth gap continues to expand. However, financial freedom can be a reality for everyone. Together, we will unravel the complexities of financial literacy and its pivotal role in addressing the racial wealth gap while exploring strategies for building lasting generational wealth. From understanding historical factors contributing to wealth disparities to hands-on activities reinforcing financial concepts, participants will gain practical insights into budgeting, investing, and overcoming financial challenges.

Teaching Black Literature Holistically | Steven McGill (Davidson Day School)
In this session, we will discuss ways to incorporate African-American literature into literature-based classes without separating it from other ethnicities and literature from different parts of the world. The presentation aims to show how African-American literature fits into the picture of American literature and into the larger picture of World literature. When taught in such a manner, studying African-American literature can be a very enlightening, inclusive experience for all.
11:20am Keynote for Students: Let Our Stories Sustain Us | Hannah Hasan

Master Storyteller and Spoken Word Poet, Hannah Hasan opens us up to the power of understanding and using our personal stories in building community and movement-making. This keynote address, Let Our Stories Sustain Us, includes a live poetry performance from Hannah and a live storytelling performance by professional storytellers from her company, Epoch Tribe. Hannah will lead participants through a short masterclass of unearthing and writing their stories. This will conclude with a story slam, as participants are invited to share the stories that they have written.
12:30pm Lunch (Students/Adult Separate Settings)
1:30pm Affinity Groups
2:30pm Affinity Groups Combine (Faculty/Staff/Students)
3:00pm Call to Action, Open Mic, Student Performance (Faculty/Staff/Students)
3:30pm Adjourn
 

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