Indigenous People’s Day Assembly

Last Friday, the Upper School gathered in the Crossroads to recognize Indigenous People's Day. The assembly began with a land acknowledgment read by Nadia Pardesi, Lower School math specialist and DEI coordinator. Following this acknowledgment, Charaun Wills, Upper School science teacher and DEI coordinator, helped to explain the purpose of land acknowledgments and the purpose of our assembly. Robert von Glahn, Upper School history teacher, and grade 12 dean, and Austin Davis, Upper School English teacher and director of student life, then walked our students and faculty through an activity that would help not only acknowledge the history of indigenous people but center their voices in describing the present reality of their communities. To conclude the assembly, students were encouraged to visit a map produced by Native Land Digital to explore which indigenous communities have lived in places important to them. Once students identified these communities, they followed links provided in the map to learn more. Overall, students and faculty alike were able to identify the historical presence of indigenous peoples in our country and challenge commonly held myths and stereotypes about indigenous peoples and their communities.