Students in Lower Elementary (grades 1-3) celebrated Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month with an artist spotlight. Students learned about Japanese American sculptor, Ruth Asawa, and read the picture book about her life, A Life Made by Hand.
Using Asawa's work as inspiration, students created a collage of flowers with watercolor and colored pencil designs to represent Ruth's love of nature and in the background, they drew Ruth's famous sculptures with a white pen.
We believe in the worth and dignity of all people.
We learn, reflect, grow, and effect change through dialogue, education, and action.
We foster a community that acts with compassion, embraces discomfort, thinks critically, questions norms, and welcomes the world’s multiple perspectives.
We use our voices, challenge ourselves and others, and stand up for ourselves and others against injustice.
We champion, cultivate, and celebrate all members of our community so that we all participate as our full authentic selves, and thereby become stronger in our shared diversity.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. You have probably heard these four words frequently. They are important words representing even more important actions and beliefs. Here at Eton School, these four words are not new, nor are they taken for granted. Our DEIB Committee, composed of volunteer staff and board members, meets one or more times a month to make headway in the vital work of promoting and understanding, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. The complexity and importance of DEIB serve as the path of focus and the need for the committee’s work to be purposeful and shared. This page is one way for the committee to do so.
A commitment to DEIB for the social, emotional, and academic success of our child(ren) requires an honest and in-depth look into ourselves, our systems, and our institutions. I invite you to join me monthly in a virtual drop-in space designed for Eton parent/guardians to have safe and brave conversations about DEIB in our community and beyond.
(There will be a general topic of focus each meeting, however it is not necessary to have engaged with the suggested materials. They are there simply to serve as a springboard for discussion!)
Reha feels torn between two worlds: school, where she’s the only Indian American student, and home, with her family’s traditions and holidays. But Reha’s parents don’t understand why she’s conflicted—they only notice when Reha doesn’t meet their strict expectations. Reha feels disconnected from her mother, or Amma, although their names are linked—Reha means “star” and Punam means “moon”—but they are a universe apart.
Then Reha finds out that her Amma is sick. Really sick.
Reha, who dreams of becoming a doctor even though she can’t stomach the sight of blood, is determined to make her Amma well again. She’ll be the perfect daughter, if it means saving her Amma’s life.
About the Author: Rajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in Massachusetts, where she practices medicine and writes award-winning books for young readers, including the Newbery Honor-winning novel in verse, Red, White, and Whole. She’s always been an omnivorous reader, and now she is an omnivorous writer of novels and picture books, fiction and nonfiction, in prose and poetry. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, she lives outside Boston with her family. Visit her at rajanilarocca.com.
Watch the video below to learn more about our One Book and the culminating event with the author.
Upcoming One Book Events
In-Person In the Library One Book Chats (3:30-4:30 p.m.): Thursday, 20 April 2023
One Book Zoom Chats (7 p.m.): Wednesday, 26 April 2023
In So You Want to Talk About Race, the title of each chapter serves as a question—from Is it really about race? toTalking is great, but what else can I do? These questions come up in our lives, and we may wonder how to respond to them. In her book, Oluo takes you on a journey through subjects ranging from intersectionality and affirmative action to “model minorities” and how race and racism infect almost every aspect of American life. She encourages readers to invest in self-assessment, to be open to challenges, and she offers guidance for starting and continuing difficult conversations in addressing race and racism.
The DEIB committee chose her as a speaker and this book to help guide us as a community towards having more honest conversations about race and racism. We have purchased copies of her book for every staff member and have a few extra copies for the school library for parents/guardians to check out. Watch the book-talk video below from our Teacher Librarian, Poppy Louthan, to learn more about the book as part of our first Eton One Read: How One Book Becomes Many. Then read the book and watch for conversation starters and more in your upcoming Community Connections.
As part of our DEIB work, we partnered with a coalition of Northwest Independent Schools (NWAIS) to "offer our communities and beyond the opportunity to connect, learn, and engage in topics around equity, inclusion, and antiracist education and action. The purpose of this series is to raise awareness, challenge ourselves, deepen understanding, and empower our communities to advance their efforts to actively recreate systems into equitable, inclusive, and antiracist institutions."
The Anti-Racist Kid: Identity, Justice, and Activism with Tiffany Jewel
Grow your antiracist consciousness! Using a framework similar to This Book Is Anti-Racist, learn how to take action and work towards creating anti-bias anti-racist classrooms, libraries, schools, and community spaces. Listeners will grow into their awareness and start to make a plan on how to support their own growth and that of those they are working with. Learn how to authentically center the voices of those who are too often silenced, ignored, and left out of history in our own spaces! Build an inclusive anti-bias antiracist community that empowers all who enter!
Come get together with others at our watch party in the Activity Room, Main Building. Unable to attend? You can Zoom in to the presentation on your own. Either way, please register so the committee can track interest and attendance: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1y0zCYSfTSa-3i...
Date: 19 October 2022 Time: 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Place: Virtual or Eton On-Campus Watch Party
The N-word with Dr. Eddie Moore
Who is allowed to say the N!word? What do we do or say when the N!word is said in our classrooms, hallways, practices, cafeterias and resident halls? Ignoring the N!Word is not an option anymore - You can hear N!Word everywhere nowadays. Participants are challenged to examine their personal/professional histories with N!Word when and/or how they first heard N!Word and pictures/feelings associated with the word. The workshop encourages all people, but specifically future leaders, educators and parents, to consider the ramifications of casual or uniformed usage of a powerful and troublesome word. Participants will leave the session with:
a heightened understanding of the impact of the word, especially on our youth;
strategies for eliminating the word from school/curriculum;
resources for continued growth and development of strategies for addressing difficult conversations.
Come get together with others at our watch party in the Activity Room, Main Building. Unable to attend? You can Zoom in to the presentation on your own. Either way, please register so the committee can track interest and attendance: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_L8TB_gPlSKKpNu...
Date: 15 November 2022 Time: 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Place: Virtual or Eton On-Campus Watch Party
Healing & Wholeness as Love, Power, and Resistance with Dr. Yuria Celidwen
We pay attention, and all we hear is urgency. The challenges are innumerable, but also infinite are the opportunities. Our grief is daunting, but also heartening is our compassion. This historical moment encourages us to reflect, make sense, and participate in the collective transformation expected from the human world today. Contemplative living reminds us that intentional action requires mindful assessment of the causes and conditions that have shaped who and where we are today. I suggest three contemplative insights are crucial to advance our shared journey towards collaborative and restorative solutions: the reckoning of the harm caused by human othering of self, others, and the Earth; a sense of ecological belonging that engenders a feeling of being part of an ever-expansive circle of care and concern for Earth systems and communities; and the realization of a collective path of spiritual becoming honoring life on Mother Earth.
Come get together with others at our watch party in the Activity Room, Main Building. Unable to attend? You can Zoom in to the presentation on your own. Either way, please register so the committee can track interest and attendance: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JPZJiv86Q2ycg7...
Date: 19 January 2023 Time: 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Place: Virtual or Eton On-Campus Watch Party
Speaker, Poet, Disability Rights Advocate with LeDerick Horne
Within this presentation LeDerick Horne will draw from the book "Empowering. Students with Hidden Disabilities: A Path to Pride and Success." LeDerick will share his own experience navigating special education classes and will give advice to help all students develop positive identities as people with disabilities. Strategies to help students reach their transition goals will be provided. The audience will also explore the intersectionality of disability, race, and identity to help them create more inclusive schools and communities. LeDerick's personal story and poetry will also be shared during this talk. Participants will be able to:
• List several evidence-based practices and strategies which can empower students with disabilities to reach their transition goals.
• Describe the importance of disability identity to reduce stigma and improve student engagement and disability pride.
• Address many of the challenges facing students with disabilities from communities of color to help service providers and families build a more equitable learning environment.
• List sources of mentors and role models to help students build a meaningful connection to the disability community.
Come get together with others at our watch party in the Activity Room, Main Building. Unable to attend? You can Zoom in to the presentation on your own. Either way, please register so the committee can track interest and attendance: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_y-op9wNqRO-Dj3...
Date: 9 March 2023 Time: 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Place: Virtual or Eton On-Campus Watch Party
Kimberlee Williams, Author of Dear White Woman, Please Come Home, is a humanist first and believes that racism can be dismantled through authentic relationship building where a mirror is held up to interrogate one's assumptions, beliefs, behaviors, and patterns of interactions. With a shift in any and all of the above as authentic relationships dive beneath the surface, the power and harm caused by the legacy of racism can be dismantled.
Come get together with others at our watch party in the Activity Room, Main Building. Unable to attend? You can Zoom in to the presentation on your own. Either way, please register so the committee can track interest and attendance: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BIOLje_LRG26Y2...
Date: 4 May 2023 Time: 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Place: Virtual or Eton On-Campus Watch Party
Eton is pleased to announce that our school has partnered with Eastside Pathways, a collective of public and private organizations on the Eastside serving children.
Eastside Pathways is a member of StriveTogether, a national network of 70 community partnerships that use the principle of Collective Impact framework as the way to effect deep, long-lasting systemic change to support local education systems. The approach is based on individual responsibility and collective accountability, using data to drive actions and decision-making and focusing on continuous improvement. (http://eastsidepathways.org/collective-impact/)
People of Color in Independent Schools (POCIS) Seattle
We are pleased to announce that Eton School has partnered with a consortium of independent schools in the northwest to create a People of Color in Independent Schools (POCIS) Seattle website. This new website exists to help people of color thrive in independent schools and serves as a hub where both families and staff can find DEIB-focused programming, admissions information, community events, job postings, and more! Please watch the special video below (opens in a new window) to learn more!
To communicate most effectively with each other about DEIB, it is important to have a shared understanding of common acronyms, terms, and definitions.
Term
Definition
ABAR
Acronym for Anti-bias and Anti-racist
Ableism
Beliefs and practices that devalue and discriminate people based on their ability
Anti-bias
Actively working against biases
Anti-racist
Actively working against racism
Belonging
The feeling of being seen, heard, and valued for your authentic self
BIPOC
Acronym for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
Body Neutrality
A movement that encourages a person to accept their physical body as it is, even on the days that they may not love, or feel positive about their body and/or abilities
Body Positivity
A movement that encourages everyone to have positive feelings and love for their body every day, no matter what it does or what it looks like
Colonization
Establishing control over a place and/or people
Critical Race Theory (CRT)
The examination of how race and racism have influenced social systems and institutions in America
Decolonization
Active resistance to colonial powers
Discrimination
The unfair treatment of a person or people based on an aspect of their identity
Diversity
Representation of a variety of different identites, including race, ethnicty, religion, gender identity, physical ability, neurodivergence, etc.)
Dominant Culture
A culture established as standard for an entire group of people
Environmental Justice
Fair treatment of all people in the implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, practices, and policies
Equality
Offering the same treatment, access, and opportunity to all people with no consideration to the specific needs of people or groups of people
Equity
Offering fair treatment, access, and opportunity to all people, while working to eliminate specific barriers for a person or group of people
Ethnicity
The identity of a group of people based on cultural characteristics (ie language, ancestry, ritual, etc.)
Fat Acceptance
A movement that seeks to normalize larger bodies and helps promote size inclusivity
Gender Expression
The way people externally communicate their gender identity to others
Gender Identity
A person's innermost concept of self as male, female, both, or neither. Unrelated to biological sex or sexual orientation
Gender Role
Set of expectations and behaviors assigned to females and males by society
Implicit bias
Unconscious and unintentional attitudes or stereotypes that can affect a person's actions
Inclusion
The act of creating environments in which everyone feels welcomed and respected
Intersectionality
The way in which social identities such as gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and class intersect to create unique dynamics and effects in regards to pwer and privilege
Marginalized
A person or group of people regarded with little or no importance that has a lesser amount of power
Micro-aggression
Subtle and often unintentional insults or actions against people that belong to marginalized groups
Model Minority
Harmful stereotype of Asian Americans that characterizes them as universally successful and high achieving
Neurodivergent
A difference in neurological function from what is considered typical
Nonbinary
A person that does not identify with a specific gender
Privilege
Advantages given to a person or group of people that have identities that match those of the dominant culture
Race
The identity of a group of people based on physical characteristics, especially skin color
Racism
The belief that race is a determinant of superiority
Sexual Orientation
Identity that corresponds with the gender(s) that a person is attracted to
Social Construct
An idea that has been created by society
Social Identity
The collection of physical, cultural, and social characteristics that tie a person to different social identity groups
Social Justice
Creating and sustaining equality in society, including opportunities, rights, and treatment
Socioeconomic Class
Hierarchy based on fiscal wealth and social class
Stereotype
A common and shared belief about a person or group of people that is not based on fact
System
A number of different pieces that work together to acheive a common purpose
Systemic
Relating to the entirety of a system
Transgender
A person whose gender identity is not the same as the gender they were assigned at birth
White Fragility
A defensive reaction by white people in response to racism
White Guilt
Feelings of shame or remorse held by white people in response to racism
White Supremacy
Belief that the white race is superior to all other races
Talking about Race & Racism with Ijeoma Oluo (Recording)
Seattle resident Ijeoma Oluo (ee-joh-mah oh-loo-oh), writer, speaker, internet yeller, and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, So You Want to Talk About Race, headlined the virtual Eton Community Education webinar on 28 April 2022.
In So You Want to Talk About Race, Oluo guides readers of all races through subjects ranging from intersectionality and affirmative action to “model minorities” and how race and racism infect almost every aspect of American life. During this event, she will discuss this bestselling work to guide our community toward having more honest conversations about race and racism.
It's Not Your Imagination, Kids are Different Today with Jenn Cort (Recording)
The first speaker for Eton Community Education was Jen Cort who spent almost two hours with our community on the evening of 28 October 2021. In her excellent presentation, she provided research and information regarding how children are different today and took the time to answer questions. She also provided consent for us to record the presentation and to share it, which is what we are doing here.
DEIB Dropbox
The diversity of our Eton community is rich, and the lived experiences, identities, and intersections of our families and staff are a crucial part of it. DEIB work strives to ensure that everyone is represented, and feels seen, heard, and valued. Including you! Use this form to let us know what’s on your mind. Questions, suggestions, comments, and kudos welcome!
![collage of students working on an art project]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1684968473/eton/fg5iououefbrvjitpkag/CelebratingAAPI.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1684968473/eton/fg5iououefbrvjitpkag/CelebratingAAPI.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1684968473/eton/fg5iououefbrvjitpkag/CelebratingAAPI.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1684968473/eton/fg5iououefbrvjitpkag/CelebratingAAPI.png","width":1080}])
Within this presentation LeDerick Horne will draw from the book "Empowering. Students with Hidden Disabilities: A Path to Pride and Success." LeDerick will share his own experience navigating special education classes and will give advice to help all students develop positive identities as people with disabilities. Strategies to help students reach their transition goals will be provided. The audience will also explore the intersectionality of disability, race, and identity to help them create more inclusive schools and communities. LeDerick's personal story and poetry will also be shared during this talk. Participants will be able to:
Kimberlee Williams, Author of Dear White Woman, Please Come Home, is a humanist first and believes that racism can be dismantled through authentic relationship building where a mirror is held up to interrogate one's assumptions, beliefs, behaviors, and patterns of interactions. With a shift in any and all of the above as authentic relationships dive beneath the surface, the power and harm caused by the legacy of racism can be dismantled.
