National Conference Teaches Spartans Ways To Strengthen the School and Its Sense of Belonging

Six Upper School students traveled with a dozen St. Stephen’s employees attending the National Association of Independent Schools People of Color Conference (PoCC) annual conference in Denver, Colorado. The group of students attended this year's NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC).

The PoCC and SDLC happen simultaneously and in partnership with each other. The POCC is geared toward adults working in independent schools, and aims to provide a safe space for leadership, professional development, and networking for people of color and allies of all backgrounds in independent schools. The SDLC is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of student leaders from independent high schools across the U.S. and abroad. This year’s PoCC theme — Meeting the Moment: Anchoring and Enriching Our Education Futures — was a call to action for eradicating injustice and creating the conditions for individuals, and our communities, to thrive. 

 

St. Stephen’s Director of Equity and Inclusion Marsha Elliott says PoCC “provides an opportunity for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) who work specifically in independent schools to gather in collective affinity from across the nation and world and feel seen, heard, supported, nourished, healed, affirmed and celebrated in ways that historically does not always happen for marginalized identities in society and in independent schools.” 

 

First-time student attendee Manny Lopez ’28 says he was a bit intimidated when he left Austin because he was the only St. Stephen’s 9th grader on the trip, but says those feelings quickly dissipated. He describes the three-day event as some of the best experiences he’s ever had.

 

“Being at SDLC made me feel like I was able to be fully me and my authentic self, and I was fortunate enough to meet other students who made me feel like I built a genuine bond with people — both like me and different from me,” said Lopez. “Hearing others’ stories and learning from their experiences was incredibly empowering.”

 

Lopez was one of thousands of high school students at SDLC from across the nation and world. The student-focused multicultural DEI conference creates space and opportunity for deep personal self-reflection, connecting with others across differences and similarities, gaining a deeper understanding of core personal and cultural identifiers, building diversity, equity, and inclusion-centered leadership skills, and building communities of belonging. 

 

“It is often a wonderfully powerful and uplifting experience where students often experience personal growth, affirmation, affinity, connection, and celebration for who they are,” said Elliott who has attended PoCC for several years and served as SDLC faculty.

 

Lopez says he feels like a “changed person with a more open perspective on life and people” and encourages other Spartans to sign-up to attend next year.

 

St. Stephen’s Receptionist Alecia Chapman arrived ready to learn and be actively supportive of the experiences for her BIPOC colleagues. 

 

Chapman enjoyed listening to keynote speaker Sekou Andrews and she says the conference helped her discover new things about herself and identify areas for growth.

 

“I think the biggest surprise for me is not being as aware as I should be of the racial tone around me,” said Chapman. “I was the minority. There were 8,000 people there, and my affinity group of white people had maybe 200 people — so you really get an idea of how you feel as a minority being a white person going into that conference.” 

 

Victor Quiroz-Ibañez ’25 says he enjoyed making friends with different students from schools across the U.S. and developing friendships with fellow St. Stephen’s students on the trip. He took part in a group discussion with other students where they shared about challenges they experience on their campuses.

“It made me feel even more fortunate on how diverse, friendly and comfortable St. Stephen's makes their students feel whether they are boarders or day students,” says Victor Quiroz-Ibañez ’25.

 

The knowledge gained at the Conference will be shared with other St. Stephen’s students. Each year, the group of student attendees present to St. Stephen’s 9th graders, teaching them what they learned. This lesson happens in the spring during the 9th grade Foundations/Health course.

 

The PoCC has a rich history spanning more than 35 years, and St. Stephen’s has been sending a group for several years. Last year, a group of 23 students and employees attended. Read more about the 2023 PoCC and SDLC experience here.

 

To learn more about these conferences, please reach out to St. Stephen’s Director of Equity and Inclusion Marsha Elliott at melliott@sstx.org.