Power in Unity

In advance of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month that begins on May 1, students in grade 5-12 attended a Flex Block earlier this week — “Power in Unity: Strengthening Communities Together” — to honor the history, resilience, and living contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

Along with personal reflections shared by several Upper School students, key historical and sociological terms were used in the presentation, including:

• The Chinese Exclusion Act
• The Model Minority Myth
• The “Bamboo Ceiling”
• Japanese American Incarceration
• Cultural Appreciation vs. Appropriation

Director of Community, Equity and Inclusion Rachel Nagler said, “What stood out to me during the writing and crafting of the presentation was how important it was for us to make connections for our community. We wanted to convey how history, which seems sweeping, large and impersonal, impacts and informs personal experiences, outcomes and stories. We held the individuals’ sharing in context and saw a nuanced picture of the depth of their lived experiences, while also appreciating the bravery required to stand in front of the entire community and share with their peers.”

“There was such a strong blend of personal student stories with clear, accessible history in the presentation,” said Middle School Social Studies teacher Brian Kaufman. “My 7th graders were so excited about all the content they were able to connect to our curriculum that we spent the first half of class debriefing the assembly.”