The annual Connecticut Association of Independent Schools Student Diversity Leadership Conference, held on April 6th, is a multiracial and multicultural event dedicated to self-reflection, support, and community building among neighboring schools. Serving as a foundation fostering cross-cultural understanding and inspiring action within school communities, this gathering has grown into a key event for student leaders interested in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within their schools.
“Everyone is welcome to the conference, you don't have to be a member of a particular underrepresented group. There's a lot of allyship that's going on,” said Associate Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Mrs. Lilian Castillo de Hutchinson at Loomis Chaffee. “[This is] not just the responsibility of one particular group to educate [on diversity]. The goal is for students to see how other schools are doing things and [wonder if] that will work at Loomis Chaffee,” she continued.
Ranging from middle school workshops such as “Language and Words Matter: Stereotypes, Bias, and Socialization” to “Moving from Allyship to Co-conspirators” for seniors and post graduates, a variety of programing tailored to one’s grade level are available for students to participate in.
“There’s going to be a ton of different workshops that they're going to be able to do, and each student gets to select the workshops that they're going to go to,” explained Mrs. Hutchinson. “There is also time to network and exchange ideas of what has [and hasn’t] worked at their schools. Some schools, like Loomis, have a lot more experience with affinity groups and workshop creation,” she reflected.
Providing a platform for students to socialize and learn from others’ experience, the CAIS Diversity conference appeals to students across the state for its rare opportunities and distinctiveness.
“It’s a great chance to get to know what other schools are doing in their campuses to not only build up our own growth, but also build up this sense of belonging, connection, and inclusivity. It allows us to expand our network and find new schools to potentially partner up with in future DEI events,” said Madi Cuenca ’27, a student who participated in the conference this year.
The workshops gave participants a safe space to express and be unapologetically themselves, bringing out different aspects of their personality and identity throughout, which is what the conference aims to inspire across all schools in the state.
“Vulnerability is possible through welcoming environments. We are only able to grow as a group and [by extension] people through this [sense of] vulnerability. Understanding others’ experiences and harnessing them to bring back to our communities will allow DEI at Loomis to adapt and grow,” Madi remarked.