Students in the Upper School discussed 21^st Century topics today in PlatFORUM, a series of community-building educational workshops designed to foster a deeper understanding of diversity.

 

“PlatFORUM is a place for students to engage in a dialogue that allows them to relate to one another and to see where others stand on different issues,” says Director of Inclusivity Adrian Green. “Ultimately, we want to build community.”

 

Green helped organize the event, which began with a spoken word performance by Toluwanimi Obiowle, International Youth Poetry Slam Champion. From there, students and teachers alike attended intriguing workshops, such as the “What if Walter White was Black” and “Humans of New York.”

 

In student-led workshops like “What if Walter White was Black” participants analyzed the popular series “Breaking Bad” through a racial lens. Others discussed stereotypes in “Humans of New York,” when leader SunHee Seo, a sophomore, asked participants to describe people in photos from the popular blog.

 

“I think a lot of people assume that having stereotypes is something that’s really bad,” says Seo. “I think it’s bad if you use it in the wrong way, but I think people believe they have to suspend all judgment or else they’re a bad person. With ‘Humans of New York’ I wanted to establish that you don’t need to feel guilty for making judgments. It’s not bad. It’s human. It’s the beginning of a conversation.”

 

The workshops sought to promote self-reflection and dialogue, as well as to expose students to new cultural elements while establishing relationships. According to Green, all of that was accomplished.

 

“I think it was a powerful experience for students and faculty to see one another in different contexts,” says Green. “I feel like we’re a little bit closer as a community.”