PlatFORUM Encourages Difficult Conversations

Four hundred high school students took part in a series of workshops at Colorado Academy designed to build community and foster education around issues of inclusivity and differences. The annual event at CA is called PlatFORUM, and it is entirely student-run. The theme of this year’s event was “Trusting Ourselves, Practicing Empathy.”  Says CA Director of Inclusivity Adrian Green, “The purpose of PlatFORUM is to promote self reflection and share experiences of culture and diversity.”
 
PlatFORUM is the product of months of planning by student members of CA's Faces of Diversity, GSA, and Amnesty International clubs, and others. The program has been the topic of a national education workshop on how schools can create meaningful programming that engages and involves students in teaching and sharing with one another about issues of inclusivity and diversity.
 
Working with faculty, students created workshops on topics that included music as a means of social protest, the dearth of African Americans in professional sports, immigration and refugees, being differently abled, and memes as vehicle of discourse. Upper School students began their day hearing from Everest climber and adventurer Brian O’Malley, who encouraged them to conquer the mountains within themselves, to make as many friends as possible along the way, and to do something in service to others. O’Malley is author The Secret of the Mountains.
 
The day concluded with a town hall meeting where students were able to share their opinions and experiences.  Colorado Academy junior and member of the Faces of Diversity Club, Zoriah Carter told the students. “Having different conversations can be hard, especially in a community where everyone knows one another. I know it can be hard, but thank you for participating in this day.”
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