When we joined the school community, nearly everyone (students and faculty) was proudly wearing burgundy Burke t-shirts branded with "1968" on the front. 1968 was the year that Burke was founded – a year of tremendous sociopolitical demonstrations against the status quo, globally. "1968" symbolized a set of values that the school and I had in common.

I joined the committee during our second year at Burke. I was really curious about how Burke brought alive the principles of equity and inclusivity into community practice. I had visited a lot of schools that were not doing that so well, in my opinion. 

I joined the E&I committee because equity and inclusion work is hard. Creating and sustaining practices that uphold community values is hard and goes way beyond posting a slogan or symbol.  Everyone in some way contributes to Burke's culture. Serving on the committee is one way that I like to contribute. 

 

I am most thankful for is that Burke has dedicated, highly qualified staff to carry out Equity, Inclusion, and Civic Engagement initiatives – shout out to Sharielle, Jadéa and Kamilah! I value their depth of knowledge and the emotional labor they expend daily.  I enjoy being in the company of all the committee members. It is an inspiring group of folks.

 

People can join committees. The E&I Committee is open to non-Board members, such as myself. If you are interested, you can drop by a meeting to get a taste of the commitment before joining. Committees want to hear from a broad representation of the school community. We would love to see more male-identifying participants, for example. If you have ideas or priorities that you would like for the committee to consider, just contact the committee chair (Monique W. P'21).

What's your average time commitment per month as a committee member?

There’s no more than 3 hours per month on average, most months there is less. It is not a huge lift.

 

We are currently planning for a book club, possibly a movie night, civic engagement activity, and a few other events for the community to get involved in. Please support one of the upcoming events!