Lab is demonstrating commitment to diversity in two ways this month, with student involvement in the Diversity Advisory Committee and the annual Student Diversity and Leadership Conference.

According to Dean of Students Ana Campos, after a survey was conducted among Lab families nearly a decade ago, the committee was created to talk about diversity issues from perspectives of people from all schools.

Prior to this year, students who attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference, or had otherwise been engaged in diversity, equity and inclusion work in the high school were added to the committee. But this year, Lab Schools Director Charlie Abelmann opened the student positions for any U-High student to apply. Five students were selected from 18 applicants: Veronica Godina, Mayher Kaur, Sammer Marzouk, Stephanie Miller and Saige Porter.

The DAC also includes faculty, staff, administration and parents, and it is facilitated by Dr. Abelmann and Director of All-Schools Programs and Partnerships Nicole Hood. The process to fill faculty and staff positions is underway.

Dr. Hood said that the group is intended to reach across all schools and constituencies to take in as many perspectives as possible.

The DAC is planning to review and be involved in the selection process to fill the vacant diversity and equity coordinator position and will think about procedures, policies, practices, staffing and strategies around diversity issues. Ci3 Design Thinking Lab, a group involved with diversity work at the University of Chicago, will work with the committee to develop a strategic plan for diversity at Lab, and add an outside opinion.

Attending an annual conference hosted by the National Association of Independent Schools also encourages student involvement in diversity issues. Students who attend the conference are expected to bring the information and integrate it into Lab life. Options include running workshops during middle school Diversity Day or high school Social Justice Week, and presenting to faculty.

“This conference showed me what I can improve on as an individual,” attendee David Runesha said. “[I plan to] do a workshop for Social Justice Week, and just improve my daily interactions with other people and making that small difference.”

In addition to David, students Sahar Siddiqui, Emma Trone, Alexis Tyndall, Elizabeth Van Ha and Abraham Zelchenko joined 1,600 total students who attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference, while Mr. Abelmann, Ms. Campos, counselor Aria Choi, nurse Mary Toledo-Treviño and 10 other faculty members from the lower and middle schools attended the People of Color Conference both held Nov. 30-Dec. 2 in Anaheim, California, with a theme of “Voices for Equity and Justice Now and in Every Generation: Lead, Learn, Rededicate, and Deliver.”

“Meeting a lot of people who look like me and who think like me and who I can relate to,” David said about his favorite part about the conference. “I don’t think there’s any other time in my life I’ll be in a room with 600 intellectual black people, who share ideas about diversity, who are activists in their own right. I don’t think I’ll ever have that opportunity ever again.”