Citing the current political climate, two national diversity-related conferences which U-High students and adults have attended for years have been paused for 2025, raising concerns among former student attendees and adults who had planned to attend later this year. The Student Diversity Leadership Conference and People of Color Conference, are annual events held simultaneously by the National Association of Independent Schools.
In a brief statement, the NAIS cited the “rapidly evolving political and legal landscape” as reason for pausing the conference in 2025, though it did not elaborate. Nicole Williams, Lab’s director of diversity, equity and inclusion, initially learned about the pause through an April 3 email from the NAIS.
“More than anything, I think SDLC has been a space where our students experience validation and find a broader community,” Ms. Williams said. “For many independent school students across the country, I think SDLC may have served as a formative experience in their racial/ethnic identity development.”
The SDLC conference features presentations and workshops for hundreds of high school students from across the country to discuss race, identity and social justice. A small cohort of U-High students, who are chosen through an application process, and a larger group of administrators, counselors and other Lab adults attend the conference each year.
Senior Juliana Walker, who attended the conference in 2023, said her experience at SDLC allowed her to connect with a diverse range of students who shared similar experiences, giving her tools to apply what she learned at U-High.
“The conference helped me to realize that my work within my community is valuable, and being able to fill up my community’s own cup before trying to fill up others is another way to create long term change,” Juliana said.
Though SDLC won’t take place in 2025, Ms. Williams said she remains committed to having student-led conversations around diversity, equity and inclusion at U-High.
“U-High, and the larger institution, already support diversity and inclusion efforts in myriad ways, through faculty professional development, as well as student assemblies and programming,” Ms. Williams said. “The DEI Office and U-High administration will be in conversation about what potential future programming can be created to make up for this lost opportunity.”
