The 2019 Mid-Atlantic Region Diversity Conference, designed for Upper School students who are interested in exploring issues of identity (sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, age, ability, socio-economic status, gender and religion), was held on October 26th at Abington Friends School. Thirteen students from Moravian Academy attended the event, including Logan Maniscalco '20. Below is her reflection on the experience:
This weekend I attended my fourth and final year of the Mid Atlantic Regional Diversity Conference (MARD). The nerves and anxiety I felt that morning were overwhelming. After all, this was my last chance to be a part of this really fantastic experience! My first year, I was scared and had no idea what to expect. But being in a space with hundreds of other students participating in bonding activities and powerful discussions opened my eyes to the world of activism. Since that first conference, every year I’ve learned more and more about the complexity of inclusion and what I can do to foster and support diverse spaces.
This year, my peers and I enjoyed a speech by the conference’s keynote speaker, Rodney Glasgow. He discussed the progression but also the stagnation of diversity and inclusion in independent schools. I participated in my fourth Silent Movement Activity, a powerful exercise in which I reflected upon my own identity. Discussions and affinity groups filled my afternoon. By the time we were on the bus ride home, the day had flown by. But there was not a single thing to complain about.
The MARD Conference has given me the opportunity to explore my own identity and better understand the people around me. I am eternally grateful for my experience at MARD. That conference is something I will never forget.