The first Halloween I remember, or perhaps think I remember from a photo of myself and my brother sitting on the front step of our house, I was dressed up as an angel and my brother was a cowboy.  I have always enjoyed Halloween and the fun entailed with trick-or-treat, costume parties, carving jack-o-lanterns, dunking for apples, and consuming a fair share of apple cider and candy.  I still love Halloween and the holiday seems to have only grown in popularity.  According to statista.com, over 70% of Americans celebrate Halloween and candy sales exceed $2.5 billion!

Moravian Academy will participate in the fun as well, with Halloween parades, trunk-or-treat events, classroom parties, and costumes– lots, and lots of costumes.  As a school that values creating a culture of inclusivity and belonging, and one that has a student population that is very diverse, we ask when you select or create costumes that you do so with sensitivity to the members of our community.  Costumes that are great choices include favorite animals or mythical creatures, superheroes, celebrities, or even favorite foods.  Dressing up in a costume that represents a culture that is not one’s own (aka: cultural appropriation), could be offensive, because that culture may have been oppressed in the past.  This insightful article written by a student at Penn State for The Daily Collegian two years ago includes quotes from several student organization leaders who represent The Egyptian Student Association, Mexican Student Association, Black Caucus, and The Indigenous People’s Student Association. It’s all about being respectful of others, being open to multiple perspectives, and embracing empathy.

While I dressed as an angel when I was two years old, I am pretty sure that there were times I dressed in costumes that I would never choose today.  I grew up in a very white homogenous community and was ignorant of how a choice to dress in a sombrero or as Pocahontas could be offensive to others.  I am grateful that I have since had experiences living in different parts of the world, learned about the history of cultures who have been historically oppressed, and embraced an approach of cultural humility.  While I still have much to learn, I am committed as a leader of Moravian Academy to foster an environment of love, inclusion, and belonging. 

If you have a question about whether a costume is appropriate, please reach out to me, Dr. Armistead Webster, or one of our campus directors.  Below are links to several articles that may be helpful as well.

• A Parent’s Guide to Avoiding Offensive Halloween Costumes
• Better Homes and Gardens article on sensitivity in selecting Halloween costumes

Happy Halloween!