The April 23 Upper School Diversity Conference for students and teachers celebrated the diversity in our community – scholastic, civic, and global. Students determine the structure and thematic focuses of the event each year.

This year's Diversity Conference began with an assembly with performances by Catlin Gabel students and teachers. The Jefferson Dancers performed after morning workshops, and the Maru-a-Pula Marimba Band followed the afternoon workshops. (The marimba performance is open to everyone.)

Students and teachers worked together to design and lead the workshops.

Morning Workshops

Critiques of Notions of Diversity / Multiculturalism
Offering critiques of the notions of diversity and the multicultural model

Homeless Youth & Education
Learning about issues affecting homeless youth

Masculinity / Re-defining the 21st Century Man
MALE PARTICIPANTS ONLY Two opinionated guests lead discussion of American masculinity

Israel and Syria (The Syrian Bride - film)
The interaction of Israeli and Syrian cultures

Living with Blindness
Hands-on experience of living with blindness

Fashion Influences Across Cultures
Who influences whom in the world of fashion?

Vietnamese Cooking
Learn to cook Vietnamese cuisine

Un Dia Sin Mexicanos (A Day Without Mexicans - film)
Would America work without Mexicans? Watch the film…

Race, Drugs, and Prison Sentences (Snitch - film)
Film discussion on race, drugs, and prison sentences

The Genetics of Race (film)
Film discussion on the genetics of race

Dance with the Jefferson Dancers
Learn about dance with Jeff Dancers -- no experience needed

Diversity in France (The Class - film) 
How is France handling culture clash? Watch the film…

Surgery on a Shoe String
Medical adventures in sub-Saharan Africa

Minstrels to Gangstas – Race and American Popular Music
How does pop music create / reinforce racial stereotypes?

Mercy Corps – Global Conflict Resolution
Mercy Corps guest leads discussion of global conflict resolution

Southern African Cultures
An exploration of Southern African Cultures

Factory Farming & Monoculture
The problems inherent to large-scale monocultural farming

Global Cooking
Learn to cook dishes from around the globe

Afternoon Workshops

Access to / Progress of Technology Worldwide
Who has access to technology? Who uses what you throw out?

Child Labor & Human Trafficking
Study of human trafficking and child labor in today's world

Immigration in Context
Discussion of the contemporary immigrant experience

Hispanic Heritage
An exploration of Spanish-speaking cultures & cooking

Middle Eastern Cuisine
Learn to cook healthy food from the Mediterranean & Mesopotamia

The Modern Woman / Contemporary Femininity
FEMALE PARTICIPANTS ONLY What does it mean to be a woman in contemporary America?

Muslim Culture, in America and Abroad
A look at Muslim communities across the globe, perception vs. reality

The Sexes – How We See Each Other
An exploration of sex / gender relations at CGS

Contemporary Religious Practice
Panel discussion of contemporary religious identities at CGS

Use of Sexuality in the Media – Lady Gaga, Adam Lambert
SAFE-led exploration of sex / gender in the media

The Journey Towards a Multicultural Identity
Exploring biracial / multiracial identity

Political Diversity – Conservatives / Moderates at CGS?
Moderate and conservative political points of view, discussion

Bollywood and Bollywood Dance
Learn about Bollywood and Bollywood-style dance

Comparative Fairy Tales / Mythology
Learn about universal motifs in folklore from different cultures

Cognitive Diversity
Learn about learning styles and discover your own!