Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

MARGARET CHADWICK, 1963

A strong feeling of belonging to each other and of belonging to the whole family of man develops, and once a child has grasped the concept of ‘we’ as meaning ‘old and young, rich and poor, of every color and all nations,’ he has found himself at home in the world.

A Message from Dr. John Aden – Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Chadwick, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are at the core of who we believe we are and continually strive to be. Our Mission "to develop global citizens with keen minds, exemplary character, self-knowledge and the ability to lead” cannot be realized without investing the time to get to know the rich diversity of cultures and communities in our midst. Moving beyond general statements of appreciation for cultural differences to actually relating to one another through our Core Values of respect, responsibility, honesty, fairness and compassion requires humility, commitment and skill.

As a community, we are committed to developing our skillfulness in this area just as we do in so many other areas that are part of the journey of learning, growth and achievement at Chadwick School. Our school’s founder, Margaret Chadwick, expressed her vision that Chadwick School would be a “Dipperful of Humanity.” She understood that if the cultural richness found in the world were increasingly reflected in this community, everything that the school is trying to accomplish missionally would be deepened and catalyzed.

Our K-12 curriculum continually invites students into deeper ways of knowing, being and understanding as they progress through each grade level and across every surface of school life. We take seriously our responsibility not only to create a diverse community but also to remain attentive to the degree to which every member of our community is being valued, celebrated and invited to make a lasting imprint on who we are. The adults in this community — faculty, staff, administrators, trustees and parents — are also aware of our role in modeling the behaviors and beliefs that we are teaching and expecting of our students.

It has been said that Diversity invites everyone to the party; Inclusion adds everyone’s songs to the playlist (and then makes sure that those songs are actually played); and Equity affords all of us the opportunity to dance. This vibrant, joyful, inclusive, connected community is in constant pursuit of recognizing and embracing the challenges that come with that pursuit. Forward!

Our Commitment to a More Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Future

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are deeply ingrained in the ethos of Margaret Chadwick, our founder, who believed in a school community that reflects a “dipperful of humanity” in which “the winds that blow so vigorously across our beautiful acres will one day sweep away all prejudices.” We continue to aspire for this idealized vision while recognizing the essential work to be done and actions still to be taken to create a more equitable and inclusive Chadwick for our entire community. During this long-awaited moment in our nation when we are confronting injustice and racism with a heightened urgency and renewed commitment to equity for all, Chadwick’s participation in this movement is paramount and DEI will be a central lens in all that we do.

This commitment to DEI is a collaboration and a partnership among our administration, faculty, staff, students, parents, the board, and alumni. Equity work must be prioritized and personal to all of us. As we confront our opportunities for growth and aspire to progress further, we all must participate in blowing those winds of change across our campus toward a more equitable community.

Chadwick School Diversity Statement

Our founder Margaret Chadwick's insight into the makeup of an ideal learning experience was far ahead of its time and is chronicled in her book A Dipperful of Humanity — The Chadwick Adventure in Education. Chadwick School sustains and seeks to expand Mrs. Chadwick’s remarkable vision by developing and enhancing in our students the knowledge, skills and empathic orientation required to understand multiple perspectives and to thrive and lead in an increasingly interconnected world.

To Further Chadwick's Core Values

Chadwick School has a clear imperative to honor its core values of honesty, respect, responsibility, compassion and fairness by providing an atmosphere that embraces diversity and models inclusiveness. We do this in a way that acknowledges race, gender, economic background, sexual orientation, ethnicity, ability, family structure, national origin and religious belief, both in lived experience and curricular material.

To Provide an Exceptional Educational Experience

Chadwick is committed to providing the highest quality education, an endeavor that requires a diverse and inclusive environment. Our culture of active inquiry and open discussion promotes students’ ability to discern both shared and divergent values and sensibilities, while always using the Core Values as a compass to understand local and global perspectives. Chadwick students will learn to engage and communicate across differences, to challenge stereotypes and to find, understand and respect commonalities among individuals of all backgrounds.

To Prepare Our Students for a Closely Connected World

Chadwick students will be led on a journey of self-discovery. The lived experience of Chadwick students, both inside and outside the classroom, prepares them to engage and thrive as leaders by example in the world. Through our learning environment and in all of our programs, students experience the important dynamic between individuality and social responsibility.

Chadwick's Anti-Discrimination Statement

Chadwick School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or national or ethnic origin or ancestry in the administration of its educational policies, employment policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletics and other after-school programs.

Affinity Groups

What is an affinity group?

An Affinity Group is a group of people who share a similar identity. Although members of the group may have a common identity, it does not mean that everyone in the group has had the same experiences. Rather, the group is a place for reflection, dialogue and support, and it ultimately strengthens ties within the community. Facilitating positive identity exploration is central to creating an inclusive and thriving community.

Following are examples of affinity groups that Upper School students have established at Chadwick School in the past and present.

Ability Affinity Group
Asian American Affinity Group
Black Girl Magic
Black Student Union
Buddhist Affinity Group
Christian Affinity Group
First-Generation American Affinity Group
Jewish Affinity Group
Latinos Unidos
LGBTQ+ Affinity Group
Middle Eastern Affinity Group
Multiracial Affinity Group
Muslim Student Association

Everyday Examples

An affinity group brings together people who have something important in common — perhaps ability, age, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or another trait. Other everyday examples of affinity groups include:

An academic department meeting
A religious congregation
A neighborhood association
A sports league by gender
A family group comprised of LGBTQ+ parents

Why do schools offer affinity groups?

To acknowledge and bridge the cultural gap between multiple worlds that students navigate
To give students the chance to be in a majority setting
To focus on who is in the room (not who isn’t in the room)
To give students the opportunity to talk about their identity for their own needs, rather than the needs of the community
To create leadership opportunities for students

Video Gallery

Social Justice Day 2021

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DEI Highlights

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Jubilee Singers Virtual Choir - "Freedom - Where Are You 2020"

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Social Justice Day

Chadwick's Social Justice Day is held annually in March. This year's theme was “Where There is Love, There is Justice.” Throughout the day, Chadwick's community engaged in meaningful and hands-on learning — a testament to our commitment to social justice and our Core Values of honesty, fairness, responsibility, respect and compassion. Highlights of the day, included an inspirational speech from Alexander “B. Honest” James, an award-winning poet and author, and performances by our grades 6-8 dancers and the Village School chorus. Village students participated in workshops with renowned mixed media artist Narsiso Martinez, poet Luivette Resto, author Oliver Simms, and Alexander “B. Honest” James. Our youngest K-6 students also watched a musical performance from the Terminal Island Historic Preservation Initiative, who played the Taiko drums. Middle and Upper School students attended workshops led by guest speakers and fellow classmates. A few of the workshops included: “The Structure of Belonging: How are We Going to Be When We Gather Together?,” “Remembering Resilience: Stories and Legacy of Japanese American Incarceration Camps” and “Black Maternal Mortality and its Connection To Reproductive Justice.”

Multicultural Food Festival

Chadwick's Multicultural Food Festival is celebrated every spring. This vibrant event was ideated and organized by our students, and gives attendees an opportunity to experience food and cultures from diverse regions and backgrounds at various booths. Festive decorations and delicious dishes from Filipino, Black, Korean, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Danish (and more) cultures give the Chadwick community a true taste of diversity.

Bus Stop Meet-and-Greets

During the fall, Head of School Jessica Donovan, Assistant Head of School Elizabeth Imende-Cooney, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Dr. John Aden and Chadwick Parents Association President Nazly Westernoff hosted Bus Stop Meet-and-Greets at some of Chadwick's morning stops. It was delightful to see our students, parents and staff connect over coffee and donuts throughout our community's neighborhoods.