On January 17, our students had the opportunity to engage with social justice concepts in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This annual event transcended conventional learning boundaries, offering an immersive experience through dynamic workshops, thought-provoking film presentations, and impactful group conversations.
Middle schoolers learned about Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and Claudette Colvin as they explored untold stories of the civil rights movement. For 9th and 10th graders, the day’s theme was “Cite Black Women” and included a screening of the Smithsonian Channel film Reclaiming History: Our Native Daughters — a documentary that chronicles four Black musicians recording an album and discussing their histories as well as that of American folk music. 11th and 12th graders watched the film By Blood as part of their focus on Native-Black solidarity, interrogating such concepts as reparations, slavery, and invisibility vs. hyper-visibility within these intrinsically-linked communities. Each group was also treated to a keynote from Tanaya Winder, a poet and educator, who spoke of the intersection between art and activism.
As our community reflected on the MLK Forum in the days that followed, it became clear that it is not merely an annual event but a catalyst for change, inspiring a community-wide commitment to social justice, equality, and active participation in shaping a more just and inclusive world. Thank you to our DEIJ Committee for planning and hosting such an expansive and informative forum and to our entire school community for their thoughtful engagement with these subjects.