RIISE discussed the impact of this years PoCC with Eula Manning Administrative Assistant to Asst Head of LS at Riverdale Country School and the beginnings of SDLC with National Co-Chair Liz Fernandez.

Eula Manning attended NAIS-PoCC-People of Color Conference for the first time and shared with us her experience….thanks Ms. Manning!
RIISE: How did you feel when you were invited to go?
Ms. Manning: Excited, surprised, honored. As an administrative assistant, to go in that role to see and absorb everything was amazing.
RIISE:What was your first impression of the Conference?
Ms. Manning: Overwhelmed, so many people all there for one united presence to hear and share. Phoebe Eng, a keynote speaker, gave the perspective of youn Asian Americans coming to this country, and how they have to adjust and adapt, saw similarities.
RIISE: What was your favorite workshop?
Ms. Manning: Dr. Steven Jones was really awesome. There were so many great workshops, Dwight Vidale-RCS teacher, WINGS founder, helped me to decide where to go, he said “You’re gonna love him” It was already crowded, had to sit in the back. The whole time was an awakening, a conscious awakening of things I should have known as an African American woman raising two children not at independent schools where racial or class issues are not that apparent. Dr. Jones gave the analogy of when you are part of majority…right handed you go through world not considering left hand(metro card swipe, tie shoe, manual can opener, door knob)….took race away and just looked at majority vs minority. His workshop does not focus directly on race and class but minority and majority.
RIISE: After attending the conference, do you see your role as a faculty member any differently?
Ms. Manning: Yes, saw Dominic Randolph-Head of School and Dwight after WINGS workshop. They asked what I thought. I had more questions than answers. What do you want to do with information? Not one to have a lot of questions with out answers. Is it bigger than us or feasible? How do you change an institution or things have been in place of years? Fan of not wasting my or others time. If can happen lets work it out and get plan in place. Not looking at job differently.
RIISE: What did you think of the students from SDLC?
Ms. Manning: Class and status was brought up by students with some students feeling like they had to make conscious decisions about participating in extra-curricular activities and the schools needed to provide more lead time so that families can plan/budget.
RIISE: Any final thoughts?
Ms. Manning: Became more conscious..more objective less personal. Remove idea of color…more comfortable when you consider it is a reality, so now what? What steps can we take to make it an even playing field?

Liz Fernandez was one her way to San Diego to support SDLC responded to our question about the beginnings of SDLC – Student Diversity Leadership Conference co-located at PoCC Read the rest of this entry »