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Action Plan Update, March 2021

Dear Bryn Mawr Community,

With the release of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan this past December, we outlined our action steps to build a more inclusive community and to confront and counter any racism or bias in our school. The objective of our plan is to make meaningful and lasting change, and the urgency of this work to support every member of our community is clear. At this time, we want to share an update on our efforts to keep our entire community engaged and informed of the ongoing and collective work it will take to move Bryn Mawr forward.

We want to thank the students, parents, faculty, staff, administration, alumnae and trustees who have been working collaboratively and consistently to weave equity, justice and belonging into all facets of the Bryn Mawr experience, including curricular changes, new systems for reporting bias incidents, DEI training and conversations across the community—this is the foundational infrastructure that will support long term change at Bryn Mawr.

I invite you to read more about our recent diversity, equity and inclusion action steps by clicking on the document below. It is also posted on the Diversity and Inclusion page of the Bryn Mawr website.

In January, we sent out a community-wide anonymous survey through the Glasgow Group to gather candid feedback around the climate and culture of the school with a diversity, equity and inclusion lens. We are grateful to the 750+ members of our community who participated. The data was returned to us just last week and we plan to share themes and findings with you this spring. Focus groups and small group discussions will also be planned over the next few months to help us address and act on specific areas for improvement.

Our collective engagement is essential to supporting this work and you are invited to take part in the following events:

LGBTQ+ Community at Bryn Mawr: Virtual Meet & Greet! Get to know other LGBTQ+ students, parents, caregivers, faculty and staff, and alumnae/alumnx, and learn more about related programs and initiatives. Wednesday, March 31 at 7:00 p.m. RSVP here for the Zoom link.
Parents and caregivers, join us for the next virtual Parent Committee for D&I Conversation Series, “Beyond the Performative as an Ally: A Discussion on Education and Advocacy for White Parents" on April 14, 2021, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. RSVP here.
The Parents' Association Diversity and Inclusion Committee and the Alumnae Association are co-hosting a book discussion of Isabel Wilkerson's Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents on April 27 and May 12 at 6:30 p.m. Register for the two part discussion here.
Black Alumnae and LGBTQ+ Alumnae/i Affinity Groups will gather virtually as part of Alumnae Weekend on Saturday, May 1. Register on the Alumnae Weekend page.

We want to acknowledge the many members of our community who have shared their voices in faculty and staff meetings, affinity spaces, parent gatherings and individual discussions in the past weeks, particularly surrounding the mid-year resignation of Adrienne Knight, an African American Middle School teacher. As we expressed in a communication this week to employees and families, Ms. Knight’s departure is being felt deeply across our community and as a school, we are committed to learning from this experience.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the core of our mission and purpose at Bryn Mawr. As we move forward with the Action Plan, we will share quarterly updates in the first year of implementation and post progress reports on our website. We are steadfastly committed to a just and equitable Bryn Mawr and thank you for your partnership and support.

Sincerely,

Diane Nichols
Senior Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusive Practice

Sue Sadler
Head of School

Monica Tucker P'16, ‘19
Chair, Board of Trustees

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