Carrie Yang ‘27
Dec 13, 2024
On December 4, a group of students and faculty from Mercersburg Academy attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) and People of Color Conference (POCC) in Denver, Colorado. Jamar Galbreath ‘05 of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion organized and led the trip, accompanied by Yonatan Weldeberuk, first-year teaching fellow in the history department, and Katie Shank, manager of donor relations at Mercersburg Academy. The workshops and activities provided Mercersburg’s participants with a transformative experience focused on diversity, identity, and belonging.
Galbreath outlined the conference’s main purpose: “SDLC brings students from independent schools from all over the country, all over the world to come together to talk about issues like identity, social justice, belonging, and inclusion. The goal is to take an awesome group of students out to do some great learning and have a good experience.”
Weldeberuk agreed, stating, “This conference is to give the students the best experience possible, to make sure it’s safe, and that they are connecting with people who have the same stories as them, people that might see things differently; where they can learn from each other.”
A diverse group of students represented Mercersburg at the conference, including Talaina Jarrett ‘25, Ava Jones ‘25, Jessica Dang ‘26, Ellie Yang ‘27, Jazlyn Garnett ‘27, and Shubhlean Kaur ‘27. Jarrett, who attended the conference for the second time, said, “Last year, I was just absorbing the experience. This year, I wanted to dive deeper and find a greater appreciation for the activities we were learning about.” One of the highlights for Jarrett was an activity that involved designing an ideal school. “We talked about issues of justice and fairness. It made me realize that some issues at Mercersburg are not being handled in the best way, and I want to return and help address them.”
The conference’s Black Affinity Space was a standout experience for several Mercersburg attendees. Jones, a leader of the Black Student Union (BSU), said, “Being in such a diverse environment and surrounded by people who have similar experiences to me was really powerful. The Black Affinity Space allowed me to feel truly at home. We shared our experiences of being African American in America, danced, and just connected with each other in a way I can’t do at school.”
Jarrett shared the sentiment, saying, “I feel like the BSU community at Mercersburg is inclusive but not the same as being at SDLC. Being a part of a minority sometimes means we have to uphold a certain image, but here there's no judgment. There’s freedom to act the way we want, talk, dance, and sing the way we want.”
Similarly, Dang and Kaur were equally moved by the conference and reflected on their connections to identity and inclusion. “I’m a part of the Gender and Sexuality Union (GSU), and the Asian Student Union (ASU) at school, and I wanted to learn more about diversity and how I can bring that knowledge back to Mercersburg,” Dang said. “One of the most meaningful activities was the silent movement, which taught me the power of silence in understanding and reflecting on others’ experiences.” Kaur added, “Mercersburg doesn’t have many South Asian students, so being around that community at SDLC was a really overwhelming but positive experience. I’m excited to bring what I’ve learned back to school and make our community even more inclusive.”
Ellie Yang ‘27 emphasized her exploration of the word “sonder” - the realization that everyone has unique depths in their lives. “I think my goal now is to know people at those depths,” she said.
SDLC also offered other benefits. Jones said, “I wanted to meet people from all over and I wanted to network because I am a senior and it’s always good to know people in different states and places.” Yang added, “I connected with people from boarding schools all over the country, and now we all feel like family.”
Faculty members also found the conference to be valuable. “The POCC experience was eye-opening for me,” Shank said. “It highlighted how students can support each other and how faculty can better mentor them. One of the key takeaways for me was the importance of encouraging students to be their authentic selves, even if that feels uncomfortable at times.” Weldeberuk concluded, “Making changes in the independent school industry is a long road, but there are great people who are working every day to make that change happen. From DEI directors to faculty, heads of schools, students, and financial officers. Everyone is trying to make a change but it takes time. Every little step matters, the little things help amplify bigger steps.”