EDITORIAL

SDLC San Antonio 2022

On Wednesday, November 29th, six Upper School students and faculty members from all divisions traveled to San Antonio, Texas, to participate in the 29th Student Diversity Leadership Conference. These six students included me, Sophie Gandsas, Zavi Richardson, Aara Sampath, Sabina Sitwat, and senior Arrey Wilson; chaperones Dr. Spector-Marks and Ms. Dimaio, who also participated in the portion of the conference dedicated to the educators and adults, accompanied the group, as well. This year’s four-day conference boasted an impressive lineup of keynote speakers and guests, which included activist Amanda Nguyen and journalist Mariana Atencio. Arriving in San Antonio Wednesday evening, the Bryn Mawr attendees seized the night to experience the beautiful San Antonio Riverwalk, which meanders through downtown San Antonio, serving as an alternative to the street-level sidewalks. Thursday marked the first official day of the conference with an extensive and robust schedule. The day opened with an Opening Ceremony, a local Mariachi band, and guest speaker Amanda Nguyen, who delivered an inspiring speech through storytelling, which detailed her experiences as an Asian American woman fighting for change surrounding sexual assault survivors and her current endeavors. Seeing my identity as an Asian American reflected on the stage reminded me how I excited was about the days ahead and why the Conference meant so much to me. The energy was palpable inside the packed conference room, with every other student enthusiastic about the weekend and Conference.

In the afternoon and evening, students discussed and engaged through Family Group and affinity spaces, ending the day with a reflection with regionally based meetings. Family Groups, consisted of around twenty students and provided students with a smaller space for dialogue, sharing, and learning. In my Family Group, I dove deeper into understanding and identifying social economic indicators, while also connecting with other independent school students from all across the nation through fishbowl discussions, activities, and group work. My favorite activity, the Gallery Walk, helped me better understand different topics; in the Gallery Walk, my group and I wrote down ideas about a specific topic and then walked around the room to learn from peers from different groups. Listening to and engaging with other students to discuss topics, such as ability, allowed me to further my understanding in a conversation-based learning space I really enjoyed and appreciated. 

Friday followed a similar schedule, with Family Group and affinity meetings throughout the day. However, after dinner on Friday, the student attendees walked over to the Lila Cockrell Theater to enjoy the student Talent Show, which included an impressive cello performance, written word performances, choreographed performances, and even a mime group! The support of the performing students echoed through the Theater after each performance, evident through the standing ovations, phones raised with their flashlights on, and enthusiastic audience participation. Friendships were already beginning to form, with several students sitting with peers they had just met. While I sat with a friend from Massachusetts I met in my Family Group, Sophie sat a couple of rows ahead with friends she met from her own Family Group, receiving a front-row view of the stage and performances. When asked about her SDLC experience, and specifically her experience in the Latinx Affinity Group, Sophie said that “It was such a unique experience being able to bond and talk to people that knew exactly what it was like to go to an independent school and have to prove your worth as a Hispanic student. We danced, played music and had a lot of fun partying, but we also had meaningful conversations about topics that only we could understand.”  

On Saturday, journalist Mariana Atencio closed the conference with an energetic and memorable speech about her experience as a Latina in the media industry and her career journey. She detailed her After the Closing Ceremony, all Bryn Mawr attendees headed to Acenar, a local Mexican restaurant, to enjoy a delicious meal complete with a guacamole-making presentation. At the airport, students said goodbye to their new friends before boarding their flights back home, and on the bus ride back to Bryn Mawr, the Bryn Mawr attendees laughed and reminisced upon their experiences, already missing the weekend but excited to share their knowledge with the Bryn Mawr community.