Leading the Way in Diversity Education: Rebecca York '08

Rebecca York '08: Selected as peer facilitator for the National Association of Independent Schools Student Diversity Leadership Conference. Each year the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) hosts the People of Color Conference (POCC) and Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC).  This year, faculty and staff attending the joint event ran into Lowell alum Rebecca York ’08 in National Harbor, MD. Rebecca had been selected to attend as a peer facilitator.

The Student Diversity Leadership Conference brings together high school student leaders interested in developing an appreciation for their own identities, building cross-cultural communication skills, and helping their respective schools forward their missions of inclusivity.

As a peer facilitator, it was Rebecca’s job to help fellow students navigate and understand the Core Cultural Identifiers (CCI) in a way that they could share with students at their own schools. She said she “enjoyed the challenge” of this important work.

Her goals for the future? “When I move on to college and the ‘real world,’ I want to pursue a career in education and explore the intersection between activism and visual art—specifically focusing on how art can be used to stimulate conversation about CCI among teenagers.”