The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Alumni Advisory Council, comprised of volunteer alumni working in conjunction with school administrators from the Office of DEI, hosted its inaugural meeting March 8.

The meeting consisted of 26 alumni members and was moderated by President Rick Commons.

DEI Alumni Advisory Council member Jonah Platt ’04 said he is grateful that alumni are taking initiative to make the school more inclusive.

“I was so pleased to see [the school] taking such a thoughtful and humble approach to creating the truly inclusive school and community all of us on the committee want to see,” Platt said. “The school, led by Rick Commons, has clearly been listening to those in the community who have felt excluded and is taking every necessary step, large and small, to create a better [school], brick by brick.”

Platt said it is important that the school is including alumni in its DEI work and that he is glad the school is amplifying their voices in an effort to make the school more inclusive.

“Bringing the alumni in as a partner in this work is absolutely necessary, as we too, like students, staff and parents, are all members of the community,” Platt said. “I’m proud to be on a committee with so many smart and experienced individuals who each have valuable insight to offer from their own school experiences [and their] personal and professional lives. Not only will the committee help ensure that all our fellow alumni feel safe and heard and included in the work [the school] is doing, but it will also provide perspective and wisdom to ensure our main focus, the students, have the best experience possible.”

DEI Alumni Advisory Council member Terry O’Neal ’07 said he is excited about the committee and hopes it will help the community become more inclusive.

“The understanding and actually knowing that [the school] as an institution and as a community is being very intentional in the journey to showcase that diversity is indeed a catalyst and a vehicle for excellence and not an antonym for it,” O’Neal said. “At the end of the day, when it’s all said and done, we want everyone to leave [the school] with a positive experience and feeling as if they were a part of something special and a place where their voice was not only heard but included.”