trevordayschool

various groups and activities around topics of diversity— including workshops, assemblies, film series, professional development, and participation in the NAIS People of Color Conference, and other emerging conferences and affiliations. is group also made recommendations for Trevor's future, including a specific strategic plan for diversity. With a broad commitment from parents, faculty, and staff to the core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, the work continued to evolve over the course of the next decade and a half, including strategic visioning for the community, professional development for faculty and staff, boots-on-the- ground curriculum expansion, and support of students' visions and efforts toward a more inclusive community. roughout much of the school's modern history, MIOW (Multiple Identities, One World) has been a stalwart student diversity leadership club serving the Middle and Upper Schools. In existence for over 25 years, MIOW's many responsibilities and accomplishments include, most notably, the annual MIOW Awareness Day. Once a year in the spring, a day is planned for student- and faculty-led workshops that tackle social justice, diversity, and equity. Some of the themes covered over the years have been race, socioeconomic status, homophobia, ableism/disabilities, and activism. Around the same time that MIOW came into existence, and early in the life of Trevor's newly formed high school, it was determined that training for staff and students was essential to combat homophobia and help make the school safer and more inclusive for LGBTQ students and staff. e Hetrick-Martin Institute was chosen to share anti- homophobia workshops with students. Further, Kevin Jennings, the founder of GLSEN, facilitated training with faculty and staff. Work toward this evolving goal has continued to be at the forefront of Trevor's diversity initiatives ever since, including further professional development, workshops on topics such as microaggressions and resistance styles, and the invitation of powerful community speakers, such as Nicole Maines (see page 23). e first iteration of affinity groups at Trevor was Shades of Brown (SOB), a group started by students of color in the 90s. e group was a grassroots undertaking—not officially sanctioned by the administration—where students came together to discuss their lived experiences at school. With student leaders graduating, and without a guiding and sustaining faculty-based diversity team, the group phased out over time. It was, however, a powerful touchstone for many young adults at a time when the school was experiencing changes, most dramatically through the addition of a high school division. In response to student advocates and with strong faculty and staff support, SOCA (Students of Color Affinity) was formed shortly after MIOW Awareness Day in 2016. As an affinity group of people who have a shared identity, interest, or purpose, SOCA aims to create a safe and open space where Trevor students of color can explore ideas about their identity, share resources, and mentor each other, even as they empower each other—thus, facilitating critical reflection, fostering informed action, and promoting social justice. SOCA chooses to define "of color" as an umbrella term for people who identify with one or more historically-marginalized racial-ethnic groups. With the guidance and support of the current diversity team, SOCA is embarking on what will surely be a long, committed history. Junior Liana W. describes the power of the group. "Being in SOCA has not only been a safe space for me to share stories and struggles, but in it, I have 2 6 T R E V O R D AY S C H O O L ■ S P R I N G 2 0 1 7 – 2 0 1 8 Being in SOCA (Students of Color Affinity)… is such an important part of my life… because it has become a place of refuge, learning, and discussion. —Liana W. '19

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