Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC)

The Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders (grades nine-12) from across the country that focuses on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community. Led by a diverse team of adult and peer facilitators, participants will develop effective cross-cultural communication skills, better understand the nature and development of effective strategies for social justice, practice expression through the arts, and learn networking principles and strategies.

In addition to large group sessions, SDLC further creates a safe, supportive environment by organizing participants into cross-sectional teams of 60, known as "family groups," each of which is facilitated by two adults. Each family group is further divided into small "home groups" where intense dialogue and sharing take place, guided by trained peer facilitators. SDLC participants join People of Color Conference (PoCC) participants at the Thursday opening ceremonies and Saturday closing ceremonies. On Saturday morning, PoCC and SDLC attendees join together in regional groups for a dialogue session designed to explore concepts and themes of equity and justice in our schools, facilitated by students.

SDLC Community Norms

The use of community building norms on ways of behaving and acting while undertaking diversity work is useful. The following norms have been used successfully in schools and at workshops. We encourage you to adopt them as you see fit. Also, these are great ideas for the classroom.

1. Be fully present.
2. Speak from the "I" perspective.
3. Be self-responsible and self-challenging.
4. Listen, listen, listen, and process.
5. Lean into discomfort.
6. Experiment with new behaviors in order to expand your range of response.
7. Take risks, be raggedy, make some mistakes – then let go.
8. Accept conflict and its resolution as a necessary catalyst for learning.
9. Be comfortable with silence.
10. Be crisp; say what's core.
11. Treat the candidness of others as a gift; honor confidentiality.
12. Suspend judgment of yourself and of others.

For more information on the Student Diversity Leadership Conference, visit the SDLC conference page or contact Jay Rapp at rapp@nais.org or (202) 973-9752.