In honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., students and faculty across all divisions took to virtual assemblies to honor his work through the themes of activism and empathy.
During the Upper School assembly, Head of School Bob Whelan introduced the event sharing what he believe's Dr. King would encourage students to do in any time of injustice, "He'd encourage young people to think about the plans we create for our own lives, knowing each day we have an opportunity and the responsibility to seek to create the best version of ourselves through the choices we make, the actions we take, in seeking the highest good, to find it through empathy, understanding, listening, and compassion, and make a positive difference in the world. I know you will."
The assembly continued with students sharing their thoughts on activism, a presentation from the Lower School on their conversations surrounding race, a performance by the GFA concert choir, and closing remarks by Director of Equity and Inclusion Shanelle Henry.
"Now more than ever, Dr. King's dream must be seen in our lived and present context. ... Dr. King not only knew the power of activism, he understood the necessity of coalition and allyship — black and white, rich and poor."
To answer Lower School students' questions in a developmentally-appropriate way, Henry held a webinar answering questions like, "What does race mean?", "Why was race invented in the first place?", and "How do I know what race I am?".
Both assemblies are available to view below.
US Assembly
LS Assembly