Diversity Update
June 24, 2020
To our Mount community:
It has been nearly two weeks since our last correspondence to you. As promised, we are committed to provide you with detailed, frequent and transparent communication regarding our efforts to vastly improve our school environment for the Black young women entrusted to our care.
On the evening of June 18, we had an intimate, in-person listening session here at the Mount for our alumnae of color. We met with 25 Black alumnae who gave more than two hours of their time to attend, along with some alumnae parents, current students of color and allies. Many courageously shared personal, raw stories of racism experienced during their time at the Mount.
It was an extremely distressing night that we will never forget. But it was also extremely necessary.
Consistently, we heard Black alumnae tell us that while they received a great education at the Mount, they did not have a great experience. We shared our belief that these two outcomes are mutually exclusive in a school that exists to nurture the mind, body and spirit of young women. That is, if our Black alumnae did not have a great experience – it is impossible that they received a great education. For this failure, we have deep regret. For the hurt and pain this caused our alumnae of color, we offer our most profound apologies.
Sorry, while a critical word we want to keep saying, is still merely one word. Our contrition must show in actions that will give life to a time of true transformation at the Mount. This transformation is how we believe we can honor those alumnae who have bravely stepped up to recant the past and illuminate the way forward.
We know we must move ahead intentionally, and we expect to be held accountable every step of the way, measuring and monitoring our progress. To that end, we intend to share two plans with you in the near future – one with intentional improvements for immediate implementation in the upcoming 2020-21 school year, and one with multi-year, long-term metrics. Our plan for immediate implementation will focus resolutely on improving the current climate for our students of color and will ensure policy/procedural changes,
mentorship/support for Black students and training for faculty, staff, administration and students. Our long-range plan will focus on intentional changes to curriculum, clubs/activities, enrollment marketing/outreach, programming, staffing and transportation/access.
Please note that we still have two remaining intimate listening sessions scheduled that will inform our plans. These sessions will be virtual and held on June 29 and July 1 from 7 pm to 8:15 pm. These sessions are for alumnae of color and their allies who have not yet spoken in the June 18 in-person listening session or the MSJA Alumnae Association-sponsored virtual Social Justice Meetup on June 23. If you have not yet had an opportunity to share your thoughts and voice, we welcome your participation as a PANELIST. If you have already spoken in a session, we would ask that you register for these sessions as a PARTICIPANT. We have capped our panelists at 30 people per session so that we give as many alumnae as possible a meaningful opportunity to have the floor and candidly share their thoughts. You may sign-up as a PANELIST or PARTICIPANT here.
We intend to communicate our immediate next steps in mid-July upon completion of these sessions and an opportunity to thoroughly synthesize the insights and ideas expressed therein. As always, we welcome additional feedback and thoughts from our Mount community at diversity@msjacad.org.
Black author and activist James Baldwin reminded us that "not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." You have our commitment that we are facing this head on, and you have our gratitude for your encouragement and support as we change.
In unity and reconciliation,
Sister Mary Dacey
Sister Charlene Diorka