Many Cultures, One Bison Summit 2.0: A Message from the Director of Equity & Community Engagement

A Message from Kevin Houchins, Director of Equity & Community Engagement

Supported by the department of Equity & Community Engagement, students from the Many Cultures, One Bison leadership team held the Many Cultures, One Bison Summit 2.0 on March 23 -24. Many Cultures, One Bison was originally started in 2018 by a group of students from Beachwood High School MAC Scholars and Student Council who sought to counter ignorance and bias in school and the community by celebrating and exploring the diversity of the high school student body. The purpose of the summit was to provide students with the opportunity to learn about and engage in meaningful dialogue about the diverse perspectives represented in our school district and the greater community.

Fast forward to the post-pandemic. A new group of students from the Beachwood High School and Beachwood Middle School student councils expressed a desire to explore these topics. With the assistance of Dr. Robert Hardis, Kevin Houchins, Craig Alexander, Aubrei Erkins, Paul Chase, Dr. Octavia Reid, and Dr. Tony Srithai, student leaders began meeting before school on Wednesday mornings in December to listen to speakers, participate in facilitation training, and form various groups in preparation for the restart of the Many Cultures, One Bison programming. 

Brought back for a second time as the keynote speaker was Dr. Terrel Strayhorn, Professor of Higher Education, Illinois State University and CEO of Do Good Work. Dr. Strayhorn kicked off each day with a rousing speech on how to build a community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. The keynote was followed by breakout sessions with presenters addressing important topics to help students and staff understand more about each other. The breakout session was led by a diverse panel of speakers presenting on a variety of topics that help support improving inclusion. 

• Dr. James Knight: How can cultural humility serve as a tool to create more civility and inclusivity? 
• Kelly Fishman: How can Beachwood Schools become a model Anti-Defamation League No-Place for Hate school?
• Micheal Tennant: What are the strategies or practices that develop empathy?
• Neurodiversity Family Network: What experiences help neurodiverse students feel included in the school community? 
• Nancy Liang: What actions can students and school staff take to embrace other cultures on a daily basis in school?
• Shereen Naser: What can students and school staff do to discuss challenging topics and conflicts with civility?

In addition to the breakout sessions, Many Cultures, One Bison student leaders facilitated small-group student discussions that attempted to help students connect with each other across their varied backgrounds. These sessions will be led by students and staff trained on how to facilitate productive group discussions. By developing these student leaders’ ability to lead discussions, the foundation has been laid for these students to hold Many Cultures, One Bison activities to build community and inclusion throughout the coming years.