Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
I have learned a lot at UPrep about equity and diversity, like when we enter an activity during Community Time and introduce ourselves with our pronouns. It's helped me gain connection with people who are facing struggles and made me aware of the impact I can have on people's lives." –Aida R., Upper School student
We support our mission by creating experiences for our students to come face-to-face with the issues playing out in society and allowing them the room to grow in their own identity development. From our annual Social Justice Day to classroom assignments, equity, justice, and inclusion are embedded in all that we do.
Through collaboration with grade-level deans and the assistant directors of middle and upper school, we are working to not just react to the needs that arise for our students, but to proactively teach diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) skills to help reduce harm. Our scaffolded DEIB curriculum engages students in exploring their identities, bias, justice, and intersectionality. Each month, students work with their advisory groups on one of these themes.
The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Office, centrally located within the school, provides a safe space for our students and faculty to have discussions, embrace and confront challenging issues, and hold club and affinity group meetings.
Meet the Team
Taylor Kanemori, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
tkanemori@universityprep.org
Flor Hernandez Morales, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Program Manager
fhernandezmorales@universityprep.org
UPrep Culture Night 2022:
Our family is grateful that conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion are happening in the UPrep community—not just for students but for families as well." –Michele Miyoshi, UPrep Parent
Upcoming Events
Below are a few of the community events that we have planned for the 2022–2023 academic year. For more information, please reach out to Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Taylor Kanemori at tkanemori@universityprep.org.
September 23: POC/LGBTQIA+ Faculty/Staff Retreat
October 17: Community Event for POC/LGBTQIA+ Students
October 19: Independent School Speaker Series Event featuring Tiffany Jewell (6:30–7:45 p.m.)
November 15: Independent School Speaker Series Event featuring Eddie Moore, Jr. (6:00–7:15 p.m.)
November 30–December 3: People of Color Conference (PoCC) and Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) in San Antonio
January 19: Independent School Speaker Series Event featuring Dr. Yuria Celidwen (6:00–7:15 p.m.)
March 9: Independent School Speaker Series Event featuring LeDerick Horne (6:00–7:15 p.m.)
May 4: Independent School Speaker Series Event featuring Kimberlee Williams (6:00–7:15 p.m.)
Our Definitions
At UPrep, we operate with the following definitions: