Participating in my first Diversity Conference at Williston was a thrilling experience and made me feel extraordinarily proud of our community. “Be the Change You Want to See in the World”—the theme for the all school event on January 27—featured guest presenters as well as leaders from our own ranks of students, faculty, and staff. We were treated to an opening speech from John Kawie (Class of 1968) who elicited laughter and awe as he recounted his personal journey to the heights of the NYC stand-up comedy scene. Overcoming a traumatic stroke, Mr. Kawie’s determination and courage allowed him to continue with his passion of comedic performance.

The myriad seminars hosted by teachers, staff, students, alumni, and a broad array of talented visitors were enthusiastically attended and unquestionably effective—we were all jolted or cajoled into seeing the world a bit differently. Ask any attendee what she thought of the final dance performance by world-acclaimed Ghanaian dancer Nani Kwashi Agbeli of Woezo and you will surely get a vivid reply. For those wanting to see more of this day, walk through the Reed Campus Center and see the portraits of our community produced by Ed Hing’s photography students or view photos of the workshops, keynote, and closing performance on Flickr.