The Gould DEI Task Force invites you to join us Monday, January 18, at 7:00 pm to remember, honor, and discuss how to implement the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King asked these questions in the 8th Chapter of his book, “Why We Can’t Wait.”

“How can we make freedom real and substantial?”
“What just course will ensure the greatest speed and completeness?”
“And, how do we combat opposition and overcome obstacles arising from the defaults of the past?”

We are still facing these questions, perhaps even more so in this very moment of political unrest and global fragility. How do we find ways to answer these questions?

The DEI Task Force believes that we can do this work most effectively if we do it together, collaboratively. And that is why we are reaching out to all people that contribute to the success of Gould Academy to join us. Our expert panelists will offer their thoughts and suggestions as we hold Dr. King’s Dream in our hands.

“Just as a doctor will occasionally reopen a wound because a dangerous infection hovers beneath the half-healed surface, the revolution for human rights is opening up unhealthy areas in American life and permitting a new and wholesome healing to take place.”*
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Using a framework that assumes preemptive radical inclusion (“everyone is already, and always, in the room”; CB Beal) and centers the needs of the most marginalized, Bethany will discuss best practices for approaching institutional analysis of inequity and racism, specifically how it applies to Gould. She will highlight the importance of facilitating conversations (e.g., relationship building, training/professional development sessions), equity coaching, and strategic planning. Underscoring her work is the steadfast belief that young people are the experts of their own identities, all young people deserve to be free, and schools can and should be a place where all young people can thrive.

Stephanie Montgomery, P’00
A former member of the Gould Board of Trustees, Stephanie Williams Montgomery, J.D. is a lifelong human rights advocate. She is dedicated to the interconnectedness of human rights activism, diversity & inclusion advocacy, and utilizing ‘language’ to break through cultural barriers. Born in Virginia during the era of Jim Crow segregation, she credits her parents with teaching and instilling the value of human dignity and respect for every person’s inherent worth. Ms. Montgomery has an extensive background in languages and linguistics, law, counseling, K-20 education, and strategic planning. She holds a B.A. in German Language & Literature from The George Washington University in Washington D.C. and a Juris Doctorate from Temple University School of Law with an International Law Concentration. She was honored with the Spirit of Portland Award which recognizes individuals who volunteer for Multnomah County programs with their time, leadership, and ideas. She has partnered with a myriad of organizations to foster and encourage improved racial, cultural, and diversity sensitivity and understanding.

Breakout Room: Community Collaboration
Ms. Montgomery offers an invitation to members of the Bethel Community at large to join Gould in this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day program. She will provide expert perspective, experience, strategies, and opportunities for discussion regarding community collaboration for anti-racism.

Pete  & Megumi Moses
Megumi Moses is an adviser for the Global Student Organization (GSO) and a member of the dorm duty team. Peter Moses is the International Student Programs Director and also the faculty advisor for the GSO. Megumi and Peter live in Holden Dorm with their 2 sons and beagle, Missy.

Breakout Room: International Students, Families, and Alumni
Our focus for the MLK Day panel will be on the international experience. The panel leaders will speak briefly about the work of MLK, Jr. Then, we will discuss international perspectives on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy.

Sarah Ovenden ’81
Sarah Ovenden ’81 is a member of the Gould Alumni Board and the Alumni Board representative to Gould’s Board of Trustees. She lives in Guilford Vermont, where she runs Roots on the Rails, a boutique travel company focused on curating music-themed adventures for legendary Roots musicians and their fans (Dave Alvin, The Flatlanders, Tom Russell, Mary Gauthier, Gretchen Peters, and many others.). Prior to deciding to have fun for a living, Sarah had a career in non-profit management and consulting, politics, and government.

Breakout Room: Building Connections
“I’ve been reflecting a lot recently on a quote by Robin Wall Kimmerer: ‘To love a place is not enough. We must find ways to heal it.’ I love Gould and every one of my classmates, teachers, and mentors who helped me form the core of who I am today. But I also struggle to reconcile my own unearned privilege of having reaped those benefits with the urgent and overdue need for racial justice, equity, and the dismantling of white privilege. I suspect I am not alone in that struggle. My vision for this conversation is one in which we can share our authentic selves, listen deeply to the lived experiences of other members of the Gould alumni and parent community, and build connections with others engaged in this work. I hope you’ll join us!”

Lexi Stewart ’15
Lexi Stewart, now a graduate student, has been working closely with Gould’s DEI efforts since last June. She has brought invaluable encouragement, support, and guidance to our newly formed DEI Student Group.

Breakout Room: Why DEI?
Lexi will offer her stories and share her journey as she reflects on her time at Gould as a Student of Color. She will speak to why she is getting involved in the current efforts at Gould and how she hopes those efforts will help shape Gould’s future. She will lead a discussion for current students in this breakout room.

Brady Wheatley will be a panelist for Martin Luther King Day DiscussionsBrady Wheatley ’03
Brady Wheatley ’03 is the Head of Upper School at Rocky Hill Country Day School in East Greenwich, RI. She has experience as a classroom teacher and administrator with independent schools in Mexico, The Bahamas, and the United States. Her experience teaching Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion combined with leading international field-based education informs her commitment to students’ self-discovery and understanding of systems of privilege and oppression in the world. Brady’s teaching expertise is in United States History with a focus on race and racism, and social justice curriculum development.

Breakout Room: Best Practices for Anti-Racist Education
Martin Luther King Jr wrote “We need a powerful sense of determination to banish the ugly blemish of racism scarring the image of America. We can, of course, try to temporize, negotiate small, inadequate changes and prolong the timetable of freedom in the hope that the narcotics of delay will dull the pain of progress. We can try, but we shall certainly fail. The shape of the world will not permit us the luxury of gradualism and procrastination. Not only is it immoral, it will not work.” In independent schools, the pace of progress has often been set by the least comfortable at the expense of the most vulnerable. With King’s insight that the strategies of gradualism and procrastination will not work, we will discuss how the urgency of our times demands more from independent schools. This session is designed for educators to think critically about the role of education in majority-white settings and will allow classroom teachers to consider strategies for discussing race and identity in an independent school. We will examine some of the best practices for anti-racist education and work through real scenarios from classrooms in New England.

Keith Wilford will be a panelist for Martin Luther King Day DiscussionsKeith Wilford
Keith Wilford is an Associate Dean at George School in Newtown, PA. Mr. Wilford is recognized in the Greater Philadelphia area as an accomplished athlete as well as a highly respected educator in the Mid-Atlantic region. Keith is rising to national prominence by delivering high energy, relevant messages to schools across the country that encourage and inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to break those barriers that tend to preclude them from reaching their potential. Keith works with athletes of all ages to prepare them to be physically and mentally strong for the next challenge of their journey.

Breakout Room: Understanding Self through Racial Injustice; A Personal Journey
How do you navigate this time of racial injustice, inequity during a pandemic, and political unrest? If you are struggling to hear your own voice amidst all of the fear, noise, and uncertainty, Keith will help you learn how to listen. Always joining you from his own journey, you don’t want to miss out on learning from Keith.

*All quotations from Martin Luther King, Jr
Why We Can’t Wait
Penguin Group, New York, NY, 1963, 1964, Excerpts from Chapter 8