DEI

October is LGBTQ History month, an annual, month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer history. The month, meant to highlight and celebrate the history and achievements of LGBTQ people, was founded in 1994 by Rodney Wilson, a social studies teacher in Missouri who wanted to address the failure of textbooks to address LGBTQ issues. October was chosen because it built on existing traditions such as National Coming Out Day (Oct 11) and the anniversaries of the first two LGBTQ marches in Washington in 1979 and 1987. Each year, a growing number of educators find ways to bring LGBTQ history into their curricula, opening up a dialogue that will hopefully lead to a deeper exploration of LGBTQ themes throughout the school year.  If you are interested in learning more, here are resources that you might find useful:

• Timeline of events @ Glsen
• San Francisco LGBTQ history museum

Please join us on Tuesday, Oct 17 for a presentation with Alberto Ledesma in the Acalanes library at 7pm*. All parents and students in the district are invited. Alberto Ledesma, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at UC Berkeley, will share his experience as an undocumented immigrant to “hyper documents” university professor, and more. Check out his book Diary of aReluctant Dreamer.
 
*Members of the DEI committee will be gathering prior to the presentation in the front quad at 6:40pm for a meet and greet. Please join us to connect and build a more robust parent community. Open to all parents and caregivers!
 
On Friday, Oct 23, there is also a Dia De Los Muertos Dance Concert at St. Mary’s College from 8-10pm presented by Baile Folklorico Guadalupano and SMC Dance Company. All are welcome! You can read more about it here.
 
If you would like to learn more about the DEIB committee please contact us. Our next meeting is Sunday, Nov 5. And please follow us! We post activities and opportunities happening around the Bay Area.  
Instagram and Facebook

There are several groups to recognize in the month of October. It is the second half of National Hispanic Heritage Month, National Arts and Humanities month, Filipino Heritage Month, LGBT History Month and National Disability Awareness Month. Indigenous People’s Day will be celebrated on Oct 9 and National Coming Out Day is Oct 11. We will have information on many of these topics in the coming newsletters, so keep an eye out!
 
Please join us on Tuesday, Oct 17 for a presentation with Alberto Ledesma in the Acalanes library at 7pm**. All parents and students in the district are invited. Alberto Ledesma, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at UC Berkeley, will share his experience as an undocumented immigrant to “hyper documents” university professor, and more. Check out his book Diary of a ReluctantDreamer.
 
**Members of the DEI committee will be gathering prior to the presentation in the front quad at 6:40pm for a meet and greet. Please join us to connect and build a more robust parent community. Open to all parents and caregivers!
 
On Friday, Oct 23, there is also a Dia De Los Muertos Dance Concert at St. Mary’s College from 8-10pm presented by Baile Folklorico Guadalupano and SMC Dance Company. All are welcome! You can read more about it here.
 
If you would like to learn more about the DEIB committee please contact us. Our next meeting is Sunday, Nov 5. And please follow us! We post activities and opportunities happening around the Bay Area.  
Instagram and Facebook

LatinX/Hispanic Heritage Month began September 15 and runs until October 15. Students have planned a host of various events & celebrations. One opportunity for our entire community is to attend the speaker event on Tuesday, Oct 17 at 7pm in our library.  Dr. Alberto Ledesma, assistant dean for diversity, equity & inclusion at UC Berkeley will be with us to share his story, his experience as an undocumented immigrant, and more about the book he authored, Diary of a Reluctant Dreamer. Please save the date!
 
Campo DEIB Presents: “How to Navigate” Life Book Discussion
Saturday, Oct 11 at 7pm
Campolindo High School Performing Arts Center, 300 Moraga Road, Moraga, CA
Please join us for an evening of insightful education and conversation, intended for parents of high schoolers. Tim Klein will present the book he wrote with co-author, Belle Liang: “How to Navigate Life.” In it, they help guide teens in achieving a greater sense of genuine purpose and discuss how families can support this. They address how this work can re-frame the definition of success, decrease stress and improve whole person development and sense of belonging. RSVP Now at Event Create.

The BSU (Black Student Union) summit took place Monday, Sep 18 and was a success with guest speaker W. Kamau Bell, step dance instruction and drumming demonstrations. Students connected from all of the AUHSD high schools and middle schools from Lamorinda.
 
Campo DEIB Presents: “How to Navigate” Life Book Discussion
Saturday, Oct 11 at 7pm
Campolindo High School Performing Arts Center, 300 Moraga Road, Moraga, CA
Please join us for an evening of insightful education and conversation, intended for parents of high schoolers. Tim Klein will present the book he wrote with co-author, Belle Liang: “How to Navigate Life”. In it, they help guide teens in achieving a greater sense of genuine purpose and discuss how families can support this. They address how this work can re-frame the definition of success, decrease stress and improve whole person development and sense of belonging. RSVP Now at Event Create.

On Sep 6, the AUHSD school board passed Resolution No. 23-24-05: Recognizing and Honoring National Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month from Sep 15 – Oct 13, 2023 (you can read more about it here). One way to support this resolution is to attend the upcoming potluck celebrating Latine and Hispanic Heritage month. Encourage your student to signup to bring food to the potluck on Wednesday, Sep 20 before the girls volleyball team takes on Campolindo. The potluck will be from 5-6pm in front of the big gym and all families are invited to join in on the fun!
 
Additional important dates for September:

• Sep 15-17 Rosh Hashanah
• Sep 15-Oct 15 National Hispanic Heritage Month
• Sep 22 National Native American Day
• Sep 24-25 Yom Kippur

LatinX Heritage Month runs from Sept 15-Oct 15 and is a time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the American LatinX community. You can learn more about it here for discussion with your students.

One way Acalanes will celebrate is through a community get-together. Encourage your student to sign up to bring food to a potluck on Wednesday, Sep 20 before the girls volleyball team takes on Campolindo. The potluck will be from 5-6pm in front of the big gym and all families are invited to join in on the fun!.

If you are interested in joining the DEI committee, or just learning about what we do in our school and the district, please email us to be added to our mailing list. There are many ways to get involved!

Look for an upcoming DEI parent gathering in a future newsletter. In the meantime, check out a wonderful event supporting students in our district.

Miramonte students Jarret Zundel and Nicole Guo founded a nonprofit organization called Stories from Our Roots that strives to promote Lamorinda Asian-owned businesses and their stories through filmmaking and community organization. They will showcase three of their award-winning films featuring the Asian-owned businesses Kibi’s Cafe, Hodo Foods, and Joan’s Chinese painting studio at Orinda Theater on Thursday, Sept 7 at 7:30pm. There will be a panel discussion with youth filmmakers and business owners who can provide insight into their journeys and experiences in order to promote intergenerational and intercultural dialogue. 

Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year!
 
APC is looking for a DEI coordinator this year, which supports the many clubs at Acalanes focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. This individual also works with other schools in our district to help foster community DEI. This role can be divided, so anyone interested can also grab a friend and share in the work of supporting ongoing inclusion and equity at our school.
 
Please reach out if you might be interested or have any questions!
 
In community,
APC DEI

Thank you to the committee volunteers who contributed wonderful energy to our work: Pam D., Natasha, Anji, Melissa, Pam O., and the dance volunteers. Apologies if we forgot anyone.
 
Congrats to all of the students for finishing up another school year! A special shout out to the clubs and student liaisons we worked with this year: JSA, QSA, BSU, Latinos Unidos, the Equity Board and the leadership class. 
 
Drawing inspiration from the blooming wildflowers all around us, the collective beauty we see across our majestic hills is formed by each flower being exactly what it is. To quote Ola Joseph, “Diversity is not about how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another’s uniqueness.” Like the hillsides giving space to every wildflower, DEIB work is centered around creating capacity. If there is something in your landscape that gives you pause, try to explore it. See you next year!
 
In community,
APC DEI