Ten Upper School Students Participate in NJ Students of Color Conference

Ten MBS Upper School students participated in the New Jersey Students of Color Conference at Newark Academy last Saturday, March 2.

At the conference, whose theme was “Coup de Culture: Reclaiming and Celebrating Our Collective Cultures,” students engaged in a series affinity group discussions and workshops including “Empowerment Through History,” “Music and Identity,” and “The Art of Protest: Celebrating Culture Through Protest Art.” The keynote speaker for the conference was journalist and political commentator Rosa Clemente, who made history in 2008 when she became the first Afro-Latina to run for vice president of the United States on the Green Party ticket.  

Student participants from MBS included: Hayatt Bembry '24, Gendiyah Easterling ’25, Raidah Karriem ’25, David Ojo ’27, Antonella Ortega ’24, Maya Patankar ’25, Kassy Patino ’25, Camille Sergenton ’25, Jawaad Travis ’25, and Jenebah Tyler ’25. They were accompanied by Director of DEIB Klarissa Karosen and Associate Director of DEIB Tahj Valentine ’18.

NJSCC is a conference created and planned by students of color for students of color in independent schools.  The conference was originally created by Newark Academy students after attending the NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) in 2018.  The conference has been held at and sponsored by Newark Academy, Kent Place, and Dwight Englewood in previous years.