On January 28, in an effort to further Holton's diversity initiatives, Rodney Glasgow spoke at Upper School Assembly as well as facilitated round table discussions with faculty on diversity programming and strategies. Glasgow is an experienced educator holding a variety of leadership roles; Head of Middle School and Chief Diversity Officer of St. Andrew's Episcopal School, Chair of NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference, and Founder and Institute Chair of National Diversity Directors Institute.
Glasgow's contagious spirit spread across the Lewis Theater as he spoke about his personal life as an independent school student in Baltimore and expressed the importance on how students can be advocates of inclusion. He started his conversation with Upper School by exclaiming that he felt like he was at home when he walked into Holton's lunch room and ate the best mac-n-cheese that he ever had at a school.
Glasgow then continued to speak about his personal encounters with racism and sexual identity in his own life. He told a powerful story about a time when he was called the "N" word and how those painful memories pervaded his adulthood and remained with him until now. He urged the student body that no matter how the word is used in pop culture or on social media with friends, it excludes a certain group and is a hurtful word to many. His personal reflections pulled in the focused crowd as he continued to share his captivating stories – some painful and yet some funny. Glasgow proved to be an entrancing storyteller with a powerful message of empathy towards others.
Glasgow will lead Diversity in the DMV Conference on February 6 and a group of Upper Schoolers will attend the conference and collaborate with other schools on how to better our own communities within the realm of cultural competency.