Equity and Inclusion - Pingree School

Nurturing an Inclusive Community

At Pingree, we believe that a truly transformative education begins with belonging. Our Community and Multicultural Development (CAMD) program plays a vital role in fostering an inclusive, connected, and equitable school community. In partnership with faculty, students, and co-curricular programs, CAMD creates meaningful learning experiences that celebrate diversity, deepen self-awareness, and build empathy across difference. Guided by our mission and diversity statement, we prepare students to lead with courage, curiosity, and a commitment to creating a more just world.

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Our Commitment in Action

Pingree believes that equity and inclusion is pursued through active engagement by all community members. The office of Community and Multicultural Development offers meaningful initiatives that celebrate diversity, foster leadership, and create spaces where every student can thrive.

Leadership Opportunities

Students aren't just participants in our community—they are active architects of it. Students are invited to participate as valued contributors alongside faculty and administration, on key committees and initiatives that shape the campus life.

Student Equity and Inclusion Committee

Equity and Inclusion Community Standards Council

Social Justice Club Leader

student speaking into a microphone at a table

Social Justice Clubs

Our social justice clubs provide students with supportive spaces to connect around shared identities, experiences, and issues that matter to them. Clubs are student-run, with the support of the Community and Multicultural Office. Our vision is to foster safe, welcoming environments where every student can deepen their understanding of themself and others, engage in meaningful dialogue, and use their voice to inspire change and strengthen community.

Multiracial Students Coalition

The Multiracial Students Coalition is an identity-affirming affinity space for Pingree students, faculty, and staff who identify as multiracial or mixed race. The MRSC builds community among multiracial students and with the People of Color Coalition through activities, discussion, gatherings, and shared resources. The MRSC also works with the Community and Multicultural Development Office throughout the year to advance Pingree’s commitment to antiracism and social justice, supporting student education, participation in community events, and more.

People of Color Coalition

The People of Color Coalition is an affinity space for students, faculty, and staff of color in the Pingree community. At PoCC meetings, students and adults discuss current events and personal experiences with the goal of finding connections and support and strengthening their abilities to affect change at Pingree and in the world. PoCC works to integrate many different cultures and ideas and seeks to share learning with the Pingree community at large.

Women Empowered

Allies for Racial Equality

Allies for Racial Equity is a student-run club for developing antiracist allyship among students who are interested in supporting Pingree’s efforts to end racism and advance equity in our community and beyond. ARE meets every two weeks and focuses on education and activism with the help of supportive adults in the community. ARE also supports the efforts of the Community and Multicultural Development Office during MLK observance programming and throughout the year, providing education and space to debrief with students in the Pingree community.

Jewish Student Union

The Jewish Student Union is an affinity space for Pingree students, faculty, and staff who identify as Jewish by heritage, practice, or otherwise. The JSU provides an empowering community space to educate the Pingree community about Judaism and celebrate Jewish holidays. The JSU is also part of Pingree’s annual MLK observance and collaborates with other social justice clubs on school-wide efforts to increase representation and equity for all members of the Pingree community.

Gender and Sexuality Alliance

Pingree’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance is a student group that promotes open dialogue and education about sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression. We strive to create an inclusive school community that respects and supports individuals of all sexual orientations or gender identities, and to build a future in which all diversity is appreciated as a positive and enriching aspect of our human experience. All members of the Pingree community are invited to attend bi-weekly meetings and to participate in events such as the GLSEN Day of (No) Silence.

Organización Latine Americana

Middle Eastern Student Group

Middle Eastern Student Group is an affinity space for Middle Eastern-identifying students at Pingree. It provides a space for sharing cultural practices, discussing personal and collective experiences, and engaging with current events. Through dialogue and connection, the Middle Eastern Student Group works to uplift voices within the community and promote deeper understanding and representation at Pingree.

Community Events

All-School Events

Throughout the academic year, we come together to celebrate the diversity of our community through all-school events such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Commemoration, Indigenous Peoples Day, and LGBTQ+ Visibility Week.

Community Read

Every summer, the full community unites through the reading of a single book that focuses on social justice and equips us to create a more just and equitable world. To maximize interdisciplinary connections and support authentic integration of the book’s themes, it is then integrated into the curriculum and assessed by assigned departments. Recent selections include I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Novel by Malaka Gharib, How to Love a Country by Richard Blanco, and Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults by Monique Gray Smith and Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Conferences & Workshops

Students also have the opportunity to connect with peers interested in social justice by participating in leadership development opportunities. Local and regional conference opportunities change from year to year. For the past several years, Pingree has taken a delegation of students to the Student Leadership Diversity Conference, a leadership development experience offered by the National Association of Independent Schools, and the AISNE High School Students of Color Conference.

student speaking into a microphone in a filled auditorium

Recent Speakers

Throughout the academic year, we welcome thought leaders and changemakers who share their experiences and insights with our community. Most recently author Monique Gray Smith, who discussed Braiding Sweetgrass and indigenous wisdom, and artist Danielle Coke Balfour, who inspired students with her talk in commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy have joined our community. Recent speakers have included:

Autumn Rose Williams

A woman stands onstage in a darkened theater. The emblem of Shinnecock Nation is projected on a large screen behind her and she gestures while washed in pink light. — Activist and model Autumn Rose Williams visited Pingree as part of our Indigenous Peoples Celebration, sharing her journey of discovery in her college years.

Chloe O. Davis

A smiling, waving woman is projected onto a large screen in a darkened theater full of students. — Performing artist and author Chloe O. Davis joined the Pingree community via Zoom to discuss her book *The Queen's English: The LBGTQIA+ Dictionary of Lingo and Colloquialisms*.

Danielle Coke Balfour

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Preparing the Next Generation

Our work in equity and inclusion extends beyond our current community to actively cultivate a more diverse educational landscape for generations to come. Through forward-thinking initiatives, we're working to create pathways for underrepresented groups in education—both for aspiring educators and younger students with tremendous potential.

Pingree Fellowship Program

Pingree Fellowship identifies and nurtures talented aspiring educators from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in independent schools. Fellows receive comprehensive mentorship, classroom experience, professional development, and community support designed to prepare them for successful careers in education. By investing in diverse teaching talent today, we're helping to create more inclusive learning environments for tomorrow's students.

Learn More about the Fellowship Program

Prep@Pingree

Prep@Pingree is an innovative educational enrichment program designed specifically for middle school students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. This program provides academic support, mentorship, and skill development to help promising young students prepare for success in challenging high school environments and beyond. Prep@Pingree participants develop the confidence and capabilities to thrive in any educational setting they choose.

Learn More about Prep@Pingree

Meet the CAMD Team

Hannah Liu

Equity and Inclusion Student Programs Coordinator

Zara Spooner

Assistant Head of School for Instruction and Equity, History Teacher