Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Appreciation for difference

As an independent school rooted in Oakland, we focus on being inclusive, diverse and anti-racist in our instruction as we move to be the change we want to see in our communities.

We’re proud of our reputation as a school where students feel comfortable and supported for who they are. Open-mindedness and an appreciation for differences uniquely prepare students to be compassionate leaders in their adolescent and adult years.

We give students myriad opportunities to get to know themselves and each other as learners, contributing community members, and empowered, authentic human beings.

Cultural competence

At each grade level, students wrestle with questions that emerge from their social studies and science curricula around such topics as racial and socioeconomic equity, the gender spectrum, and environmental sustainability. Please use the left and right arrows to scroll through and watch the videos below for a sample of recent units on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the classroom.

Black Lives Matter Resources for Family Education

MARCH

During the month of March, Aurora’s K-5 students are learning about the Black Lives Matter principle, Black Women (See the 13 Guiding Principles). The website blacklivesmatteratschools.com defines this principle as follows:

Black women:
“There are some people who think that women are less important than men. We know that all people are important and have the right to be safe and talk about their own feelings. We are committed to building a Black women affirming space free from sexism, misogyny, and male‐centeredness.”

Aurora’s JEDI Committee recommends these resources to learn more:

For Adults:
The Urgency of Intersectionality with Kimberlé Crenshaw
In her TED Talk, Kimberlé Crenshaw invites viewers to look at the reality of race and gender bias – and understand how the two can combine to create even more harm. She coined the term “intersectionality” in the 1980s to describe this phenomenon; as she says, if you’re standing in the path of multiple forms of exclusion, you’re likely to get hit by both. In this moving talk, she calls on us to bear witness to this reality and speak up for victims of prejudice.

Eloquent Rage with Brittney Cooper
If you like an audiobook, give a listen to Brittney Cooper narrating her book, “Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower.” It’s deeply insightful and laugh out loud funny. Melissa Harris Perry said of it: “I was waiting for an Ida Wells, an Anna Julia Cooper, a bell hooks, a Patricia Hill Collins―an author who wouldn’t forget, ignore, or erase us blackgirls as they told their own story and that of the race and the nation. I was waiting and she has come―in Brittney Cooper.” You can see her profiled on PBS here.

Documentaries:

The Hair Tales
A dynamic celebration of Black women’s identity, beauty, culture and humanity, uniquely expressed through the stories in our hair. A docu-series where 6 diverse phenomenal women – Issa Rae, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, CHIKA, Marsai Martin, Chloe Bailey and Oprah Winfrey lay their intimate hair tales on the table with Tracee Ellis Ross.The series of six 40-minute episodes is on Hulu.

In Our Mothers’ Gardens
This documentary celebrates the strength and resiliency of Black women and Black families through the complex, and oftentimes humorous, relationship between mothers and daughters. This one-hour, 22-minute documentary is on Netflix.

Family Activities:

Angela Davis – Seize the Time exhibition
The Angela Davis exhibition at Oakland Museum of California, titled “Seize the Time,” features a range of artifacts and multimedia installations that highlight the life, activism, and impact of the renowned scholar, activist, and cultural icon. The exhibit runs through June 11, more information is here.

Black Women in History
Listen to the song “Black Women in History” by FYUTCH on Youtube or Spotify in the car with your child(ren) and see how many of these Black women leaders you already know about and who you want to learn more about.

Children’s Books for the Whole Family:

Akissi: Tales of Mischief
Written by Marguerite Abouet and illustrated by Mathieu Sapin, this book series follows the humorous and mischievous adventures of a young girl named Akissi in the Ivory Coast. Appropriate for children between the ages of 7 to 10 years old, although older children and even adults may also enjoy the humor and storytelling in the series.

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
A children’s book written by Vashti Harrison that highlights the accomplishments and impact of 40 notable African American women throughout history. For children 8 to 12 years old, although younger children may also enjoy the book with the help of an adult reader. Consider picking one woman to read about each day with your child.

Who is Ketanji Brown Jackson?
Written by Kirsten Anderson and illustrated by Manuel Gutierrez, this book introduces young readers to the life and accomplishments of Ketanji Brown Jackson in an accessible and engaging way. While it’s good for children ages 8 to 12 years old, younger and older readers alike may also find the book informative and interesting.

FEBRUARY
Aurora School’s Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee is comprised of parents, and this month is sharing two of the 13 Guiding Principles of the Black Lives Matter movement that are the focus of Aurora’s K-5 classrooms this month (February): Black families & Black villages. The website blacklivesmatteratschools.com defines these principles as follows:

Black families: “We are committed to making our spaces family-friendly and enable parents to fully participate with their children. We are committed to dismantling the patriarchal practice that requires mothers to work ‘double shifts’ that require them to mother in private even as they participate in justice work.”

Black villages: “We are committed to disrupting the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and ‘villages’ that collectively care for one another, and especially ‘our’ children to the degree that mothers, parents and children are comfortable.”

It’s the JEDI Committee’s hope that the following resources support you with bringing this work home.

For adults: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (novel) – This historical fiction novel follows seven generations of a family from the beginnings of the transatlantic slave trade in West Africa up through the 21st century in both the U.S. and Ghana. You might also enjoy this interview with the author.

For students and adults to watch together: Enjoy this 1 minute video called #BlackLoveLetters of Black parents reading love letters to their children.

And as February is also Black History Month, here’s a video called “Kids Talk Black History” where kids explain Black History Month.

For grades K-2: Watch Motown Magic, Season 1, Episode 7, “Dancing in the Street,” where Ben rallies his friends in the neighborhood to save a historical landmark that is a part of his grandparents’ history and his friend, Dancing Machine’s, home. (available on Netflix)
Read: Yesterday I had the Blues by Jeron Ashford Frame. (You can also watch the read along here.)

For grades 2-5: Watch Karma’s World, Season 1, Episode 4, “Major Disaster” – Karma brings the neighborhood together to help find her brother’s dog. (available on Netflix)

For all grades: Read Milo’s Museum by Zetta Elliott. The story of how a young girl is empowered to create a museum that reflects her culture and history. Visit this web page for a read along and reading curriculum, including questions to ask before reading the book and resources to support you with guiding an exploration of group identities with your student.

Older students and parents can also watch this interview with author Zetta Elliot about her inspiration for writing Milo’s Museum and her relationship to her own family history.

Affinity groups

Affinity Groups at Aurora provide a chance for families and students who share a common connection to get together along with their allies to share stories, resources, fun and support.

There are currently active Affinity Groups for:

families of adopted children
families of color
LGBTQ families
non-nuclear families
parents of children with learning differences
single parent families

Diverse perspectives

Aurora strives to reflect the diversity of the Bay Area with its staff, student, and family population. At Aurora, we celebrate all types of diversity. Our families share the common goal of providing their children with a progressive and academically engaging education.

We believe that effective learning and independent thinking can only take place in an engaging, respectful environment that makes everyone feel safe and included. That’s why we strive to give students and adults alike many different opportunities to get know themselves and each other as learners, contributing community members, and empowered and authentic human beings.

Racial Diversity

Diverse perspectives

Aurora strives to reflect the diversity of the Bay Area with its staff, student, and family population. At Aurora, we celebrate all types of diversity. Our families share the common goal of providing their children with a progressive and academically engaging education.

We believe that effective learning and independent thinking can only take place in an engaging, respectful environment that makes everyone feel safe and included. That’s why we strive to give students and adults alike many different opportunities to get know themselves and each other as learners, contributing community members, and empowered and authentic human beings.