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The New Voices Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Team aims to create a school culture that promotes an inclusive, diverse, and equitable learning environment where all students feel that they belong and that their experiences and perspectives matter.
We aim to cultivate and integrate our students’ diverse identities into every area of our school culture, providing them with opportunity for creative expression and student voice.
“The power of visibility can never be underestimated.”
Margaret Cho (b. 1968)
Important Dates:
| May 7, 2025 | New Voices Student DEI Meeting |
| May 14, 2025 | New Voices DEI Meeting |
| May 21, 2025 | New Voices Student DEI Meeting |
| May 28, 2025 | D15 Student Equity Congress |
| May 29, 2025 | D15 Adult Equity Congress |
Celebrating Diversity
April 2025
School Trips
In honor of Diversity Month, New Voices students have taken various field trips that highlight the rich diversity of our city.
8th grade students visited the Museum of Jewish Heritage, where they viewed the exhibit, The Holocaust: What Hate Can Do. This exhibit presented a historical view of the Holocaust through personal stories, objects, photos and film.
7th grade Chorus Majors attended the Met’s production of Barber of Seville, with a nationally diverse cast.
The 8th Grade Dance Majors took part in a collaborative dance workshop with NYU Steinhart’s Dance Education Master’s students. NYU Master’s students taught, assisted, and participated with the New Voices students during a dance technique class. New Voices students worked in groups where they were interspersed with others they had never worked closely with, and with the MA students. Together they created short dances that were shared at the end of the workshop. The dances were inspired by interpretations of “Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The NYU MA students shared a piece about inclusion of all dance styles and genres called, “I Need You.” The NV students shared two dances they are preparing for the Spring Dance Major Concert on 5/15/25. The NYU MA students come from all over the United States, and the world, to study Dance Education. This brings a variety of cultures and learning styles together to make a unique dance workshop for NYC students from all boroughs
In the Arts:
In visual arts, students have been learning about Jack Witten, an artist whose work is currently on exhibit at MoMA. Jack Witten is a painter and sculptor who is considered a part of the Black Abstractionism canon. His work is often dedicated to figures in Black history and explores themes of race, technology, jazz, love and war.
Student Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Team
Students have the opportunity to participate in furthering the equity work being done at our school and within District 15 by participating in conversations about current events related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, leadership opportunities, as well as help plan community-wide diversity events.
Mr. Pang, an 8th grade math teacher, is the group advisor.
Our Student Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team for the 2024-2025 meets twice per month to plan school-wide activities.
This month, the Student DEI team has been working to celebrate Diversity Month, as well as collaborating with the New Voices GSA to plan a fundraiser. Keep your eye out for more details next month!
For more information on how your child can join the student diversity, equity, and Inclusion team, speak to Mr Pang in room 311.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Team Updates
The New Voices DEI team has continued to work with and support teachers in infusing DEI into their curriculums. Specifically, we are continuing to examine the Hidden Voices curriculum for specific entry points that align with our own humanities curriculum.
In ongoing conversation with our math team regarding DEI efforts in math, one of our math teachers has shared this link to compiled resources for supporting minoritized students, a collaborative effort compiled by members of Math for America (Google Doc).
Community Building
Bringing together Alumni, Current Students, Family and Staff
High School Alumni Meet-Ups
High School placements were given out in early March, which means it is almost time for our spring High School Alumni meet-ups where we provide opportunities for our current 8th graders to meet, eat and talk with New Voices Alum who attend the High Schools they will be attending in the fall.
We are in the process of matching up our current 8th graders, who are interested in this event with alumni who currently attend the high schools they will be attending in the fall. Please encourage your 8th graders to fill out the google form to participate, it is in their google classroom!
Keep your eye out for more information about this community building event!
GSA News
The New Voices Gender and Sexuality Alliance has members across all three grades! GSA is a safe space for students to meet, support each other, and talk about school, life, and current events as well as participate in-service learning projects.
The GSA has finally finished their annual bulletin board! This year’s theme was Dungeons & Dragons. The students created a map of their imaginary world, inventing names for each geographical feature. They also created characters who travel the D&D world.
Currently, students are decorating t-shirts that will be sold at our annual bake sale to raise money for Gracie’s House Pride Camp with the hopes of raising enough to sponsor a camper.