Equity & Justice

Pike’s Ethos: Identity-Centered Work

Pike supports children and adults in deepening their understanding of identity, because the dynamics of the multiple identities we each hold fundamentally drive how we interact with others. Individuals can identify by race, gender, sex, age, ability, socioeconomic status, religion, and others. By exploring these identities, as well as the systems in which we interact, we learn how to develop and leverage our whole selves in pursuit of a more equitable and just community and greater society.

Identity-centered work helps both adults and students better understand their own worldviews, as well as the unique perspectives each person has in our community. Individuals feel a sense of belonging when they are able to be their authentic selves and are truly valued. This provides a robust foundation for our learning environment, supporting engagement and achievement for all students. The skills developed through identity-based work are vital for success and include critical thinking, collaboration, communication, innovation, social skills, flexibility, and leadership.

The unique identities held both within and beyond our community are welcomed, invited, and celebrated in our classrooms, at our events, and as a part of our decision-making processes. The Office of Equity and Justice coordinates this undertaking and provides support and resources for the Board of Trustees, Administration, Faculty, Staff, Students, and Families. Identity-centered groups and clubs are a part of the Pike community that is accessible to students, staff, and faculty. Across these settings, individuals explore aspects of their own identities and the identities of others, and they examine how to advocate for a more just and equitable community.

Students show off blankets they made for families in need.

To learn more about our work, contact Uzma Bogwani (she/her), Director of Academics and Chair of Pike's Council for Equity and Justice at ubogwani@pikeschool.org.

Pike Community DEIJ Shared Language (adapted from NAIS)

DIVERSITY = Diversity includes all the ways in which people differ, and it encompasses all the different characteristics that make one individual or group different from another. Including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, mental or physical ability, and learning styles.

EQUITY = The guarantee of fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement while at the same time striving to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of some groups.

INCLUSION = A state of belonging, when persons of different backgrounds and identities are valued, integrated, and welcomed equitably as decision-makers and collaborators. Inclusion involves a sense of coming as you are and being accepted, rather than feeling the need to assimilate.

JUSTICE = The process required to move us from an unfair, unequal, or inequitable state to one which is fair, equal, or equitable; a transformative practice that relies on the entire community to respond to past and current harm when it occurs in society. It is not just the absence of discrimination and inequities, but also the presence of deliberate systems and supports to achieve and sustain equity through proactive and preventative measures.

IDENTITY = A particular group, culture, or community with which an individual identifies or shares a sense of belonging. Individual agency is crucial for identity development; no person should be pressured to identify with any existing group, but instead the freedom to self-identify on their own terms.

BELONGING = Fulfillment of the human need to be taken in, cared-for, protected, and valued by a group, community, or organization. Belonging is created through actions that express affinity, empathy, generosity, and more.

ADVOCACY = Organized efforts aimed at influencing public attitudes, policies, and laws to create a more socially just society guided by the vision of human rights that may include awareness of socio-economic inequities, protection of social rights as well as racial identity, experiences of oppression, and spirituality