Insight: Beyond Diversity – Toward Belonging

By Hye-Won Dandino, Director of EICL 

October is Global Diversity Awareness Month—a time to honor the richness of human experiences and recommit to building inclusive communities. At Eastside Prep, this month marks the beginning of a yearlong journey to deepen our work around belonging.

As Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Compassionate Leadership, I’m excited to share one of our focuses for the year: cultivating a culture where every student, staff member, and family feels seen, valued, and supported. Belonging goes beyond inclusion—it’s about creating spaces where people can show up authentically and thrive.

This fall, we’ve launched student Affinity Groups that offer joyful, reflective opportunities for identity exploration and connection. These groups help students better understand who they are and how they can contribute to a more compassionate community. For faculty and staff, our professional development is centered on interrupting bias. Using real-life scenarios, these sessions offer practical tools for responding to moments of exclusion with courage and care.

We’ve also begun our Discovery Audit—a collaborative reflection process where teams of faculty and staff examine our school’s operations, academics, and culture. Together, we’re asking: How have we designed Eastside Prep to support student belonging? And where might we shift policies or practices to make our school even more inclusive and affirming?

Caregivers are invited into this journey through a three-part virtual workshop series, Raising Inclusive, Resilient Teens, launching soon. Topics will include raising strong, kind boys in a time of intense social pressure, building empathy and cultural awareness, and supporting LGBTQIA+ youth with love and intention.

As we celebrate Global Diversity Awareness Month, we recognize that diversity is not just about representation—it’s about relationships. It’s about how we listen, how we show up for one another, and how we build a school culture where everyone belongs.

Thank you for being part of this journey. I look forward to growing together this year.