From September 15 to October 15, Nobles recognizes and honors Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month. The Nobles community will enjoy events and resources, from cultural happenings to educational opportunities, and other fun ways to celebrate around campus!
LatinX Heritage Month, or Hispanic Heritage month (official government designation) recognizes and honors the enduring contributions and importance of LatinX Americans to the U.S. and celebrates the many heritages and cultures of Americans from or with ancestors from Mexico, the Caribbean, Spain and Central and South America. The more inclusive term “Latinx” relates to people of Latin American origin or descent and is used as a gender-neutral or non-binary alternative to Latino or Latina.
—Source: University of Oregon
To learn more about why we use the term Latinx, check out this video from Latinx digital media company mitú.
From Nobles' Putnam Library, check out this downloadable booklist for Latinx Heritage Month by clicking on the banner below!
PAST EVENTS
Nobles Community Shabbat
This event is an opportunity to connect Jewish-identifying students and their families with one another while celebrating Shabbat!
Nwanagu Family Dinner
The Nwanagu Family dinner welcomes current students and graduating families of color. The dinner honors Devin Nwanagu ’05 who attended, worked, and coached at Nobles; her dream was to see an event where the families of color could come together and in her words, “break bread together.” It is the largest event of the year for people of color in the Nobles community.
Freeman Legacy Dinner
The Annual Freeman Legacy Dinner each May honors beloved longtime arts faculty member Bob Freeman and his wife Bettye. While at Nobles, they provided support for all students and also were steadfast supporters of the school's increasing diversity. Class I students of color and their families, and members of Class II, come together with faculty and the Freemans to celebrate all they have achieved, and to bid farewell to the seniors.
Asian Cultures Night
A special evening organized by Nobles' Asian/Asian American families to celebrate Asian history and culture. Students, employees and families enjoy a variety of cultural performances and activities, along with delicious Asian food from many traditions.
SEED is a national program, which stands for Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED) Project. SEED seminars incorporate multimedia stories, hands-on simulations, conversation and reflection to generate conversations about important topics such as religion, race, gender, and class. We hope that participants will leave with knowledge, skills, and practice in making our communities more inclusive.
We offer two cohorts of SEED for the Nobles community; one for parents and guardians and one for employees.
For more information or to register, please contact:
| PARENT-GUARDIAN SEED | FACULTY-STAFF SEED |
| Oris Bryant Oris_Bryant@nobles.edu |
David Roane David_Roane@nobles.edu |
Some past conferences attended by Nobles students have included SDLC (Student Diversity Leadership Conference), SJLI (Social Justice Leadership Institute), the Middle School Students of Color Conference, and the Asian-American Footsteps Conference.
2023 registration has closed. Nobles is sending six student representatives.
The NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders (grades 9-12) from across the U.S. and abroad. SDLC focuses on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community. Led by a diverse team of trained adult and peer facilitators, participating students develop cross-cultural communication skills, design effective strategies for social justice practice through dialogue and the arts, and learn the foundations of allyship and networking principles. In addition to large group sessions, SDLC "family groups" and "home groups" allow for dialogue and sharing in smaller units.
The 2023 Student Diversity Leadership Conference will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, from November 29–December 2. This year's theme is Bending the Arc Toward Justice: Radical Optimism, Transformational Joy, Resilience, and Brilliance.
I find, in being black, a thing of beauty: a joy; a strength; a secret cup of gladness.
—Ossie Davis, American actor, director, writer, and activist
Nobles celebrated Black History Month in February—with lots going on to recognize Black joy and excellence.
Black Out Week: From February 17–19, the Nobles community was invited to wear all black in support. Teaching Fellow Mariah Oates introduced the significance of wearing black for the week as “the celebration of African-American culture, solidarity for African-American victims of police brutality, and recognition of hardship and loss due to Covid-19, which has put African Americans and people of color at greater risk.” Check out some photos of folks celebrating!
Recommended films:
Hidden Figures (2016): The story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program. It stars power trio Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe. It is the untold story of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, brilliant African-American women working at NASA and serving as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in human history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit.
Malcolm X (1992): A Spike Lee film about Black activist and leader Malcolm X, portrayed by Denzel Washington. Angela Bassett co-stars. The film pays tribute to the controversial Black activist and leader of the struggle for Black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he became a Black Muslim and then a leader in the Nation of Islam. His assassination in 1965 left a legacy of self-determination and racial pride.
The Great Debaters (2007): Denzel strikes again in this film with Forest Whitaker and Kimberly Elise in this drama based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a poet and professor at predominantly Black-attended Wiley College Texas. In 1935, he inspired students to form the school's first debate team, which went on to challenge Harvard in the national championship.
February 24: Harlem Renaissance talent show, presenting "A Noble Renaissance"If interested in presenting or performing, please reach out to Mariah Oates: moates0f@nobles.edu.
Photo: Jazz soloists gathered for "A Great Day in Harlem," Art Kane for Esquire, 1958