• Photo

About PCD

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity is the wealth of our community. When people embrace different perspectives, we are enriched with increased cultural awareness and a sense of belonging. At PCD, we aim to listen and learn from one another in order to promote a community that represents and celebrates the diversity of the world around us.

It is my distinct pleasure to work with the students at Providence Country Day School to foster an environment where each student is recognized and celebrated for who they are, and that we as a community use these differences to create a learning environment that empowers students to listen and learn from those around them with different experiences and perspectives.

Many students have misconceptions at first about what DEI is and why we make it a priority at PCD. At its core, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is about simply that: having a school that looks like the world that students will find in their neighborhoods, at college, in future workplaces, etc. There is nothing divisive about the idea that we want each student at PCD to feel safe so that they can learn and grow and emerge as leaders who recognize that our differences do not divide us but rather enhance the community as a whole.

I’ve highlighted just a few of the ways that DEI programs, clubs, and events benefit our community, but what cannot be highlighted is the simple culture of our school, and the ways we work together to make a comfortable and safe learning environment for each student.

Johnson Thomas, DEI Director 

List of 1 members.

  • Photo of Johnson Thomas

    Johnson Thomas 

    Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Community Involvement & Clubs

PRIDE Alliance
Pride Alliance welcomes and supports students who identify within the LGBTQ+ community and our allies in weekly meetings.  This group’s main goal is to make PCD an increasingly accepting place where each student feels empowered to be themselves and strengthen our community in the process. Pride participates in activities such as community awareness events, bonding activities, and educational enrichment programming.  The group chose the name ‘Pride Alliance’ or ‘Pride’  to encourage those coming to have pride in themselves and their identities. We include ‘Alliance’ to remind our community that we are a group that sticks together.

PCD Students of Color Union: 
SOCU aims to build and strengthen the solidarity among our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) community at Providence Country Day. This group meets once a week and comes together a couple of times throughout the course of the school year. SOCU activities include; conversations around race, cultural sharing, discussion of PCD culture, what it is like to be a student of color at PCD, cultural events, etc.
 
Knights For Change Alumni Network 
The Knights For Change Alumni Network is an Alumni organization committed to fostering racial equity at PCD. The team currently includes several alumni spanning the classes of 2013-2020 who work directly with PCD with the help of the DEI Director to further the conversation about racial injustice in educational institutions and within everyday interactions. Knights For Change are working to transform PCD into an “anti-racist’ institution by implementing new policies and educational procedures. 

Providence Country Day Diversity Board Subcommittee
A group of parents, alumni, trustees, and faculty interested in planning and executing the vision of DEI work at PCD.

DEI Activities and Workshops

Indigenous People’s Day history (advisory lesson)
Why do we celebrate MLK DAY? (advisory lesson)
The Difference Between Equity and Equality (upper school workshop)
Walking in Someone Else's Shoes - a lesson in empathy
Kindness and Compassion (middle school workshop)
Healthy Relationships (middle school workshop)
Follow Your Dreams (middle school workshop)
Real-Life Super Heroines (middle school workshop)
Find Your Spark activity (upper school workshop)
Power of Language activity (upper school workshop)
Celebrating Unsung Heroes (upper school workshop)
Microaggression (Faculty and upper school workshop)
Gender Identity and Awareness (upper school workshop) 
Kindness Room (lower school and middle school workshop)
 

  • Gia Garzone, Class of 2001

    While I was the only deaf student at PCD, I still belonged and was accepted as a part of the community. And with that, I was starting to embrace my identity as a Deaf individual. It helped me build strong relationships with my teachers and peers. And now that is what I do in my line of profession today, I build relationships with families and their children

  • Peter Karmue, Class of 2004

    PCD really helped me get to where I am today. Coming from Africa as a refugee and learning to speak English once I arrived, there were so many teachers and parents who helped me through. I’m very honored and appreciative, and I’m so blessed to be a part of the PCD community.

  • Kumba McGill, Class of 2001

    Female leadership is really important, and PCD fostered an environment where I never once felt like my voice wasn’t important or I couldn’t express what I felt. PCD is where I honed my leadership skills, my ability to connect with people who may not look like me, and find common ground with others.

  • Johnson Thomas, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

    I want to make sure we continue to be the best school possible and continue to pave the way for our students. I want to make sure they’re prepared for conversations and the things they may see so that they can continue to show the world how diverse they are in their thoughts and ideas.

List of 1 items.