JEDI Committee

Mission

The Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Committee (JEDI) is a parent-led group who supports the families of the Aidan Community as well as the Faculty and Staff. The JEDI are united to ensure that the Aidan community lives up to and fully-embodies the words of Aidan Montessori’s Statement on Diversity and Equity.

We recommit ourselves to embracing and celebrating our differences—including those of culture, race, ethnicity, religion, age, family structure, sex and sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, socioeconomics, learning style, and world view, among others—to form and inform a rich environment that is a crucial to educating our children on their path to maturity and global citizenship.

We unite and collaborate with the Aidan Faculty and Staff to take concrete steps to ensure that all of children are made to feel valued, equal, safe, and included at all times in our community. We stand against all forms of racial injustice, discrimination and harm. We work tirelessly to support the inclusion and empowerment of all within our community.

Core Values

JEDI acknowledges the differences that exists among us makes us unique. We strive to include, value and embrace the many differences of race, ethnic and socioeconomic background as well as differences of gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and family structures. Our beautifully diverse community creates an enriching environment to the Aidan community.

We honor and value diversity. We believe, as a collective, we must always evaluate our environment to make sure it provides an intellectual, emotional and physical safe-space for our children. We invite parents to share their range of unique perspectives that consists of truth, respect and honor. We are committed to working with Aidan Montessori in effort to provide an anti-bias and inclusive framework in order to truly represent, include, and uplift all of our children. We believe a prepared anti-biased environment is essential in bridging gaps and creating genuine human connections that honor one another.

Get Involved

To join the JEDI Committee or to learn more about how to get involved, please contact the 2020-2021 JEDI Co-Chairs, Adrienne Foster & Alice Yao.

JEDI Events 2020-21

Nov. 2: Crayons & Conversation--Discussing Difficult Topics

Nov. 2: Crayons & Conversation--Discussing Difficult Topics

Aidan's Justice, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity Committee (JEDI) is hosting a virtual event for all Aidan parents on Monday, November 2, 2020, from 7pm to 8pm, entitled Crayons & Conversation -- Discussing Difficult Topics.

Francine Ronis, LPC, will lead a discussion about difficult topics that our children may ask us about but that we may not have the answers to, such as recent protests, the role of the police, and the current political climate. JEDI invites all Aidan parents to join us for some lighthearted coloring and more serious conversation about how we can guide our children in a nurturing and loving way.

Crayons and Conversation will take place via Zoom and will be recorded and shared with the community following the event.

RSVP

Zoom Meeting Link

Resources

Teaching and Learning About American Indians

In this video link below, we learn that according to a national survey, 40% of Americans do not know Indigenous people are still alive. The speakers in this symposium explain the research data on just how potently problematic misinformation on American Indians actually is.

The National Council of Social Studies still perpetuates the manifest destiny narrative that is based on a racist perception that devalues indigenous peoples. K-12 US history curriculum standards and their representation of indigenous people indicate there is a predominantly misinformed and limited inclusion of American Indians both in a pre-1900s context and after that. When we have politicians refusing to recognize sovereign nations we can see that the intention to erase an entire group of people is still a strong racist agenda all across the Americas.

If you are looking for way to familiarize yourself with American Indian history and learn about the direct effects misinformation has on present day communities, please check out this video! You can quite literally skip and play any section and learn something profound and life-changing. A big thank you to the Smithsonian’s American Indian Museum and all of the speakers who put this symposium together!

https://www.ustream.tv/channel/1265792

For parents and teachers looking to gather resources with the mission of learning about factual Indigenous History, check out: https://www.reclaimingnativetruth.com/

Additional Resources

We Can Do Better: Rethinking Native Stories in Classrooms

Native Land Territory Acknowledgement

Rethinking Thanksgiving

'I Was Teaching a Lot of Misconceptions.' The Way American Kids Are Learning About the 'First Thanksgiving' Is Changing

https://time.com/5725168/thanksgiving-history-lesson/?utm_source=pocket-newtab

Decolonizing Thanksgiving: A Toolkit for Combatting Racism in Schools

https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/decolonizing-thanksgiving-a-toolkit-for-combatting-racism-in-schools-5d4e3023a2f8

This Thanksgiving, Make These Native Recipes from Indigenous Chefs

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/indigenous-native-thanksgiving-dinner_n_5be1c1b3e4b01ffb1d06b538

Earliest Use of Mexican Turkeys by Ancient Maya

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120809090706.htm

Talking to Kids About Racism

https://emmaredden.com/2017/06/20/talking-with-kids-about-racism-is-an-act-of-kindness-and-an-act-of-freedom/
https://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2018/05/talking-with-young-children-0-5-about-race/
https://www.embracerace.org/resources/childrens-books - has book lists for different ages that parents can use to introduce or teach antiracism.
Ibram X. Kendi's books can be good parent resources. He has a new journal or workbook, Be Antiracist, and a recent book he wrote with Jason Reynolds, Stamped, for kids ages 12 and up, could be helpful to parents for ideas on how to explain structural racism to kids.
How to Talk So Kids Can Learn about Anti-Racism and Social Justice by Nicola Davies.

Book Recommendations for Parents & Teachers

Blue City by Ismael Reed
White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privilege Son by Tim Wise
Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine
The Making of Asian America by Erika Lee
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
How Does it Feel to be A Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America by Moustafa Bayoumi
Are We Not Foreigners Here?: Indigenous Nationalism in the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands by Jeffrey M. Schultze

Diversity Posts and News

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JEDI Presents: Discussing Difficult Topics With Your Child: Crayons and Conversation with Family Therapist Francine Ronis

November 3, 2020

The Aidan JEDI Committee hosted "Discussing Difficult Topics With Your Child: Crayons and Conversation with Family Therapist Francine Ronis" on Monday, November 2. In case you missed it, catch the recording of this virtual event here!

Free Workshop - Parenting in Support of Black Lives: How to Build a Just Future for Kids (and How Media Can Help) (opens in new window/tab)

June 15, 2020

Free workshop, "Parenting in Support of Black Lives: How to Build a Just Future for Kids (and How Media Can Help)" hosted by Common Sense Media on Wednesday, June 17 at 3:00 PM. Register and learn more!

Parenting in Place: Helping Families Thrive in Challenging Times (Masterclass Series) (opens in new window/tab)

June 15, 2020

Parenting in Place is a live, nine-week summer masterclass series for parents, offered by a new collective of some of today’s most prominent thought leaders in parenting, neuroscience, and well-being, whose books collectively have sold more than 3 million copies. Register today!