MENU INQUIRE VERACROSS PORTALS (OPENS IN NEW WINDOW/TAB) ALUMNI QUICKLINKS Search Toggle The Equity Lab Where we expand our ability to make sense of cultural differences and commonalities. Intercultural competency is a driving force in bridging cultural differences and fostering an environment where everyone can belong, contribute and thrive. The Equity Lab is a hub for equity-focused learning opportunities and one of the many ways Blake carries out its mission, core values and commitment to pluralism. The lab is run by the Office of Equity and Community Engagement (OECE) whose vision is to lead, facilitate and support individual and school-wide efforts that foster a more equitable, inclusive and engaged community. The Equity Lab makes sharing topics related to equity and inclusion accessible to everyone by offering and supporting lunch-and-learn sessions, after-school workshops, one-on-one discussions, critical friend groups, professional collaborations, webinars, community partnerships and more. Call for Equity Lab Proposals Alumni, parents, students, faculty and staff are invited to create a session for Blake's Equity Lab by completing a proposal, available at blake.mn/elproposal. Successful session proposals will facilitate conversations that reflect Blake's commitment to pluralism and the OECE vision "to foster a more equitable, inclusive and engaged community." The 2021-22 event calendar has been filled, and the call for proposals for this year's theme, "Building Inclusive Community," is closed. Thank you to all who submitted. The theme of the 2022-23 Equity Lab season will be announced in the spring and proposals will be accepted at that time. Proposals should plan for an hour-long session and reflect the annual theme. Content should be based in research, model evidence-based practices, draw on personal mastery or reflective practice. Sessions should encourage attendees to continue exploring the subject area and inspire action. Fall 2021 Equity Lab Experiences Monday, Oct. 18 7pm CT Zoom Rie Gilsdorf presents Embodying Inclusion Rie Gilsdorf helps organizations and individuals see their current blind spots, envision their highest potential and find individual and small group ways to work toward that potential. In this session, she will help participants develop the stamina to enact a more inclusive community as that community manifests a wider range of cultural traits. You’ll learn and practice language that anthropologists use to describe cultural traits without getting entangled in attached values. And you’ll engage in simple, gentle movement practices that allow us to feel how some alternative traits land in our bodies. Open to Alumni, Parents, Students, Faculty/Staff Zoom registration link Embodying Inclusion Thursday, Oct. 28 7pm CT Zoom Lora McManus-Graham presents Quiet: Creating a Strong Culture as an Introvert Based on research presented in “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking,” Lora McManus-Graham shares tools that help to build a strong classroom culture, establish strong boundaries and high expectations and help teachers model vulnerability, particularly as it relates to Blake's commitment to pluralism. Hear suggestions on how to shut down disruptive behavior when being assertive feels unnatural, intervene when you see microaggressions, respond when you are held accountable and encourage greater student engagement. Open to Alumni, Parents, Faculty/Staff Zoom registration link: Quiet Friday, Oct. 29 Noon CT Zoom JJ Khale presents Toward a More Nuanced Understanding of Gender and Sexuality Description: What is the difference between sex, gender, gender identity and gender expression? Is gender a spectrum or a binary? Why does understanding sexual orientation help to attain greater understanding of gender and sexuality? Blake's LGBTQ+ support and advocacy specialist JJ Kahle breaks it all down. Open to Alumni, Parents, Students, Faculty/Staff Zoom registration link Toward nuance Monday, Nov. 1 5:30pm CT Blake Dining Commons OECE presents families of students of color affinity group meeting w/dinner Open to Parents, Students 11/1/21 FOSOC affinity group meeting RSVP link Tuesday, Nov. 9 7pm CT Northrop campus, JNA CHAT (Center for Hmong Arts and Talent) in partnership with Blake OECE presents Peace, Love and Unity Concert This concert will feature talented poets, musicians and other performers from the Hmong and African American communities in a display of solidarity for peace, love and unity. Open to Alumni, Parents, Students, Faculty/Staff RSVP link for CHAT concert Tuesday, Dec. 7 7pm CT Blake Dining Commons Michelle Baroody presents “A Stray” film screening Trying to outrun his bad luck, a young Muslim refugee in Minneapolis seems like he just might make it until he crosses paths with a stray dog. You don’t want to miss this award-winning film, set in our own city, followed by discussion with actors and members of the Somali community. Open to Alumni, Parents, Students, Faculty/Staff RSVP link for “A Stray” film screening Spring 2021 Equity Lab Experiences Wednesday, Jan. 12 7pm Zoom Tyneeta Canonge presents “The Person You Mean To Be: How Good People Fight Bias” book talk Free copies of the book are available at campus security desks upon request and while supplies last. Many people philosophically believe that racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, classism and other forms of oppression exist but don't always recognize what to do about it. In 2020, individuals and organizations galvanized to find concrete ways to dismantle biased systems and build the just world we imagine for ourselves. We may be at different points along our intercultural competency journeys, but there is always room to grow our capacity to work against these systems. In her book, “The Person You Mean To Be,” Dolly Chugh attempts to help readers move from believers to builders and offers the research-based brain science behind strategies to reduce bias. Join us and contribute to the conversation as we explore the highlights of the book and examine how our desire to be good people may be in the way of us being the people we mean to be. Open to Alumni, Parents, Students, Faculty/Staff Zoom registration link: Person you mean to be Tuesday, March 1 7pm CT Zoom Dr. Dziwe Ntaba presents The Benefits of Equity Centered Healthcare The COVID-19 pandemic placed a spotlight on health disparities in disadvantaged communities. As we continue to make sense of its impact and the impact of other international health crises, we'll hear from global healthcare provider, Blake class of 1990 alum and 2021 Bush Foundation Fellow Dr. Dziwe Ntaba. Learn how Dr. Ntaba's equity-focused, patient-centered practice produces high-quality outcomes for individuals and health systems at large. Open to Alumni, Parents, Students, Faculty/Staff Zoom registration link Ntaba Wednesday, April 13 7pm CT Blake Dining Commons Blake learning specialists present What is it like to have dyslexia? This simulation walks participants through what it is like for those with dyslexia to learn in school. By experiencing the ways dyslexia is processed, we hope to build understanding and empathy for those who experience this difference daily. Open to Alumni, Parents, Students, Faculty/Staff What is it like to have dyslexia RSVP link History Our Campuses Life at Blake Videos Mission & Values Toggle SubLevel School Leadership Toggle SubLevel Employment News Pluralism & Identity Toggle SubLevel Meet the OECE Team The Equity Lab Publications Facebook (opens in new window/tab) Twitter (opens in new window/tab) Instagram (opens in new window/tab) YouTube (opens in new window/tab) LinkedIn (opens in new window/tab) Flickr (opens in new window/tab) THE BLAKE SCHOOL BLAKE CAMPUS 110 Blake Road South, Hopkins, MN 55343 NORTHROP CAMPUS 511 Kenwood Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55403 HIGHCROFT CAMPUS 301 Peavey Lane, Wayzata, MN 55391 RESOURCES Veracross (opens in new window/tab) Summer at Blake (opens in new window/tab) Employment Maps and Directions BearWear (opens in new window/tab) Athletics Sideline Store (opens in new window/tab) Website Feedback THE BLAKE SCHOOL PRIVACY POLICY SITE MAP ACCESSIBILITY Powered by Finalsite