Inspirational Performances at Diversity Day
Guest speakers from across the country and around the world visited our Upper School campus on Feb. 12 to discuss their life experiences and perform as a part of Diversity & Leadership Day.
Our Upper School students heard live performances and remarks from guests that included a slam poet, a rabbi, a dancer, a restaurateur, a filmmaker, an entrepreneur, and a group of Pakistani musicians. Our own Julie Gester ‘16 even took the stage to deliver an electrifying performance of monologues from the Heather Raffo show “Nine Parts of Desire.” Scroll down to see some clips from this dynamic day.
The student response to the Diversity & Leadership Day was overwhelmingly positive. Allie Novess ‘15 remarks, “Now I feel that I can make a difference. All of the inspiring speakers and other things made me want to research more of Austin’s history. It made me want to research other races and their religions so I could learn more about culture everywhere else in the world. I have always wanted to travel and this diversity day has given me the incentive to learn as much as I can about the past of our world and the future I have yet to change.”
Stay tuned as we reveal more student and faculty responses and upload more videos from this inspiring day!
Watch Amal Kassir, 19-year-old slam poet and human rights activist, convince you that "being who you are can be scary sometimes. But when you know you are great, no one can put you down.”
Watch Julie Gester ‘16 embody three Iraqi women in “Nine Parts of Desire,” a Heather Raffo show based off the Geraldine Brooks book by the same name.
Watch Geeti Mahajan, dancer/choreographer and director of Ravaan Persian Dance, perform a traditional Persian dance currently forbidden in Iran.
Watch Pakistani musicians from the National Academy of Performing Arts alternate among Urdu, provincial dialects, and English to “mash-up” contemporary pop and traditional Qawwali songs.
The student response to the Diversity & Leadership Day was overwhelmingly positive. Allie Novess ‘15 remarks, “Now I feel that I can make a difference. All of the inspiring speakers and other things made me want to research more of Austin’s history. It made me want to research other races and their religions so I could learn more about culture everywhere else in the world. I have always wanted to travel and this diversity day has given me the incentive to learn as much as I can about the past of our world and the future I have yet to change.”
Stay tuned as we reveal more student and faculty responses and upload more videos from this inspiring day!
Watch Amal Kassir, 19-year-old slam poet and human rights activist, convince you that "being who you are can be scary sometimes. But when you know you are great, no one can put you down.”
Watch Julie Gester ‘16 embody three Iraqi women in “Nine Parts of Desire,” a Heather Raffo show based off the Geraldine Brooks book by the same name.
Watch Geeti Mahajan, dancer/choreographer and director of Ravaan Persian Dance, perform a traditional Persian dance currently forbidden in Iran.
Watch Pakistani musicians from the National Academy of Performing Arts alternate among Urdu, provincial dialects, and English to “mash-up” contemporary pop and traditional Qawwali songs.
