Being Black At EHS

Following the controversial movement of 2020, Skye Jackson '20 created an anonymous Instagram account called @Blackatehs as a public space for black students, faculty, and alumni to share their experiences with the goal of improving EHS. These anonymous responses were not only submitted by black students or alumni, but by other members of the community expressing the need for great change. The responses from this page marked the beginning of standing up students, faculty, and alumni to demand change. 

Below is what the Instagram page looks like today. The page is still open and available to the public if anyone wants to explore it. @Blackatehs

This page became a true eye-opener to the secret racism Episcopal was allowing to happen on their campus. Although the page started evoking 'change', there's still a great amount of secret racism happening on the campus of EHS today. 

Standing Up 

On January 23, 2023, the black affinity group opened up their space of comfort and safety to the Head of School Charley Stillwell. At the beginning of the conversation, the room was quiet, reserved, and awkward. Having to open up to someone who has the authority he does about the hardships happening at his institution was rough. It took guts, courage, and confidence to be able to share uncomfortable feelings with someone who didn't share the same experiences. Mrs.Williams, the dean of residential life and Spanish teacher here at the high school, ensured every student that this was our space, and we could be as open as we wanted to be. This then sparked multiple rigorous questions from the students to Mr. Stillwell about his lack of accurate approach to racism on this campus. Following his performative act when 'answering' these questions, Mrs. Williams directed the conversation to not be about him and what he feels is a good approach, but back to how the black community feels about his lack of approach. After everyone got a chance to express how they felt, the room was full of emotion, tears, frustration, and a weird optimistic feeling about the change we hope come sooner rather than later. We hope that this very hard conversation will be the start of distinct changes in the system for a better community for all.