In the Redwood Grove: Participants of this year's Lasallian Institute of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging had time for conversation, reflection, and prayer. / Photo by Sofia Mastroianni
In Focus: Saint Mary’s Institute Deepens Understanding of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Through the Lasallian Lens
Building on the success of last year’s inaugural Institute, Saint Mary’s welcomed educators from across the country to explore ways to create equitable and inclusive spaces.
“To be a Lasallian educator is to be an equity-minded educator. De La Salle himself would want it no other way.”
So reads the event program for Saint Mary’s Lasallian Institute of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (LDIEB). As learning institutions worldwide grapple with these issues, Saint Mary’s continues to provide space for Lasallian educators to look both forward and backward, considering the needs of 21st-century students while also affirming: Creating safe, welcoming classrooms and communities is core to the Lasallian tradition.
The Institute was first developed in 2021 by Frances M. Sweeney, Vice President for Mission, and Carol Ann Gittens, the Dean of the Kalmanovitz School of Education, in response to the DEIB emphasis of that year’s Huether, the national Lasallian conference. Hosted by numerous campus partners—including the Office of Mission, the Kalmanovitz School of Education, and the Catholic Institute for Lasallian Social Action (CILSA)—the weeklong workshop explores the links between Lasallian heritage, pedagogy, and spirituality and the aims of DEIB while offering specific tools and practices.
The LDEIB is also sponsored by the Christian Brothers Conference, the national office in Washington, DC, and the San Francisco New Orleans District. “We are blessed to have the support not only of so many here at Saint Mary’s, but also the district and the national office,” Sweeney notes. “It is so important that all Lasallian educators retreat and together consider the critical questions of today, grounded in our charism, that can strengthen our school communities, for students and educators alike.”
From July 9 to 14, Saint Mary’s welcomed 22 educators from across the country for a week of formation and professional development. Participants came from universities, colleges, high schools and national research centers. Daily programs included a morning prayer, lectures and interactive sessions, case studies, individual projects, and finished with critical reflection.
“The participants truly came with open hearts, curious minds, a spirit of faith and commitment to their students," Pigza says. “They leaned into all aspects of the program, from the scholarly content to Lasallian heritage to the practice of DEIB principles both here and in their home institutions.”
Rooted in Mission
Many LDIEB participants only recently entered the Lasallian educational world, so for them, the Institute served as a deep dive into Lasallian principles and history. Mario Garza, the new Director of Diversity & Inclusion at La Salle Catholic College Prep in Milwaukie, Oregon, was previously a public school counselor for 15 years. Garza has been committed to “making sure students have what they need to succeed” long before the letters DEI were so widely used, he says.
But this week at the Institute, he was heartened to learn Lasallian educators have long been focused on those principles, too. “One of the big things that I came away with was knowing the work we're doing is rooted in the mission of Lasallian education, which is rooted in the Gospel.”
For Renee Cappiello, the recently appointed Director of Human Resources at Springtide Research Institute, a Lasallian-backed sociological research organization, her week at Saint Mary’s emphasized how timely her work really is. “This has given me some tools to be able to go back and analyze where the gaps may be,” she says. “What are we not doing that we could be doing? Or what are we doing that we could be doing better?”
“One of the big things that I came away with was knowing the work we're doing is rooted in the mission of Lasallian education, which is rooted in the Gospel.”
Both Cappiello and Garza say they’ve walked away with a larger network of professionals committed to DEIB work. “I think I've established a lot of relationships here that I hope to be able to build on,” Garza says. “To utilize those resources, have those conversations, see what's working in other schools and see how we can use those same strategies within our schools—that's something that I'm really looking forward to.”
The Institute is just one of many ways the College is shaping the dialogue around the Lasallian values in the 21st century. In the last six months alone, Saint Mary’s hosted a global conversation around sustainability and climate action and welcomed the former Superior General of the Christian Brothers to give this year’s Montini Lecture on the changing face of Lasallian work.
LEARN MORE about the Lasallian Institute for Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Belonging, and stay tuned for more details about the 2024 session.
EXPLORE the many opportunities at the Kalmanovitz School of Education, like its academic centers and institutes.