About Us

Equity and Inclusion

Our Vibrant Community

Brimmer’s diversity strengthens our welcoming and inclusive community. Throughout each academic year, we host affinity group meetings for Middle and Upper School students of color and families of color and bring in speakers and hold workshops for our students and faculty on a range of topics addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion. We also hold numerous events that celebrate cultural traditions and share about our differences and our common humanity. These programs—along with our school culture and set of values—enhance our collective experience of community, educate our students about social justice and equity, and empower our students to be responsible citizens and empathetic, ethical leaders.

An increasingly loud and necessary call to action in our country has required us to address and disrupt practices that perpetuate bias and institutional anti-Black racism. In order to honor the diversity within our community, we will take a number of action steps during the 2020-2021 school year to rebuild our diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices to ensure that they are embedded completely in each fiber that holds our school together. Our Call to Action, along with additional communication from the School addressing the acts of racism and violence that have taken place throughout our country over the past months, can be found below. We will keep this page active as we restructure our efforts and provide content that reflects our ongoing work, our mission, and our duty to disrupt inequities.

Jessica Christian, Director of Equity and Inclusion

As a school, we must work hard to create an equitable environment for all and actively teach and practice anti-bias and anti-racism at every level.

Equity & Inclusion Communications

Meet our Director

Director of Equity and Inclusion Jessica Christian leads Brimmer's efforts to ensure that our community honors its diversity and fosters equity, mutual respect, appreciation, and the ability to embrace difference. She organizes events, programs, professional development, and meetings for students, faculty, and families, and facilitates our affinity groups. Jessica is available to meet with members of the Brimmer community concerning any matters of equity and inclusion that might need individual attention. Please contact Jessica at jchristian@brimmer.org for more information.

Affinity Groups and Training

List of 5 items.

  • Affinity Groups & Student Diversity Clubs

    Students have the option to participate in clubs and affinity groups including:

    • African American/Latino/Multi-racial Affinity Group
    • International Students from China Affinity Group
    • GSA (Gender and Sexuality for All)
    • Student Diversity Leadership Club
    • Middle School Diversity Lunch Group
    • Grade 5 Diversity Lunch Bunch
    Topics discussed in our groups may include: celebrations of identity, history lessons, politics, current events, and microaggressions. The make-up and existence of our groups may change year-to-year as we respond to the needs of our community.

  • Student Conferences

    Brimmer students help to develop internal diversity programming at the Lower, Middle, and Upper School levels. Off campus, students attend conferences including:

    • NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC)
    • AISNE Middle School Diversity Conference
    • AISNE Middle School Student of Color Conference
    • AISNE High School Student of Color Conference
    These conferences address topics of race but also cover in depth issues surrounding socio-economic differences, gender identity, and sexual orientation, among other things.

  • Community Meetings for Diversity

    All members of community—staff, families, and students gather each quarter for dinner and a meeting that focuses on the celebration of culture, announcing upcoming events at the School, setting goals for diversity efforts, and exchanging information.

  • Professional Development & Faculty Conferences

    Faculty members attend conferences and workshops through organizations such as AISNE and NAIS that focus on topics including white privilege, representation of diversity in the classroom, and teaching students of color. Faculty members also attend the NAIS People of Color Conference (PoCC) each year.

  • Faculty & Staff Training

    This includes workshops and professional development training from organizations such as the National Association of Independent School (NAIS); the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE); Bay Area People of Color in Independent Schools (POCIS); the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN); and Visions. The Diversity Director has bi-monthly internal meetings with all the members of the Diversity Council.

Diversity News & Events

Our Policies

Task Force

Brimmer has created an ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) Task Force for the 2020-2021 school year that includes the Director of Equity and Inclusion as well as faculty, staff, and additional members of the Administrative Team, to revamp and restructure DEI committees at the divisional levels and to ensure that equity, inclusion, and anti-racism work is embedded in each classroom and each part of Brimmer’s programming.
As an inclusive community, Brimmer welcomes students who will increase the diversity of our school. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, or any other characteristic protected from discrimination under state or federal law, in the administration of our educational policies, admissions practices, financial aid decisions, and athletic and other school-administered programs. 

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Brimmer and May School
69 Middlesex Road
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
617-566-7462