Matthew Tavarez ’22
Recently, Mercersburg Academy hired a new and permanent Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice, Renata Williams, who will arrive on campus at the start of the next school year. Williams replaces interim director Leela Woody, who also teaches English.
Last winter Mercersburg Academy made permanent its DEIJ committee, which itself had grown out of a task force two years ago. The committee has expanded its efforts throughout the last year and a half. Originally led by former history teacher Selas Douglas, the DEIJ committee now has over 25 students and faculty members working together to ensure that Mercersburg follows its core values and advances social justice.
Highly involved in the DEIJ committee, Mel Cort ’23 said, “Ms. Williams was filled with energy even after sitting through so many interview meetings. She was genuinely delightful and qualified in all aspects of the job, from the actual nitty-gritty DEI work to interacting with high schoolers daily. She seemed like the perfect fit for the community as a whole, rather than just the position.”
Woody added, “Ms. Williams brings energy, awareness, and care to this position.”
Williams will be also another person of color on campus who can bring an important perspective to the faculty at Mercersburg. Monique Garcia ’22, a member of the DEIJ leadership team, stated, “Race is an important factor to look at. A white person could read about the injustices of the world as much as they want, but it will not compare to the actual experiences of a person of color, just as a cis-person could never understand oppression and homophobia the same way a trans, non-binary, or gender-fluid person could. We are simply human beings who are most swayed in life by our personal experiences.”
In light of the national events related to racial violence and discrimination, building awareness on campus and support for all of Mercersburg’s students is more important than ever. For that reason, the school conducted a nation-wide search in order to fill the new position. “We were thrilled to see such overwhelming interest in Mercersburg through this position. Because this person will report directly to the head of school, I conducted the initial interviews before selecting the people to present to the community for feedback. Ms. Williams was an immediate favorite of everyone who met her because of her experience, passion for the work, and immediate connection to Mercersburg. She has already been meeting with me this spring to set our goals for next year, though her initial plan is to get to know the people and culture of Mercersburg before setting a vision for our future as it relates to our ongoing commitment to creating a place of belonging. Luckily, we are building on the incredible work of Ms. Woody and the DEIJ Committee this year. I am especially excited for everyone to meet Renata and get to know her family.”
Many thanks go to Woody for the groundbreaking work that she has undertaken this year, including establishing affinity groups on campus and building the programming related to guest speakers and monthly recognitions. Woody will continue her DEIJ work as the assistant to Ms. Williams next year in addition to her teaching load. “I look forward to working with Ms. Williams. Our transition will begin through virtual communication about the work we have done this year and will continue through next year. To create a safe, healthy environment for our faculty of color, Mercersburg must continue to listen to those voices and honor those experiences. To increase retention of faculty members with marginalized identities, the school must identify the ways that those experiences may need a different treatment to ensure equity and inclusion.”