Dear Friends of the Blair School:
Since May 25, we have been moved and inspired as the nation has come together to strive for greater social and racial justice. Often throughout our history, terrible events have awakened our nation, jarring us from complacency and stirring us to action.
Such is the case now. The events of the past three weeks remind us how urgently we must address basic issues of fairness and equity for all our citizens. The need is acute, for, as we have seen, examples of our society’s failures abound.
As a school devoted to the arts as an essential form of human expression, we must ensure that we reflect the interests of all our citizens – through our teaching, our artistry, our processes, our daily business. And we cannot wait for, much less count on, others to lead. Rather, the moral imperative is within each of us. We all must be vigilant and active in creating a better future.
At the Blair School, we have made progress in reflecting and promoting the diversity of our society and the pressing need for equity and inclusion. In recent months, we have established a relationship with the National Museum of African-American Music, with which we will be working closely in the future. In recent years and in numerous ways, our curricula and concert life have broadened considerably, with concerts and classes that remind us of the diverse richness and breadth of our cultural heritage.
As the past three weeks have shown, more – much more – remains to be done. Just as our nation has been shocked into the urgent need for action, so does the Blair School reaffirm its dedication to equity, diversity, and inclusion – in the classroom, the concert hall, our daily lives, and our commitment to all our citizens.
Mark Wait, Dean
Lorenzo Candelaria, Dean-Designate