DEIB at Riverdale
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) are foundational elements that support the school’s mission and empower all students to learn and thrive in age-appropriate ways at Riverdale and beyond. Our school practices around equity and community engagement foster a diverse and inclusive environment where the identity of each and every member is valued and respected. We are unified around our common values such as empathy, respect, and kindness; it is as much a part of the Riverdale experience to feel belonging as it is to create belonging for others.
Our Commitment
At Riverdale, our DEIB program fosters healthy discourse, encourages intellectual curiosity, and is responsive to the ideas and feedback of all community members. It is not a checklist that can be completed by a few people. It is a collaborative program that is strengthened by every community member recognizing the unique role we each have in “changing the world for the good.” Each campus has one team that leads programming to ensure the opportunities are age-appropriate for students. The work of these teams is extensive and includes encouraging healthy discourse in community circles, collaborating with students and faculty to design activities and special lunches to celebrate heritages and holidays, and planning whole school community-building events for students and families to strengthen connections between both campuses.
Building Community with Affinity Groups
The Affinity Program strengthens the entire RCS community by providing additional opportunities to find support, connection, and a voice at our school. Our student affinity program expands across all three divisions. In addition, we have affinity groups for our faculty/staff, parents/guardians, and alumni. These voluntary spaces foster deep reflection and are designed with a focus on an ethos of care. The goal of our affinity group program is to facilitate positive identity exploration and development toward the larger goal of creating an inclusive and thriving community. Although members of the group may share a common identity, it does not mean that everyone in that group has had the same experiences. Rather, participants recognize that their identity affects how they move through the world.
Learn more about the Affinity Program at Riverdale.
Supporting Gender & Sexuality Diversity
Riverdale creates age-appropriate opportunities for reflection, exploration, affirmation, and leadership for students around their own identity development in multiple areas, including gender and sexuality. Our emphasis on healthy discourse means we support community members to question and challenge assumptions, and our emphasis on belonging means we work not just to see, but to celebrate LGBTQIA+ community members. We understand that gender is a part of everyone’s identity and that a wide range of gender identities exist. We work actively with students to recognize gender stereotypes and affirm the various ways of gender expression on our campuses. We believe this work empowers community members of all identities to more authentically articulate and express themselves.