通过讲故事的艺术, members of the Poly community came together at the inaugural PolyCultura 较低的学校 event where personal stories painted a multidimensional picture of people we may see daily at our school, but whom we now may see in a new light with new underst和ing 和 a feeling of connection 和 empathy. 真实故事的力量，比如父母分享的故事, 教师, 和工作人员, 是建设包容性社区的核心, 每个人都欢迎.

PolyCultura was an opportunity to “get to know somebody in the community in a new way,低年级的校长说 Dr. 弗朗西斯Yasharian. 在视频演示中, members of the Poly 较低的学校 community shared life-changing personal stories about people or experiences that 产生了影响 in their lives.

Poly parents had created a two-part program for the annual 较低的学校 diversity event, PolyCultura, 这是重新设计的保利护照. The program featured an in-school artist workshop for students 和 an at-home video premiere via Zoom on February 26 for families 和 community members.

“我们希望如此, 随着时间的推移, the stories we tell—in all their forms—connect 和 uplift us as a community.”

PolyCultura 2021联合主席 南希·布拉拉考，33岁 和 特纳·雷蒙德，31岁，33岁 explained that the videos consisted of the stories gleaned from conversations over many weeks 和 were documented on video over one weekend. “There are stories about loved ones, hardship, luck, perseverance,” they 说. “我们希望如此, 随着时间的推移, the stories we tell—in all their forms—connect 和 uplift us as a community.”

艺术项目 Jaiko铃木

All 较低的学校 students participated in an art project with guest artist Jaiko铃木,  a musician 和 performance artist, who creates intricate artworks using fermented vegetables. A recorded Zoom interview with her was shared with the classes during the week. 在采访中，她谈到了制作每件作品的过程. 学生 incorporated what they learned into their own artworks using textured paper. 在面试中, Suzuki emphasized that her meditation before making her art work is key to its beauty. Meditating helps her quiet all the ‘noise’ so that she can listen to what her heart tells her is beautiful. She told the children that they could spend time thinking about what they think is beautiful separate from any outside influence. 

铃木这样描述她的工作:“在我可以的早晨, I take out my fermented vegetables out of rice bran bed 和 make a plate as a part of meditation. Rice bran fermentation is a traditional Japanese technique called Nukazuke. It requires daily attention to keep the balance of bacteria in the rice bran bed healthy. 2020年4月，我开始了自己的Nukazuke床.” 

一年级班主任 贝蒂·索托 说, “在我们班，孩子们观看了对Jaiko的采访, 冥想, 然后创造了他们自己的盘子. Jaiko的作品是用食物做成的. 我们使用了马赛克瓷砖、薄纸和建筑纸.”

Here are some examples of the children’s Jaiko铃木-inspired student artwork. (For more, families may visit the 家长门户 to access the PolyCultura website.)

On Friday, February 26, 南希·布拉拉考，33岁 和 特纳·雷蒙德，31岁，33岁 held a live Q & 整个低年级的A和铃木. 他们也送回家 kits with instructions on how to do a simple pickling so that families can create their own artwork at home together. 

联合主席解释道, “The title PolyCultura is derived from the agricultural term that means to grow many different types in the same soil. For PolyCultura’s inaugural year we felt that Jaiko’s generations-old fermentation process 和 work with vegetables was a lovely piece of synergy.” 

多元文化视频节目:个人故事 坚持，感恩，追随梦想

低年级主任博士. 弗朗西斯Yasharian 欢迎大家参加晚上的网络研讨会. He 说 that the 21 video interviews featured “very personal stories” of people who influenced them, 产生了影响, 改变人生的经历, or decisions to do the right thing under very difficult circumstances.

Dr. Yasharian感谢 Kimberly Davis Rivizzigno, 较低的学校 Family Engagement 和 社区 Life Dean of 学生 for her work organizing the event 和 史黛西·亨特，15年级学生, Director of 较低的学校 Technology, who created the PolyCultura website.

Dr. Yasharian还感谢了Nancy Bulalacao和Tene Raymond, ’33, the “two amazing women who took on the celebration before we knew about the p和emic.”

演讲者是 在晚上的视频中包括:低年级的校长 Dr. 弗朗西斯Yasharian, 杰罗姆·托马斯，31岁，33岁, 明雅，哦，P ' 33, 娜塔莎·戈达德，33岁, Ken Leung, P ' 33幼儿园班主任 金正日戴维斯，学前班校长 Olugbala威廉姆斯, 丽莎·班尼特33级，保安 薛西斯防御率, Associate Head of School, Enrollment Management 和 Student Outcomes 凯尔·格雷厄姆，年度捐赠总监 Opeyemi Laniyonu, 约书亚·杜宾，28岁，30岁，34岁，校长助理，负责策略计划 丽贝卡·索利托29年级, ‘32, Kobla Asamoah P ' 28， ' 31, 南希·布拉拉考，33岁, 安德烈·本杰明，P ' 30, 塔莎·理查兹26岁29岁31岁33岁的学生, Uma Mantravadi P ' 33我是中学校长 安德烈·德尔·瓦莱，29岁，33岁, 梅丽莎·唐宁32 34 35岁的学生, Vanessa Cantave, 32级.

“这就是我们在Poly预科学校的样子，”Dr. 在介绍故事的时候.

The videos produced for PolyCultura were billed as “a celebration of the diversity that we all bring to Poly.” One video was for viewing by the entire family 和 the other was described as having mature themes. 每个分享故事的人都是坐着的，没有分散注意力的背景. 好像每个人都在对一个人发自内心地说话. A number of stories described what it was like for families to come to this country from India, 或尼日利亚, or the Caribbean 和 for parents to have to start over in careers 和 learn a new language, 也让他们的孩子适应新的文化和学校. Sometimes this was as simple but heartfelt as keeping the identity that comes from one’s name.

There were stories of resilience, forgiveness, challenges met 和 overcome.  The tough love of a teacher caused one then-high school student to feel that she was capable 和 belonged.  Family struggle was a common theme when a parent left the family or died 和 someone made all the difference by stepping into a child’s life as a mentor or provider of educational opportunity. A cancer diagnosis overcome with support of loved ones 和 the love of a caregiver for a small child changed lives forever. Other stories recounted helping to give a second chance to someone in prison for decades, 在工作场所为正确的事情表明立场, 找到一种方式继续父母为正义而战, 学会适应独处的感觉.

“我们的目标很简单, 雷蒙德在PolyCultura网站上这样评价这次活动, 这是我们“走到一起”的时刻, 倾听彼此的故事, 细细品味我们看得见的和看不见的多样性的动态味道.”

“We hope that you see the truth in each person’s story, that it touches you in some way. And that over the years we’ll come to share so many stories that when we see each other, what we see first is what we have in common rather than what keeps us apart,布拉拉考说.

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家庭可以访问视频和其他内容 PolyCultura 通过登录 家长门户.