Students engage in a Community CAfe exercise, based on Academy’s special showing of The Hate U Give. (Ella Morris’22/Media)

On Thursday, February 21, Upper School Dean, Mr. Losambe, hosted a  Community CAfe to discuss the film, The Hate U Give, which was offered to all students after school on Tuesday, February 19. Ms. Brooks and Dr. Jacki attended the discussion as the group’s special guests.

With a special focus on ‘Voice,” students were encouraged to anonymously share their experiences and opinions about how race affects the way they interact with society, both in and out of school.

One student remarked how they sounded “black” around white people, but “white” around black people, or that talking “black” sounds sassy.

Another student said, that as a black person, they couldn’t go out late at night in sweats without looking suspicious.

One fact that shocked some students was the meaning of “The Talk,” a time when in many households of color, parents tell their children, especially males, a harsh truth: when police officers pull you over, here’s exactly what to do. 

Opening up students’ minds and fostering discussion, especially about subjects that go under the radar or are not always addressed is exactly what Community CAfes are about. This Thursday was a great example of that.