Image: Ceci Méndez-Ortiz. escalator/escalera, c. 2023. Collaged security envelopes Ceci Méndez-Ortiz is a Latina artist and educator whose community building practices advance cultures of belonging, justice, and joy. In multimedia works, she memorializes the individuality of security envelopes by collaging them into mystical realities.
Word of the Month: Resilience
Resilience describes the ability to recover from adversity through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility. When someone or something can bounce back, they are able to contribute to their own personal growth. This can encourage others to follow in their path and help build a strong community. Whether our earth or global population is at odds of changing their pace, resilience is shown in every form. While there isn't a specific formula or fixed structure that promotes regeneration, it is more important than ever to come together in support of one another.
Happy Arab Heritage Month!
This April, we are celebrating Arab Heritage Month! To recognize the history, culture, and contributions of Arab Americans to the United States, the local celebrations include cultural festivals, educational activities, and recognition of notable Arab Americans.
The Arab America Foundation launched the National Arab American Heritage Month initiative in 2017 and was federally recognized in 2022.
In addition to AAHM, we will celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd in support of environmental protection. Check out some tips featured in the newsletter below!
Image: Alioune Diagne Malaanum Fippu (The Veil of Peace), 2023-2024. Acrylic on canvas. As a socially-engaged Senegalese artist, he explores major challenges of ecology, women in society, racism, and the notions of transmission of heritage through it all. His works use Arabic characters from his writing to make his paintings alive with color and texture.
FEATURES
Organization Spotlight: EMPOWER
EMPOWER is a BB&N organization that provides a space for BIPOC girls to find community with each other. Club advisors Alda Farlow and Drea Cadyma have taken the organization to new heights by organizing activities that resonate with student support, growth, and connection. Learn more below from Sabrine Said, who was excited to join the group this year!
“I joined EMPOWER this year and have met more people that I can talk to that I wasn't familiar with before. The fun activities and conversations that come with them make it a great space for me to feel connected to other BIPOC girls like me. It is so much easier to talk about day-to-day experiences without having to explain how my identities go with them. Our vision boarding activity using recycled magazines and online sites was so fun! Plus, it was a nice way to see how we can support each other's goals. I feel like it is just such a great group of people who are so supportive and we can really connect with each other because of our identities and experiences."
- Sabrine Said '28
“My experience within EMPOWER is one of inclusion and overwhelming support, a club built with the goals of allowing BB&N girls of color to build community and empower each other! I was first involved with this club through a friend, and was introduced to the meaningful legacy of EMPOWER . One of my favorite parts of EMPOWER is how it encourages us, as students, to reach out to one another and invite each other in. Too often, we get caught up in the academic side of school life, and EMPOWER connects us with the social half!”
- Cash Cash '28
Global Education Trips
This Spring Break, Middle and Upper school students explored Greece (MS) and the Balkans (US). Learn more about their experiences below!
Greece: Sustainability and Culture
Led by Kate Anderson and Nate Austria, MS students embarked on a three-city adventure learning about how sustainability is integrated into Greece's history. From an ecological lens, students explored various sites that informed how Greece's water systems were developed, the preservation of archeological sites, and the way art has integrated itself into their architecture. "When I was in Greece, I didn't see the highways or skyscrapers, except maybe in Athens, that we are accustomed to in Boston. Instead, I saw things like street vendors selling oranges and a lot more nature."
- Alivia Guo '30
Balkans: Peace, Justice, and Memory
Led by Josh Walker and Shawnee Sloop, US students traveled to the Balkans to learn about human impact on their ecology. Through a historical and ecological lens, they explored Dubrovnik's waterfront and soaked in the coastal air of Croatia's Dalmatian Coast. With the help of their tour guides, the group reflected on how government conflict impacts everyday civilians and their country's social and ecological infrastructure. "During our last day in the Sarajevo, we got to go up into the mountains to a ski resort where we had lunch at a family owned restaurant of Bonsian-Serbs. Listening to their side of the politics of the country were very interesting, even if they were almost a complete contrast from what we are used to in the US."
- Emmanuel Jaramillo '27
MS Women's History Month CAB
On March 11th, MS students created informational brochures about influential women from the past and present to be shared with students at the Lower School. These women represented leaders in the sustainability movement, trailblazers, inventors, artists, pop culture icons, and athletes.
See some student work to learn about women such as Nicola Kagoro, Nurse Nightingale, Michelle Wu, and Chloe Zhao below!
Student Dedication to Eco-Education at BB&N
At BB&N, students are eager to make positive change in their school across the globe. Organizations like EcoReps, Sustainable Fashion Club, and Round Square work diligently to educate the community about how the ecology of our world is changing rapidly. As global citizens, what can we do to make change
EcoReps "My favorite part of Eco Reps has been preparing and planning for Eco Bash. Eco Bash is a day focused on teaching the BB&N community about our environment and how we can make a positive impact."
- Harper Dubovik '27
"I have been passionate about environmental advocacy since a young age and still remember how I organized a fundraiser at one point for donations to the WCN to save endangered elephants. Thus the Eco Reps felt like a great chance to further this passion. I've found that outside vendors tends to be the most appealing part of the event, as they can appeal to a variety of interests that intersect with the environment."
- David Xiong '26
Sustainable Fashion Club "We’ve organized a range of activities and events, from clothing swaps and donation drives to student-led fashion shows featuring handmade pieces from recycled materials. Fashion is a more powerful force in our society than it may seem, especially in the context of consumerism and fast fashion, and being part of this club has deepened my understanding of its impact. Teaching others about sustainability and engaging with our community are central to our work. One of our favorite experiences was leading a Community Day workshop with Daniella, where we painted reusable tote bags, and it was really rewarding to see people express their creativity while making something practical and sustainable."
- Daniella Hammerschlag '28 and Sylvia Kunst '27
How can we get involved in the Eco-Conscious Movement?
- Go on hikes and learn more about the land with Hike Boston
- Compost at home with local organizations such as Cambridge's free curbside service
- Replace single-use items with reusable alternatives: beeswax wraps for plastic wrap, reusable grocery totes for single use bags, and save glass jars from local Teddie Peanut Butter as freezer-safe food storage
- Swap out chemically dominant cleaning and hygiene products for environmental/human friendly alternatives. Get started with the free Think Dirty app to scan products for their individual environmental impact rating
Local Organization: Green Cambridge
In efforts to create a more sustainable city, Green Cambridge uses the 4,000 acres of the city as their classroom. They connect communities to the importance of trees and native habitats, helping to create climate resilient neighborhoods while centering equity and environmental justice. Through educational workshops and local ecology paid opportunities for teens, they empower connection to nature while working towards a more climate-resilient future. Interested in participating? Celebrate Patriot's Day with Green Cambridge's Biodiversity Walk in the Alewife Brook Reservation on April 20th from 10:30-11:30am!
HIGHLIGHTS
Up Next in April
1-31: Arab Heritage Month 1-9: Passover 1-15: LS's JEDI Room to Grow Drive 2: World Autism Awareness Day 5: Easter 8: JEDI Field Trip: Room to Grow / Catie's Closet 9: LAHFA Carnival Latino 10: LGBT Day of Silence 12: Orthodox Easter 14: MS DSC, US Resilient Voices, Vaisakhi 15: MS CAB: Arab American Heritage Month, US Resilient Voices 22: Earth Day 27: MS Day of Service 30: PBS Spring Social
Want to see more holidays? Add cultural celebrations to your calendar! Follow the instructions to subscribe to multi-faith and cultural holidays for 2026.
Mental Health Resources
No matter who we are, we all face challenges. But the way we experience those challenges can look and feel very different depending on where we come from and what community we identify with. If you or a loved one are facing any challenges please call 988 or take a look at Lisa Sugarman's The HelpHub where you’ll always have the mental health resources, tools, treatment options, and content you need when you need it most.
Inspirations
Listen: Stories We Haven't Shared, podcast hosted by Shanti Joy Gold Read: The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddine Attend: Queer Reads Book Club: The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddine [April 30, 2026, 6-7:30pm, Jamaica Plain Library]
This month's newsletter was curated by Alina Balseiro, DEIG Education Fellow.