Dalton Conference 2022 Photo Gallery
Dalton Conference 2022 Video

Interim Head of School Ellen Stein welcomed participants to the 12th Annual Dalton Conference 2022: From Diversity to Inclusion and Belonging in the Martin Theater. Ellen noted that our communities are always a work in progress and spoke about the importance of new voices as school’s strive to achieve common goals. She said that schools are well-positioned to examine belonging in deeper ways than before and creating an authentic sense of belonging is why we’re here today.

Author Charles Vogl, a warm and engaging keynote speaker, spoke about creating a culture of belonging. He said that when individuals share a mutual concern about each others’ welfare, they become more invested in their community. He hoped that attendees would leave this conference feeling more confident and inspired to make a difference with their own community members. Charles introduced the Campfire Principle which helps to knit together people. He explained that when you leave a campfire, you tend to feel more connected to others because the proximity is conducive to having individual, intimate conversations without distractions. 

After gathering by constituencies to discuss challenges and effective practices related to fostering belonging in communities, student panelists shared their experiences and perspectives. At the final afternoon breakout session, participants met in a Pod with their own school colleagues to reflect on the day and consider possible takeaways. 

Along with event organizer Pollyanna, Dalton's DEI Office, 60 greeters, facilitators, notetakers, students, tech, back-ups, editors, along with facilities, food service, and security teams all helped make this day a smooth-running success.