Nardin Today Winter 2020-2021

19 Nardin Today Winter 2020-21 Nardin Welcomes Back Kendra Brim '07 Nardin Academy is pleased to introduce Kendra Brim ‘07 as our first Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Opportunity (DIO). A member of the Class of 2007, Kendra’s freshman year began when she was just twelve years old. As a basketball all-star here, she was named Monsignor Martin Association MVP, NYS All-State Fourth Team, two-time all-Western New York, Nardin MVP, and Athlete of the Year in 2007. She was inducted into Nardin’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018. Kendra went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree at Colgate University, where she studied political science and minored in African American studies. She later earned a Master of Science in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Most recently, Kendra received a Diversity and Inclusion Training Certificate from Cornell University. Kendra also has vast experience working to help advance diverse and equitable practices at various organizations in Western New York, including as a project manager at BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, where she served as the external chair of its Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee. In this role, she led collaborative discussions with senior leadership and employees to jumpstart and manage the diversity, equity, and inclusion process. Kendra currently serves as the National Urban League Young Professionals Programs Chair and is a board member Rainbow Heritage Club and Black Student Union By Elia Callahan ‘21 >> Nardin’s Rainbow Heritage and the Black Student Union are clubs in which students can come together and bond. They have both been spaces where we can be ourselves without fear. Going from a Rainbow Heritage club member to one of its leaders has meant so much to me. I eagerly took on the responsibility of making sure everyone's voices were heard and that the club was running smoothly. I also wanted to create a Black Student Union to provide additional support for the Black students. This is our first year, and I am excited for the future. n Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Student Leadership Program and Challenging Injustices in Society By Bridget Stack ‘21 >> As student leaders of DEI, our goal is to make sure every student feels like they belong. Composed of fourteen private schools, the Education Collaborative of WNY started the first group in the entire world that unites students to make their school a place of inclusion. We listen to each others’ experiences, hopes for the future, and take action, so that they will become realities. Challenging Injustices in Society (CIIS) is another student-led group within Nardin’s high school community. Discussions are initiated and action is taken through drives and policy reform. During this past summer, CIIS worked with Nardin Administration to reform the Academy’s diversity statement, dress code policy, and anti- discrimination policy. n