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Bruno On New Role As Director of Diversity and Community By Rachel farhoudi

This year Jackee Bruno is taking on the job of being Pinewood’s first Director of Diversity and Community. He has planned several cultural events to acknowledge the diversity at Pinewood and is engaging the whole community through assemblies and class trips.

Q: Could you explain what the Director of Diversity and Community means for Pinewood?

A: On a basic level, it is those two things. So, Director of Diversity — diversity being difference and acknowledging that we could use more of it or that we have it. The community part is similar to what I did as Activities Director: community building and activity planning. These things are linked...diversity should be a natural part of a community.

Q: How do you feel about Pinewood’s previous approach to diversity?

A: The previous approach to diversity didn’t have any sort of direction or recognition. We were not using the word ‘diverse.’ We focused a lot on socioeconomic [factors].

Q: What does a more diverse Pinewood community look like to you?

A: I think we are close, but a diverse Pinewood community would sound different. People would speak more languages, students would ask questions about their peers and be open to celebrate themselves. The current community could stay the same, but we could consider it more diverse if it sounded different.

Q: How will you include all of the Pinewood community (parents, faculty, students) in your decisions?

A: For the faculty, we have been having a lot of professional development and we have a committee of people who specifically work as the DEI committee on every campus. Students and parents need to collectively be ready to accept a more diverse campus. Of course, there is also openness so anyone can email and ask questions.

Photos by Saavri Biswal and Jaden Norwood