As the soothing melody of “Feeling Good” from Blair’s jazz ensemble floated to the rafters, members of the community gathered for the opening of an annual January tradition in DuBois Theatre. Equity Lab Day creates space for Blair students to step into the role of educator, and in doing so, they embody the day’s spirit of learning, empathy and global understanding that honors the full spectrum of the human experience. Throughout the day, peer learning was on display across campus as 24 unique seminar topics were offered and open conversations ensued.

“This annual gathering has become a moment that brings our mission to life—activating our community through collective care and meaningful conversation,” Head of School Peter G. Curran P’27 ’27 shared before introducing the day’s guest speaker, Dr. Nyle Fort. “As we move through the day, I hope we can all reflect on how deeply ‘seeing the good’ is woven into Blair’s culture. That value shows up in how we listen…how we navigate hard conversations, and how we commit to a mindset of learning and growth.”

A welcomed return visitor to campus, Dr. Fort is a minister, scholar, community activist and professor at Columbia University. During his virtual (due to weather) presentation, he helped students engage with the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—challenging them to learn, grow, uplift one another, and reflect on both shared and individual experiences.

“Solidarity is not a luxury, but a necessity for survival,” Dr. Fort said in his final message. “Take seriously the messages of Equity Lab Day.”

As the crowd scattered to classrooms around the hilltop, they kept the counsel of Dr. Fort with them, honoring Blair’s commitment to create a more just, equitable and inclusive community.

From seminars on the exclusionary practice of redlining, Greek life and the importance of historically black colleges and universities, and even hair, senior Josie Tetteh ’26 has led them all. Each year, she commits to commanding her subject matter and educating her peers on a topic she is passionate about, helping the community to grow in the process. In turn, she is consistently surprised by the new information she gathers along the way, understanding that there is always more to learn.

“There is so much going on in the world outside campus, and to have a whole day dedicated to learning about it is truly amazing,” Josie reflects.

While Josie was engaging attendees in discussion about the discriminatory practices of redlining, Jackson Cooper ’26 was opening up a conversation about equality versus equity.

“The engagement I received from students across different grade levels genuinely meant a lot to me,” Jackson notes. “Watching ninth and 12th graders fight with the same difficult questions and learn from one another was really spectacular.”

Equity Lab Day’s peer learning extended beyond students, offering two blocks of nine seminar options for faculty and staff led by their colleagues. It was an opportunity to learn from one another and share ideas on similar topics and struggles they face while showing up for students each day. Modeling this collaborative experience for students emphasizes the mission that learning is a lifelong process.

Blair’s Dean of Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Evan Thomas summarized the day saying, “The breadth of seminar topics and the diversity of our presenters made this a truly collaborative moment, bringing a wide range of people and perspectives into meaningful conversation. With more than 75 community members creating learning spaces together, I couldn’t be more proud of how our community showed up for one another.”

As conversations concluded and classrooms emptied, the chorus of “Feeling Good” felt less like a performance and more like a charge. “It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life,” the lyrics echoed—a call to carry the lessons of Equity Lab Day beyond one day and into the daily work of building a more just and inclusive Blair.