This week, Middle School students in the Creative Writing, In the News, and Developing Leadership Discovery classes went on a field trip to the Museum of the City of New York. “We had a guided tour on activism in New York, specifically focusing on two movements—LGBTQ+ activism in New York from 1969 to 2019, and the movement for Black Lives from 2012 to 2020,” explained Grade 8 Dean Ms. Miller. In preparation for the visit, students discussed how civil rights movements use art and artists to spread their message. For example, Creative Writing students read and analyzed the poem “Playground Elegy” by Clint Smith, written in response to the murder of Michael Brown. And both Creative Writing and In the News students reflected on how civil rights movements guide future ones. “We also watched some videos on the Stonewall Inn Riots and… traced the roots of the BLM movement to the killing of Trayvon Martin and how this event was a catalyst moment,” said Ms. Miller. We appreciate opportunities like this that speak to D-E’s mission to “embrace diversity in order to develop the skills, values, and courage to meet the challenges of a changing world and make it better.”