A Day of Silence that Speaks Volumes

On April 17, the full St. Stephen’s community paused to honor the Day of Silence, an annual event in which students across the country can choose to take a vow of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools. St. Stephen's has joined this nation-wide effort for several years. This year, students in the Middle School and Upper School could choose to be silent for the day (half-day for MS) by wearing a rainbow colored wristband or choose to show support by wearing a purple wristband. During all lunch periods, students heard from John Gentile, a diversity educational consultant, about the Day of Silence and its significance. Gentile also performed a spoken-word piece that was well received by the entire community. You may view it by clicking here.

At the end of the day, the school community was invited to join in a panel discussion led by Annabella Archacki, co-president of The Gender and Sexuality Alliance.

The panel was formed to allow a space to discuss the challenges facing LGBTQ youth and the bright futures ahead of them. The panel featured Carla Contreras (chairperson of OutYouth), John Gentile (educational consultant and faculty at the Student Diversity Leadership Conference), and Chuck Smith (executive director of Equality Texas). The panel discussion was well attended, and we look forward to making this day even more significant in the life of the school community next year.

By Yvonne Adams, Director of Diversity


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Address: 6500 St. Stephen's Dr., Austin, TX 78746
Phone: (512) 327-1213