Dear UWCSEA Community,

As communities all over the world react to the brutal death of George Floyd and mobilise for change, we are determined to work to dismantle any systemic racism and injustices within UWCSEA as we equip students to take action for a more just and equitable society. As leaders and educators, we understand our vital role in creating and promoting change, and that we have a responsibility to stand up against racism and social injustice in all forms.

To inform our actions, we always begin with self-examination, listening, research and dialogue. Colleagues are collaboratively building lists of resources (links below) that will help us to understand better what underpins systemic racism and issues that contribute to injustice.

Dialogues and discussions with each other and with students, to understand the issues and identify further actions we collectively need to take, are already underway. This action includes the classroom: the review of our curriculum initiated by the UWCSEA Strategy 2018–2023, which includes close examination of our courses and whether our broad programme includes perspectives beyond the traditional Western narrative, is ongoing and as urgent as ever.

I am having conversations with individuals in our community to hear their experience. The Values in Action initiative launched in 2019, which convened community dialogues to review our core values, will now focus closer attention on issues of race and racism. In the 2020/2021 school year, unconscious bias training for leaders will deepen our awareness of less visible forms of racism and bias. How we recruit, how we communicate, how we represent multiple perspectives – these are just some of the behaviours and practices that need to be reviewed, improved and then firmly embedded taking an anti-racist perspective.  Much of this work had begun with our Strategy, but we are motivated by a new urgency as we listen to current and former members of our community whose voices may have been under-represented in the past.

Calls to account and action from across our community are critical to informing our next steps. The results and recommendations from student-led and alumni-led surveys will help to inform our next steps and priorities. We will do everything we can to listen and to create a safe space for all community members as we work together to do more, and do better.

I want to thank the UWCSEA community for your passion and your commitment to creating a more just College and society. We are listening, we are learning and we are committed to action.

We will continue to update you on our work and progress; some initial resources and opportunities to share your experiences or ideas are below.

Carma Elliot
College President
 

Resources, support and feedback

UWC movement

UWC International letter on Black Lives Matter and antiracism

Anti-racism resources for learning

- A collection of anti-racist books, audio books, podcasts, and documentaries curated by our Teacher Librarians is available here
- A growing collection of articles, tools and resource materials for individuals, teachers and parents – where you can also add your recommendations – is available here

Support and safeguarding

Students and alumni – If you have experienced racism or discrimination at UWCSEA, please contact our Senior Safeguarding Lead, Lia Gould, at liauwc@uwcsea.edu.sg with whom you can safely share your experience.

Surveys

Students and alumni are encouraged to share your experiences and views by participating in the student-led and alumni-led surveys being circulated. The results and recommendations from students and alumni will be vital to the change process.

Feedback and ideas

If you have feedback or ideas to support the College's antiracism work, please write to the Office of the President at president@uwcsea.edu.sg.