Students Learn Leadership through Listening at SDLC

Sophomore Leo Bernstein, juniors Cayla Dious and Cameron Reeder, and senior Andre Lambert join more than 1,600 students from across the country to learn cross-cultural communication skills, discuss effective strategies for social justice, express themselves through the arts and practice networking skills.

 

“I hope to just see more of the world and get to understand other people better, and bring all of that knowledge back here,” Reeder said. “I want to expand my mind.”

 

Reeder and Dious both said they were looking forward to hearing new perspectives and learning from other youth.

 

“I feel like I can bring back other people’s stories and my stories, and give people a broader perspective than just here at St. Andrew’s,” Dious said. “I’m just really grateful I get to go.”

 

Dious said her classmate, Tony Diallo ‘19, inspired her to apply to be an SDLC delegate. Diallo, who went to SDLC last year, said the experience made him more open to new ideas.

 

“Now, I like to hear all outlooks to see where people are coming from,” Diallo said. “If two people are arguing over something and they come to you for help, it’s more of just hearing both sides, understanding where they’re coming from and giving them ways they can talk to each other. The only way people can solve things is by talking to each other, listening, and reacting with reasoning.”

 

Through SDLC “family groups” and “home groups,” students make one-on-one connections by sharing personal experiences.

 

“When you go there, it feels like a big hug,” Diallo said. “Everyone is ready to help, wanting to help, trying to help.”

 

Lambert was a delegate last year and is returning again this weekend. He was inspired by the people he met, the lessons he learned, and the mentors who taught them.

 

“Just hearing all these stories from all these amazing people, and also hearing such heartache and sadness and how these people were hurting, affected me,” Lambert said. “It showed me that I was not alone. There is always someone going through similar issues you are, knowing you will be okay…was really helpful to me.”

 

He said the strategies he learned at SDLC have helped him be a better student and leader of St. Andrew’s Black Student Alliance by enhancing his awareness of how his actions affect those around him.

 

Glasgow, who also serves as St. Andrew’s Chief Diversity Officer, is one of the founding voices of SDLC, which has grown from 50 students in Philadelphia in 1995 to more than 1,600 students and teachers today.

 

“The kids we send to the conference from here, they come back and they’re inspired not just to do diversity work, but they are in touch more with who they are as people and are not apologizing for being different or feeling different,” Glasgow said earlier this year.

 

“I think that biggest impact is that those students grow up to be adults, but all of them keep up the work lifelong, and to feel a part of that is humbling and it’s a blessing.”