PRISM President senior Aster Conway-Reppert remembers when she was a sophomore presenting with her friend and classmate, Mariam Ali, at a community symposium that is now hosted by the Center for Inclusive Excellence & Belonging in collaboration with PRISM and Loomis Chaffee affinity groups.  

“We created a presentation on different types of hair, braiding as a cultural practice, and the history behind it,” Aster said. “At the time, it felt like such a meaningful way to bring a part of our identities into a shared space, and it showed me early on how powerful peer-led conversations can be.”  

Mariam presented again this year in the symposium on Sunday, May 3, with a workshop on the fusion of African dance traditions with dance styles across the globe. Aster experienced the symposium from “a different perspective.” 

“Instead of presenting this year,” Aster said, “I wanted to learn from others in ways that felt just as impactful. One of the most meaningful presentations for me was by [senior] Kya Hua and [junior] Katie Pham, who explored the history of oversexualization and media representation of Southeast Asian women. It was thoughtful, nuanced, and honestly, the kind of conversation that sticks with you afterward.” 

That is one goal of the symposium: walking away having gained knowledge in new areas. The sixth symposium was filled with student-led workshops followed by a gallery walk of infographics prepared by various student affinity groups and the center’s student interns.    

“What makes the … symposium so special is that it creates a space where learning feels personal,” Aster said. “It’s not just about absorbing information. It’s about engaging with your peers in an environment rooted in comfort, respect, and love. There’s something really powerful about being able to both teach and learn in that kind of space, and seeing how much it has grown since my freshman year has made it even more meaningful to me.” 

Another PRISM president, senior Cookie Danchaivijitr, attended two workshops and the gallery walk. 

“The afternoon was full of learning and reflection for our community members, and it would not have happened without the workshop and infographic presenters who brought insightful perspectives to their sessions,” Cookie said. “I think the most meaningful part of this afternoon was how our community took time off their schedules to come together, share, and learn from each other, something we should learn to do as a habit.”  

One of the poster presentations on the gallery walk — “Culinary Resistance in the Middle East” — was from junior Kelly Kassab and sophomore Pierce Armstrong-Shakib. The poster illustrated various foods, including harissa, a traditional Armenian porridge “prepared during times of hardship, including the Armenian Genocide, and symbolizes survival and resistance.”  

“For a place like the Middle East,” Kelly said, “that always seems to be plagued by war, we wanted this infographic to showcase an aspect of Middle Eastern life that is nonviolent. There are other ways people have acted in resistance rather than the traditional fighting we always see in the news. We all eat, and we can see how food can function as resistance in addition to sustenance, how a simple meal helps people indirectly fight for their beliefs.”