Steven Tejada
Actor, writer and educator Steven Tejada performed his monologues for students as this year’s Multiculturalism/Community Development speaker. The stories, which combine comedy, drama and real emotions, are reflections on his personal journeys from the streets of the South Bronx to the boulevards of exclusive worlds. Mr. Tejada has performed and spoken at venues throughout the country. He is currently dean of diversity initiatives at the Noble and Greenough School. He also serves on the board of directors of De La Salle Academy in New York City, an independent school for academically talented, economically disadvantaged students. He is also a member of a national think tank and advisory council on diversity issues for the National Association of Independent Schools.
“Too many times we ask our youth to shed their identities in exchange for education opportunities. We ask them to leave their home lives at the doors of our institutions as if they were book bags they could easily slip off, put in a corner, and gather at the end of the day. Education should help you build on your identity — not require you to shed it. Educators need to understand and support the experiences of all our students.”