Diversity, Culture & Belonging
Our Commitment to Diversity, Culture & Belonging
At Albuquerque Academy, a commitment to diversity, culture, and belonging means that we dedicate ourselves to creating an environment in which all people, regardless of race, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, political beliefs, physical disability, ethnicity, socioeconomic level, age, or religion, can thrive. It is the collective responsibility of the Albuquerque Academy community of faculty, students, staff, administration, and parents to make this environment conducive to learning and to foster mutual respect among all community members. Our director of diversity and inclusivity also assists in this area.
Diversity on our campus manifests our acceptance of the fact that we are part of a world community and that we appreciate the possibilities of the broad spectrum of humanity. To that end, we intend to weave diversity education into all aspects of school life where appropriate.
Specifically, a commitment to diversity, culture, and belonging requires that each of us examines unquestioned or traditional attitudes and beliefs about differences and suspend those that are inappropriate. It also requires that we exert an effort to model behavior that reveals our respect and appreciation for differences. To facilitate the examination of our own belief systems and behaviors, diverse curricular materials, student common times, and training programs for faculty and staff on such matters will be part of the fiber of this academic community.
In this commitment, we prepare ourselves for the diverse and interconnected world in which we live.
Greetings from Albuquerque Academy’s Office of Diversity, Culture, and Belonging!
Albuquerque Academy is guided by our mission when it comes to diversity, culture, and belonging (DCB). We strive daily to value and affirm diversities of all types, and to create a truly “caring, inclusive, and just community.” We try to ensure that we educate the whole child including, among other areas, a focus on academics, the arts, athletics, and socio-emotional and character development. We also seek to develop global citizens who are open and prepared to work toward an understanding and respect for differences. Cultural understanding and self-awareness, in addition to inclusive practices such as communicating across difference, have also become part of the essential 21st-century skillset required by colleges and employers worldwide. We also believe that academic excellence could not exist without diverse perspectives. Learning to celebrate difference and to have compassion for others should be an intentional effort enriched through education and dialogue around the topic. DCB efforts are a shared partnership across all sectors of the community and ongoing goals for the Academy as a whole. The Office of Diversity, Culture, and Belonging, located in Brown Hall, has an open-door policy for additional support. The Academy owns and celebrates the richness diversity brings and strives to move forward with an ongoing hunger for learning from, and with, each other, centering compassion and respect, to be “a caring, inclusive, and just community.”
Peter Gloyd
Director of Diversity, Culture & Belonging
(505) 858-8824
What We Do!
The Allies, Friends & Parents of LGBTQIA+ Academy
This group will begin meeting monthly in August. It aims to help create a more supportive environment for LGBTQIA+ students and community members through education and advocacy. Click here to learn more.
No Place for Hate
In 2021, Albuquerque Academy participated in the No Place for Hate®, a program developed by the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) – a leading civil rights organization that has worked for over a century to “secure justice and fair treatment to all and earned designation as a No Place for Hate school. Through participation in this program, […]
Cultural Activities and Celebrations
Every year, the multicultural parent councils and student groups engage in a variety of cultural activities and celebrations, including hosting cultural food or arts and crafts booths at Community day, to baking bread in our Pueblo-style horno, to book clubs and holiday celebrations.
Faculty Professional Development
Albuquerque Academy strives for diversity-related professional development to be ongoing for our faculty, staff, and administration. In addition to internal work done in faculty meetings in this area, the director offers training workshops, book groups, and opportunities to attend conferences and participate in online workshops. External consultants are also invited to school in-services to help […]
Student Diversity Groups
In addition to student affinity groups (Black Student Association, Hispanic Student Association, Jewish Student Association, Muslim Student Association, and the Sexuality and Gender Alliance), there are divisional Student Diversity Leadership Councils. The mission of SDLC is to provide a safe, accepting environment and forum for discussion and to promote awareness, equity, social justice, and the […]
IDEA Council
The IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access) Council, made up of representatives from all divisions and various departments, works closely with the director and aims to make a difference in the school community as we strive for true equity and inclusivity. The group helps set priorities for DEI, plan in-services, and implement initiatives.
Community Day Festival
Each year, Albuquerque Academy organizes a Community Day for all students and faculty. It’s a day filled with celebration and exploration, while we make new connections, learn new skills, and are inspired by the diversity of our community.
Diversity Related Assemblies
The following speakers and performers have visited Albuquerque Academy in recent years: La Donna Harris, Comanche activist Eric Zohn, discussion about fighting AIDS in Africa and his experience of being Jewish on the show, Survivor Dr. Karen Martin, race, incarceration, and the industrial complex Eric Bibb, African American folk musician Jagwa, a musical group from […]
Annual Lunar New Year Celebration
In partnership with the Asian Parent Council, to honor Lunar New Year, which is celebrated in various ways by many Asian cultures, the Quang Minh Lion Dance Team has performed the traditional Chinese Lion Dance across our campus.
Multicultural Family Welcome, Holiday Brunch, and End of Year Celebration
Several times during the school year, families new and returning from the Multicultural Parent Councils gather together to connect and celebrate. The Albuquerque Academy mariachi band and other student performers often provide the entertainment.
Native American Senior Honoring Ceremony
A long-standing tradition every May, families in the Native American Parent Council can choose to participate in this event for their graduating seniors. This is a special ceremony and celebration to honor Native graduates while incorporating the special cultural traditions of each participant and their family, which may include a blessing, an eagle feather presentation, […]
New Mexico Diversity Conference for Youth
Academy students with a keen interest in celebrating differences and building communities attend the New Mexico Youth Diversity Conference. Students connect with peers from other schools, share ideas, and broaden their perspectives.
Student Diversity Leadership Conference
Six students in grades 9-12 are selected through an application process to attend the annual National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC ). Academy students attend this conference, which takes place in a different city every year, with more than 1,600 other students from independent schools across the nation. Happening alongside […]
Fall Feast
Every fall, the Native American Parent Council hosts a Fall Feast for Native American families and their faculty advisors. Guest speakers in recent years have included Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, and New Mexico House representative Derrick Lente (Sandia Pueblo). This year, the event was preceded by a day of baking bread together in our […]
Student DCB Education
The Academy provides educational workshops and dialogues with students through presentations, classwork collaboration with other teachers, and Diversity & Inclusivity classes.
Peter Gloyd ’98
Peter Gloyd Mathematics gloyd@hsedd.com (505) 858-8824 Peter grew up in Chinle, AZ on the Navajo Nation. He graduated from Albuquerque Academy in 1998. Before returning to the Academy in a professional role, Peter taught upper level math courses at a local charter school (14 years). It is a joy of his to learn and create [...]
Annual UNM Black History Month Brunch
Annually, Albuquerque Academy attends the UNM Black History Month Brunch with a few representatives from our school. This year, Mr. Andrew Watson, our head of school, attended with a group of students. They enjoyed having the experience together and hearing the special speaker for the event, Dr. Carol Anderson, Professor of African American Studies at […]
