For this second issue, I emailed Carmelo Larose, the other new co-coordinator of DEIB, along with Director of Campus Library Services Iman Stultz, who was spotlighted in the November issue of the Polygon. Larose, an Upper School English teacher, came to Poly in 2015 and has been an essential part of the Poly community ever since. This semester, he is teaching both Advanced Law and Literature and Literature and Psychology. In the past, he has taught electives including film studies, creative nonfiction writing, African American literature, and the literature of New York. Recently, he has taken on a new role in DEIB. He wrote that he hopes he can use this role to make “everyone feel welcome.”
Before coming to Poly, Larose worked at Middlesex School in Concord, MA, where he served as the Director of Diversity and the Director of Service Learning. He wrote that has “enjoyed my conversations and interactions with the very dynamic and diverse student body at Poly…I have had an incredibly positive and powerful experience working with the students here as an English teacher and my work as a DEIB co-coordinator evolved naturally from those meaningful experiences.”
He believes that “DEIB is important in every institution.” Every generation of students are different and have unique needs in order to feel comfortable and included. Along with staying updated on current events, Larose makes sure he is aware of what the student body needs.
As DEIB Co-coordinator, Larose participates in discussion groups and has “Task Force” meetings, helping the leaders of affinity groups plan assemblies. Assemblies are an opportunity for members of the community to hear about what other affinity groups have been doing and working on. DEIB Chair Erika Freeman usually meets with the leaders of DEIB at other schools. As DEIB Co-coordinators, Larose and Stultz attend conferences, speaking with members of other schools and institutions with similar roles who are “interested in making sure diversity, equity, inclusivity, and belonging are furthered at our school and theirs,” according to Larose.
In an email to the Polygon, Larose wrote that “As a member of the English Department, I have worked on making sure that the curriculum reflects the identities, needs, and interests of our student body.” He wants DEIB to be a time that students look forward to, where they can get into smaller groups and speak their minds. If anyone in the community feels like DEIB doesn’t feel like a welcoming or helpful time, you should reach out to Larose or Stultz. Larose believes that “Effective teaching is careful listening.” The only way that they can improve the DEIB block is if you express your concerns and ideas to them.
