Parenting with Identity In Mind with Rosetta Lee

Incoming 2019-20 SAAS Parent Education Chair, Julie Nicholls (Aya '23), Rosetta Lee, and 2018-19 SAAS Parent Education Chair, Arden Hellman (Jake '22 and Max '19 ).

Written by Chihiro Morishima (Joe Cookson '21), Parent Education Committee member. 

Rosetta Lee, a highly-regarded, local and national expert in diversity, inclusion, and equity spoke to Seattle Academy parents on April 30 and introduced us to the journey that is identity development. We learned how complicated and dynamic this process is and how all of us are likely to be at different stages of this journey. It was fascinating to learn what experts have discovered about how our experiences shape our views of ourselves and others. Rosetta encourages us to visit her website, where the PowerPoint slides from her talk, and a wealth of other information, are posted so that we can reflect further on these important issues. Her advice to parents: be explicit with your values, be open with your own struggles, and have 100 1-minute conversations with your children!

Topics of her discussion included:

1. How to create positive self-identity in our children and teach them to be positive influences on others.
2. How do we learn about our various group identities like female, African American, Buddhist, homosexual, middle class, etc.? From whom do we learn the meaning of these terms?
3. What messages have we internalized about ourselves and others?

Together, we can co-create inclusive communities that work toward success for all.

View More Photos from the April 30 Parent Education Event