Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion

Students foster sense of equality through JEDI

The Justice, Equity Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Club is a student-led group that raises awareness and fosters a culture of equality at Pickering College.

Whether it’s leading events, creating display boards, or speaking at many Morning Meetings throughout the year, students in JEDI teach others about different cultures, celebrate traditions, and encourage inclusion.

The club started in 2021 by Rosie Xuan ’22 as part of her Grade 12 Capstone Project for the Global Leadership Program.

“I started JEDI because I believe in embracing differences instead of being dissected by them. Developing a more comprehensive view of the world has helped me see things from multiple vantage points. I want to inspire people to build more connections and learn from each other,” Rosie said. “I’ve always been passionate about initiating meaningful conversations. As a student leader, it’s important to speak up so it can be seen as a call to action to those around you.”

While Rosie graduated from Pickering College in the Class of 2022, JEDI has continued with different student leaders taking the helm.

“I’m delighted to have created a new tradition at PC and left a lasting legacy. I’m honoured to be the founder of an organization that makes tangible impacts on our community,” Rosie said.

Grade 12 students Jannat Naseem and Siobhan Bonerath are the current cochairs of JEDI. They both joined the club when they were in Grade 9.

“I heard about the club and I liked what it stood for. It was very interesting to me so I decided to join and I actually really liked how the club operated and the stuff that we did so then I stuck around,” Jannat said.

As co-chairs, Jannat and Siobhan work together to plan events and figure out how to engage the student community on various issues. One of Jannat’s highlights of the year so far was the Diwali fireworks celebration.

“It was super fun and we also had great turn out as well so it was a successful event and it was nice spreading awareness about this holiday,” she said.

For Siobhan, Black History Month is a highlight as they feature different prominent Black Canadians and historical figures.

“It’s a really great learning experience for me…I got to learn a lot about each person that we featured,” she said.

With every event, they aim to engage students and teach them in a way that’s fun and interactive. Through these hands-on experiences, JEDI provides learning opportunities and raises awareness of different perspectives, which is especially important for PC as a day and boarding school.

“I think it’s really important because Pickering College has a boarding community, and they have their own experiences. I feel like learning about different holidays and spreading the JEDI message to the students is important, it’s good in the long run. It makes people know about different perspectives. It’s a good learning opportunity for everybody,” Jannat said.

As Jannat and Siobhan’s term as co-chairs reaches its end, they are hopeful for the future of the club. They currently have a large roster of Senior School members and also welcome more students to participate.

“Anyone can join JEDI … if anyone really wants to get involved they can with however much or however little they want to contribute,” Siobhan said.

As an alumna, Rosie also looks at the future of JEDI with optimism.

“I’m very confident in the future of JEDI knowing that I was able to pass the torch which will continue to burn even brighter. I’m glad to see my peers actively pursuing these initiatives because I know the work we do brings people together,” she said.