Student Diversity League Organizes Virtual Culture Jam

For the first time in its seventeen-year history, Culture Jam will take place away from Ellis’ Fifth Avenue campus and be hosted entirely online. Organized and helmed by the Upper School Student Diversity League, Culture Jam 2021 will be broadcast virtually on January 15, 2021. The conference will feature a keynote address from activist and non-profit executive Gisele Fetterman.
This year’s conference theme is Cultivating Changemakers and will focus on how comprehensive, systemic change is essential to improving communities. Such change goes far beyond performative activism that often does not address societal injustices and inequalities, and it requires people of all ages to do their part. Cultivating Changemakers refers to young people coming together and actively seeking to acquire the skills necessary to take action within their communities right now. Culture Jam 2021 will give students in the Pittsburgh area and beyond the opportunity to listen to their peers and learn how to take bold, brave steps toward being the change.

Ms. Fetterman, Pennsylvania's Second Lady and co-founder of For Good Pgh. will deliver the conference’s keynote speech, which is free and open to the public. A longtime access and equity advocate, she is the founder of Freestore 15104, a shop that aims to end food and clothing insecurity by redistributing surplus and donated goods to neighbors in need. The Freestore inspired six additional locations and the birth of 412 Food Rescue, a community-wide effort to end hunger and food waste. Ms. Fetterman is also co-founder of For Good PGH, a nonprofit that works to advocate for inclusion and inspire kindness. Her work has been celebrated nationally and featured in the Huffington Post, TODAY Show, CNN, NPR, NY Post, and more. 

Real, concrete change is necessary in order to improve our communities. Culture Jam 2021 will empower young people to push past performative activism and make a genuine difference by connecting with their peers and learning how to ignite the sparks of authentic change.


*Culture Jam graphic designed by Moira Connell, Class of 2022, and Carly McGuire, Class of 2021
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