Diversity Day 2025: One School, Many Stories

On Thursday, November 6, 2025, Commonwealth students, faculty, and staff gathered for Diversity Day, an annual school-wide experience that focuses on conversation and community. Founded by students more than a decade ago and now an annual tradition, Diversity Day interrupts our normal class schedule to allow us to explore the various lived experiences and identities through workshops designed and run by students, faculty, and staff. Diversity Day allows the community to focus our collective attention on ways to cultivate a more equitable and just culture at Commonwealth and beyond. You can get a taste of this year's event below.

Hear from Our Leaders

Watch the Highlight Reel

View the Photo Album

Schedule

Events take place in the Cafegymnatorium unless otherwise noted.

8:45 a.m. Opening Remarks
9:00–10:00 a.m. Lion Dance Performance
10:00–10:20 a.m. Snack/Break
10:20–11:20 a.m. Evan Milligan Keynote and Q&A
11:25 a.m.–12:05 p.m. Session I Workshops; see descriptions for locations
12:10–12:50 p.m. Session II Workshops; see descriptions for locations
12:50–1:50 p.m. Lunch and Family Food Festival
- Lunch will feature Haitian, Dominican, and Cape Verdean specialties prepared by our chefs. View full menu here.
- For the Family Food Festival, students are welcome to send in a shareable, snackable dish of significance to them. No nuts, please!
1:55–2:35 p.m. Advising Group Conversations; see individual schedules for location
2:40–3:30 p.m. Performance by Juan Ruiz

Explore Workshop Sessions

Keynote Speaker: Evan Milligan

Born into a unique activist/artist community and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, Evan Milligan attended Birmingham-Southern College, where he graduated in 2003 as a religion major. After graduating from college, Evan became a community organizer with the Federation of Child Care Centers of Alabama (FOCAL) and served as a justice fellow for the Equal Justice Initiative. He earned his J.D. at New York University School of Law, and returned to EJI, serving as a law fellow and as program manager. Evan served as a policy advisor for Commissioner Rodney Ellis of the Harris County Commission, where he led a research and advocacy initiative focusing on community-based violence interruption. Evan served as the founding executive director of Alabama Forward, a statewide civic engagement table advancing efforts of nonpartisan organizations throughout Alabama to expand the voter base, protect voting rights, and make election systems as accessible as possible. Evan is also the named plaintiff in Allen v. Milligan, a federal lawsuit filed under Section 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Evan and his co-plaintiffs, leading to the creation of a second Congressional district providing Black Alabamians an opportunity to elect a candidate of choice. Evan currently serves as one of Western States Center’s Senior Fellows.

A Taste of the Caribbean and Latin America

Caribbean and Latin American immigrants have long shaped Boston’s cultural and culinary identity. Since the early twentieth century, families from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cape Verde, Cuba, and other parts of Latin America have made their homes in neighborhoods like Roxbury, Dorchester, and Jamaica Plain—bringing with them rich traditions, languages, and cuisines. Food, in particular, has served as a bridge between generations and cultures, turning Boston’s kitchens and community gatherings into spaces of celebration, storytelling, and resilience.

At Commonwealth, our students and their families continue this legacy. The dishes on our Diversity Day menu reflect the roots and pride of students whose families descend from Haiti, Cape Verde, Dominican Republic, and other Caribbean and Latin American countries. Each recipe carries with it a taste of home and a story of identity, migration, and connection.

Together, these dishes honor the diversity and shared heritage of our Commonwealth School community—celebrating the cultures, histories, and flavors that make Boston, and our school, a richer and more connected place.

Diversity Day Menu

Tasso: A beloved Haitian dish of fried meat marinated in spices. The meat is first boiled to absorb flavor, then fried until crispy and golden, often served with rice and beans, fried plantains, and pikliz (Haitian pickled vegetables).
Diri Djondjon (Black Rice): An iconic Haitian dish made with black mushrooms native to northern Haiti, giving the rice its rich, earthy color and umami flavor.
Pikliz: A bright, crunchy, spicy Haitian slaw of pickled cabbage, carrots, onions, and peppers in vinegar—perfect alongside fried or grilled foods.
Fried Plantains: A versatile favorite enjoyed throughout Latin America and the Caribbean; plantains are sliced and fried until golden, offering a savory-sweet complement to any meal.
Cachupa: A hearty Cape Verdean stew made with hominy, beans, vegetables, and seasoned meats—slow-cooked to bring out deep, comforting flavors.
Habichuelas Guisadas: Dominican Republic stewed beans simmered with aromatics and spices, a soulful staple of everyday meals across the island and its diaspora.