By Linda Conner Lambeck

WESTPORT — Growing up in Westport, Leigh Foran recalls times when classmates would tease her about her looks and some of the foods she ate.

“They would ask me, ‘What are you?’ ” she said.

Of Irish and Korean descent, things changed when her family moved for a time to New York City. “They were more accepting of differences,’ said Foran. “More inclusive.”

But when the family returned to town, micro-aggressions resurfaced.

Once, a girl wore a shirt with words written in Japanese. Friends assumed Leigh could tell them what it meant. “I am not Japanese,” she told them.

Now 16 and a Staples High School junior, Foran created an organization to address the issue.

The Inclusion and Diversity through Education and Awareness Club was established last year at Staples. It started small, with a handful of students, and now has about 50 members.

Foran co-leads the IDEA club with classmate Lindsey Price. Advisor is Elizabeth McVaney, a Staples social studies teacher.

The goal is to expose young children to diversity, help them appreciate others and develop inclusive mindsets.

Twice a month, the club meets to plan lessons on themes, such as inclusion and respect, which three or four members will present at the Westport Weston Cooperative Nursery and now at the Westport Library.

The next program, which will focus on empathy, is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, April 22, at the library. The intended audience is children ages 4 to 6 years old and their parents. Advance registration is recommended.

“It’s not just sitting down and listening to a book,” Foran said of of IDEA programs. “There is a move around time.”

There usually is a project, such as drawing, for the youngsters.

“Despite these activities being quite simple, they are engaging and interactive for our young audience and ultimately get our message across in a way where the kids are having fun,” added  Ava Cordella, 16, another club member.

Cordella said being in the club has taught her how effective simplicity can be.

“The young kids we work with are always super eager and enjoy sharing their own thoughts to the group,” she said.

One activity had students listening to a situation and saying if they thought it was an example of inclusion or not.

“They were all very good about taking turns by raising their hands when they wanted to share their ideas,” Cordella said.

McVaney called the club an amazing group of intelligent and creative students who are passionate about educating others.

“I loved the idea and the message that they wanted to spread,” said McVaney. “The programs that the IDEA Club put on are a great way to spend your Saturday.”

Hot button topic

Foran said she realizes the topics of diversity and inclusion can be polarizing.

 A townwide diversity, equity and inclusion statement adopted by the town in 2021 and a recent school district equity initiative have been largely applauded, but also questioned by some who worry that focusing on race and differences is not the way to make people feel welcome and part of the community.

Having been on the receiving end of isolating moments, Foran said ignoring differences is not a way to make young children feel they belong.

“You can’t completely ignore race,” she said. “It is not realistic to say we are all the same.”

By sharing their own experiences, the hope is that students will not be afraid to ask questions, according to Foran.

“I think the main goal is to start with early education,” she said. “That is when I first started noticing it happening.”

Much of their advice on how to work with young children, Foran said, comes from McVaney, who has a background in early childhood education.

“She guides us in how to effectively and appropriately educate 4- to 6-year-olds,” Foran said.

Foran adds she is encouraged by seeing children learn and truly understand the topics being taught, some of which can be complex.

It’s positive that equity and inclusion have become districtwide initiatives, she said.

Her advice for the district is to not only teach about inclusion, but offer examples of how to apply it.

Only the beginning

Although the club is relatively new, Foran said there are several underclassmen involved who will help sustain it after she graduates.

“I think it will … make a difference,” she said.

As a sophomore, Foran won third place in the annual diversity essay contest sponsored by TEAM (Together Effectively Achieving Multiculturalism) Westport, the town’s multi-cultural advisory committee. 

Her essay, “Embracing Privilege to Tackle Racism,” argued that a color-blind approach to combating racism doesn’t work and that having difficult conversations should be encouraged.

“We have something called, ‘calling people in’ or ‘calling people out’,” said Foran in a recent interview.

“Calling out” is telling someone off if they confuse your pronouns. “Calling in” is taking it as an opportunity to educate, to politely tell them what their pronouns are without being accusatory.

Beyond the club, Foran is active in both track and soccer at Staples. She is also looking at colleges, where he hopes to major in public health.

“My longterm career goal is to reduce inequities for marginalized and underprivileged groups in healthcare settings across the world,” Foran said. 

“I hope IDEA can serve as an effective, community-based initiative to reduce deeply-rooted stereotypes and biases that contribute to this systemic issue.”

Freelance writer Linda Conner Lambeck, a reporter for more than four decades at the Connecticut Post and other Hearst publications, is a member of the Education Writers Association.