by Isabella Leyton ’25, DEIB Reporter for The Polygon

Every generation of students is different and has unique needs in order to feel comfortable and included.

Carmelo Larose is a new co-coordinator of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). He joins fellow co-coordinator Director of Campus Library Services Iman Stultz, who was spotlighted in the November issue of The Polygon. Larose, an Upper School English teacher, came to Poly in 2015 and has been an essential part of the community ever since. This semester, he is teaching both Advanced Law and Literature and Literature and Psychology. In the past, Larose has taught electives including film studies, creative nonfiction writing, African American literature, and literature of New York. Recently, he has taken on a new role in DEIB. He told me that he hopes he can use this role to make “everyone feel welcome.” 

Prior to Poly, Larose worked at Middlesex School in Concord, MA, where he served as the Director of Diversity and the Director of Service Learning. He told The Polygon in an email that he has “enjoyed my conversations and interactions with the very dynamic and diverse student body at Poly… I have had an incredibly positive and powerful experience working with the students as an English teacher. My work as a DEIB co-coordinator evolved naturally from those meaningful experiences.” He believes that “DEIB is important in every institution.” Every generation of students is different and has unique needs in order to feel comfortable and included. Along with staying updated on current events that may impact students, Larose makes sure he is aware of what the student body needs. 

“I have worked on ensuring that the curriculum reflects the identities, needs, and interests of our student body.”

As DEIB Co-coordinator, Larose participates in discussion groups and has “Task Force” meetings, helping the leaders of [student] affinity groups plan assemblies. Assemblies are an opportunity for members of the community to hear about what affinity groups have been doing and working on. DEIB Chair Erika Freeman P’24, ’26, ’28, ’32 meets with DEIB leaders at other schools. As DEIB Co-coordinators, Larose and Stultz attend conferences and speak with colleagues with similar roles at other schools and institutions. According to Larose, they are “interested in making sure diversity, equity, inclusivity, and belonging are furthered at our school…”

“As a member of the English Department,” Larose emailed The Polygon, “I have worked on ensuring that the curriculum reflects the identities, needs, and interests of our student body.” He would like DEIB [block] to be a time that students look forward to, where they can get into smaller groups and speak their minds. If anyone in the community feels like DEIB doesn’t feel like a welcoming or helpful time, they should reach out to Larose or Stultz. “Effective teaching is careful listening,” said Larose. The main way that the DEIB at Poly can be improved is if students express concerns and ideas.

Note: This article was originally published in The Polygon‘s December 2023 issue.