Beloved Community RVA Conference

More than 100 students, faculty, staff, and parents attended Steward’s fourth-annual Beloved Community RVA Conference, which took place on campus on January 16. The event, which was organized by Coordinator of Community and Belonging Alejandro Prince, Humanities Teacher Trevor Smith, and Dean of Bryan Innovation Lab Programs and Strategy Megan Young, honored Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his efforts to care for humanity. 

In workshops and in breakout groups, attendees celebrated our shared environment. 

“This was a wonderful way to honor Dr. King while connecting with Steward’s 2025-26 schoolwide theme of nature,” said Mr. Smith. “It also aligned with our strategic plan, Compass 2028, and its commitment to hands-on learning, sustainability, and student well-being.” 

 

Middle School, Upper School, and adult attendees began the afternoon with a keynote address from Rev. Dr. Faith Harris, director of Virginia Interfaith Power & Light and a scholar with a background connecting justice and the environment. Dr. Harris encouraged participants to consider how we might continue the legacy of Dr. King in our practices of care for one another and in recognizing our interconnectedness with the environment.

Emory Burns ’27 attended the keynote, which she found to be “extremely eye-opening … it really changed my perspective on why we celebrate MLK Day.” She added, “I really loved the message that Dr. Harris shared about how, through her work in environmental justice, she carries on Dr. King’s legacy of fighting for what you believe in.”

Following the keynote, attendees attended two workshop sessions, choosing from a selection of 15 options, many of which were led by Steward students. Workshops included “Bipartisanship & Ending Food Insecurity in Virginia,” “The Philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” and “Unifying Artistry.” 

The conference also included student and adult small-group gatherings — opportunities for participants with shared experiences to exchange ideas. 

 

New this year, Beloved Community RVA featured specific programming for our Lower Schoolers. Our younger Spartans attended workshops co-led by Upper School students and Steward faculty, including “What Bees Teach Us About Beloved Community,” a painting activity based on Monet’s work, and “Seeds of Justice,” in which students planted seeds.

Emory led workshops for students and adults, during which they painted terracotta pots.  

“I encouraged them to paint scenes of nature that they had experienced during time spent in nature,” shared Emory. “We were a community of painters!”

“It was so joyful to see our Lower School artists creating and working together,” said Mr. Smith. “And our Upper Schoolers’ mentorship is a great example of the meaningful connections that make Steward a true community.”

Emory said the Beloved Community RVA Conference changed the way she views nature.

“Human beings have such a big impact on the environment, and seeing how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s messages about nature influenced our keynote speaker’s work was really impactful. When I help out in the Bryan Innovation Lab community garden this spring, I hope I can be inspired by both Dr. King and Dr. Harris.”