Send us a text In this episode of Aspire, Katie Shipp and Chessy Prout welcome Erica Thompson, Assistant Head of School for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School, and her seventh-grade student Annalise. Erica shares how she uses hair, a public, personal, and changeable part of identity, as an approachable way to teach young students about boundaries, respect, and consent. Through stories, literature, and real-life examples, Erica’s workshops help students connect everyday experiences with larger lessons about autonomy and equity. Annalise describes the impact of these conversations at school, explaining how learning about boundaries at a young age made her more confident expressing them and more aware of the power of saying (and hearing) “no.” The episode offers a model for introducing equity and consent at the elementary and middle school level, showing how well-chosen, practical examples can spark open, lasting change.
