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Webb Canyon Chronicle

The Student News Site of The Webb Schools

Webb Canyon Chronicle

The Student News Site of The Webb Schools

Webb Canyon Chronicle

Rosetta Lee’s presentation sparks important conversations about social behavior

Rosetta+Lee+addresses+the+topic+of+Cross+Cultural+Communication.+
Scott Nichols
Rosetta Lee addresses the topic of Cross Cultural Communication.

As they entered Les Perry Gym, students and faculty gathered in small groups to listen to Rosetta Lee, educator and professional outreach counselor at Seattle Girls’ School, while watching her presentation titled “From Safe to Brave: Courageous Conversations.” Randomly assigned groups of WSC and VWS students in different grades and 1-2 faculty members engaged in a conversation highlighting Lee’s main points such as guilt v.s. shame, cultural conflicts, being A DEAR (affirm, describe, explain, assume, request), and learning from mistakes from conversations and interactions in our daily lives. 

Lee urged students and faculty to celebrate the benefits of Webb’s diverse community and helped many focus on their aspirations for the future. As demonstrated in her slide show, Lee wants to ensure that the Webb community is inclusive and welcoming in order to prepare students to lead in an increasingly global world. 

In her talk, Lee proposed the best way for one to feel safe but still have authentic conversations in an uncomfortable environment.

“I felt the concept of having a safe but uncomfortable space was pretty interesting,” said Jayden Chiu (‘20). “How obviously it’s important to have a physically safe space where different opinions are accepted and where we are open to diverse opinions. However, it’s also important for us to be uncomfortable because it is important for us to step out of our comfort zones and we learn by being uncomfortable.”

The Webb community encompasses three kinds of relationships: the relationship between faculty members and staff, between adults and students, and between the students themselves. One must also be aware that inside and outside the classroom exist as two different environments. In these spaces, the techniques of brave and authentic conversations vary, and people should be mindful of its flexibility.

Lee placed a large emphasis on the concept of Guilt v.s. Shame. She talked about how guilt can be a motivator for people to change their wrong behaviors. Shame, on the other hand, affects a person negatively. 

When a person is called out for their actions, Lee states that they can enter a “shame spiral.” The shame spiral can make someone personally attack the person who called them out or react aggressively to the comments on their behavior. 

 Lee recommends that when you feel shame for some of your actions, you should take some time to breathe and learn from your wrongdoings. Lee also recommends that when confronting someone in a professional environment, you should write to the person first. This choice will allow that person to calm down if they are affected by a shame spiral, and in case they react aggressively towards you, you have proof of how you attempted to civilly handle the situation. 

Lee introduced a way to resolve any sticky situation. In her talk, she taught the “A DEAR” method which forces individuals to be empathetic and solve any person-to-person problem. 

The person involved must first affirm the person or the relationship if damage has been done. By doing this, it creates an open space where the person at fault will feel comfortable when you address their behavior. When you talk about the mistake, she suggests instead of judging, we openly describe how it impacted us specifically and what should be done to move forward. This method could be applied through a spoken conversation or through a letter in order to make sure that shame does not get in the way of coming up with a resolution. 

Towards the end of Lee’s presentation, she brought up the importance of learning from our mistakes. To better understand the skills taught today, students have to step out of their comfort zones and apply them in real life. To illustrate this point, Lee brought up the concept of learning zones, which are spaces between the panic zones and comfort zones.

Take the Webb community for example. It is important for us to try and push ourselves to engage in more learning zones through having meaningful conversations and one-to-one dialogues with both people that disagree with as well as affirm you. Lee also mentions the concept of the backward bike, which is a process to better understand something through unlearning previously-conceived ideas. Since many people grow up being instilled with stereotypes and false statements, making the intentional attempt to unlearn is especially important. 

“Rosetta Lee was humourous and her speech offered me new aspects, but we could have discussed more within our groups,” said Brandy Zhang (‘22).

Moving forward, Lee advises people of the Webb community to take on more discussions with people who affirm them, but not shy away from having dialogues with people who do not. 

After all, the most important thing one can do is to challenge themselves by having courage that can help one obtain new knowledge. Lee’s visit has inspired a new way of engaging with social consciousness in the Webb community, and her practices will be seen on campus for a long time.

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About the Contributors
Janina Akporavbare, Staff Writer
Janina Akporavbare (‘22) loves to write, so her choice to join the Webb Canyon Chronicle as a staff writer is a perfect choice. During her leisure time, Janina can be found skating down a street, surfing in the SoCal waves, or practicing an array of sports. She identifies as an extroverted introvert – while she may be quiet and keep to herself, she will speak up for her passions. Her favorite courses, specifically in the humanities, have given her the opportunity to discuss philosophy and debate heavy topics, which she hopes to carry over to the publication. During her time as a new staff writer, she aspires to cover articles about mental health crises and other issues that people often ignore.
Bianca Arteaga, Public Editor
Do you know many busy bees at Webb? If you don't, then maybe you haven't met Bianca Arteaga ('22)—a self-described bee, she is productive, cheerful, and hardworking. She is, like many productive people, a morning person, and very organized. So perhaps it is no surprise that she is taking on the added challenge of AP Spanish this year, in order to better help people internationally in the future. Bianca eventually wants to become a lawyer and help people worldwide, which she may need Spanish for. For now, Bianca wants to help people locally by using the WCC to teach freshmen and sophomores to love Webb as she does. Bianca's other passion is protecting the environment. Despite being a very busy and successful student, Bianca is also very skilled in the athletic department. She is the varsity softball captain and hopes to continue playing even once she goes to college. Besides her work, Bianca also has a fun side: she loves playing the guitar, is obsessed with Taylor Swift, enjoys watching romcoms, and loves dad jokes. Bianca's many interests, well-balanced lifestyle, and unwavering work ethic truly make her a queen bee! Favorite song: "All Too Well" by Taylor Swift
Summer Chen, Editor-in-Chief
A bonafide Libra, Summer Chen (‘20), the Editor-in-Chief of Webb Canyon Chronicle, believes herself to be emotional, caring, and guided by her intuitions. Her passions include playing varsity basketball, eating chocolate, and watching movies and TV shows, and she finds the shows to be life changing. Like most Libras, Summer is curious and well-rounded, enjoying all subjects, especially psychology and philosophy. Summer aims to leave a legacy by informing and uniting the Webb community through journalism and yearbook. Summer enjoys being a leader in both of those activities as well as in the French Club, and she thinks these are experiences that she will look back at in the future. This year, Summer will be working on publishing her work in an online journal; as a personal goal, she hopes to be more organized.
Enya Chi, Co-Editor of Technology
Enya Chi ('20) is a first year staff writer for the Webb Canyon Chronicle. At Webb, she often finds herself engrossed in the humanities. Her favorite class was Advanced Studies Existentialism and the Human Condition, as it allowed her to further develop her interests in philosophy and sociology. Like a turtle, Enya considers herself steady and unrelenting, two traits that would serve her well as an aspiring lawyer. She hopes that she will have the opportunity to fight for people who are not as fortunate as her and help those who need it most. In her free time, she loves to go on runs to the Village with her friends and enjoy a good bowl of poke with a side of boba. As a new journalist, she hopes to cover various social issues and events.
Cathy Wang, Editor-in-Chief
Cathy Wang (‘22), an international boarding student from Shanghai, returns to Webb this year not only as the Editor-in-Chief for the WCC- but also as a dorm prefect and admissions fellow. She is excited to be back on campus, taking new classes and reconnecting with the Webb community. So far, Cathy’s favorite course that she has taken at Webb has been Advanced Studies Fascism with Ms. Fisher, which she enjoyed because of how the course related to current issues that she cares about, such as education and gender inequality. These are just a few of the topics that Cathy hopes to shed some more light on, both via the WCC and in person. Outside of classes, Cathy enjoys playing badminton and tennis, reading Latin literature or magical realism, and taking occasional trips to the Claremont Village. Additionally, you might also find her sipping her daily coffee or eating any kind of Japanese food. As the world slowly comes back from the pandemic and Webb shifts to in-person learning, Cathy hopes for the WCC to serve as a facilitator for the Webb community in fostering much-needed connections between people. Favorite song: "I Lost A Friend" by Finneas
Sharon Xu, Editor of News
Unlike her favorite animal, the panda, Sharon Xu (‘22) is a go-getter and always tries her best. An amicable, assiduous South Hutch prefect that dances, Sharon is truly one of a kind. She is also the Editor of News for the Webb Canyon Chronicle and strives for informative, intellectual, and imaginative news articles for all of Webb to read. Sharon can often be found hanging out at the Appleby Lawn or studying in the library. Her favorite book is “One Last Stop,” in which Jane, the main character, finds herself on an unescapable train and makes a home for herself there. Just like Jane, Sharon is encapsulated by the “Webb web” and makes the most out of every situation she finds herself in. For example, when faced with the terrifying prospect of “math,” Sharon, despite many setbacks, works tirelessly and overcomes this hurdle. This work ethic translates to every aspect of her life. Whether it is authoring compelling articles for journalism or taking care of her two cats, Sushi and Doctor Spencer Reed, Sharon will always put her all into it. Favorite song: "How You Get the Girl" by Taylor Swift
Sunny Yu, Editor-in-Chief
Sunny Yu (‘22) is a prime example of the protagonist personality. As a natural leader, she is active, thoughtful, caring, and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the WCC, a member of the Chapel Council, the captain of the varsity cross-country team, and a founding member of Webb’s Breakfast literary magazine. Sunny is also vocal and passionate about the enforcement of social justice and representation of marginalized groups: at the WCC, she utilizes journalism as a tool to shed light on many controversial issues, never shying away from the ability to make a lasting impact. During the weekends, you can often find her on a run to “The Spot,” a smoothie shop, playing soccer on Chandler, and occasionally annoying the library staff for borrowing too many books, such as her favorite, Waiting for the Barbarians, a wonderful allegory on human relationships. As a protagonist, she finds joy in guiding young journalists to grow into their best selves. This year, Sunny hopes that the WCC can continue covering important topics and spark conversations while bringing people laughter and keeping them informed. Favorite song: "Sunflower Feelings" by Kuzu Mellow

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