More Than a Single Story: Building Black Excellence in an International School

The very first Black Excellence Week (BEW) at the International School of Beijing was held in February 2024. It began in response to community data and observations highlighting a need for greater representation and belonging. Since then, it has grown into something much bigger than we initially imagined: a space for connection, learning, celebration and community. At the heart of the week is a simple belief: our students deserve more than single stories. Because representation is not simply about what hangs on a wall or appears in a curriculum. It is about what those choices communicate about whose knowledge matters, whose stories belong and who gets to be seen in the fullness of their humanity.