The first speaker in the Nathan M. Clark Speaker Series was international peacekeeper Rebecca Davis. During her day on campus, Rebecca met with more than 300 students in grades five through nine, sharing her passion for dance, her global engagement with at-risk youth through dance, and her commitment to peacekeeping. In the evening, viewers from around the world joined in for her livestream presentation, including from three of the African nations where Rebecca works. To read more about her visit and for the YouTube link, click here.
Community
"The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life that Matters "
Emily Esfahani Smith
June 9, 2025
7:00pm
MS/US Library Learning Commons
Wilmington Friends School
101 School Road
Wilmington, Delaware 19803
In a world of increased anxiety and uncertainty, the best thing we can do for our wellness and mental health is search for meaning, not happiness. That’s the vital message at the core of Emily Esfahani Smith’s bestselling book, The Power of Meaning, which outlines four pillars essential to living a life that matters: belonging, purpose, transcendence, and storytelling. From her popular TED talk—viewed over 15 million times—to her viral Atlantic article “There’s More to Life Than Being Happy,” Smith helps us through difficult times, not by telling us to ignore our grief, but by setting us on the path to discover new meaning.
Thank you to all who attended!
Emily Esfahani Smith
June 9, 2025
7:00pm
MS/US Library Learning Commons
Wilmington Friends School
101 School Road
Wilmington, Delaware 19803
In a world of increased anxiety and uncertainty, the best thing we can do for our wellness and mental health is search for meaning, not happiness. That’s the vital message at the core of Emily Esfahani Smith’s bestselling book, The Power of Meaning, which outlines four pillars essential to living a life that matters: belonging, purpose, transcendence, and storytelling. From her popular TED talk—viewed over 15 million times—to her viral Atlantic article “There’s More to Life Than Being Happy,” Smith helps us through difficult times, not by telling us to ignore our grief, but by setting us on the path to discover new meaning.
Sponsored through a grant from The Nathan M. Clark Foundation.
Thank you to all who attended!
Emily Esfahani Smith
The Nathan M. Clark Foundation is committed to adding to the quality of life in and around Wilmington, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by supporting arts, culture, and redevelopment initiatives.
Previous Speakers
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Bryan Stevenson
Perhaps the largest event in the School's history, we were thrilled to host speaker Bryan Stevenson in honor of our school's 275th anniversary as part of the Nathan M. Clark Speaker Series in November 2023.In the Chase Fieldhouse with over 1500 guests in attendance, Bryan engrossed the audience with stories about his family, his legal work, and the human condition as it relates to the history of slavery in the United States.In discussing his family history, Bryan noted the following: his great-grandparents were enslaved; his parents and grandparents lived through Jim Crow Laws and were not given opportunities to pursue their education; and Bryan himself started his education in a colored school. Once self-conscious about his family’s history as a Harvard Law School student, Bryan talked about his shift in thinking as it pertains to his family’s legacy. Grateful for their immense strength and belief in younger generations, Bryan shares their stories because he believes that we cannot heal until we are honest about our past and acknowledge the root of the pain and trauma of one another.Through Bryan’s words, a belief that is core to Quaker education––there is that of God in everyone––rang true. Bryan, who has spent decades representing capital defendants and death row prisoners, believes that “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” He explained that, oftentimes, people who make mistakes are not seen and their humanity is not recognized. He warns us that this is not the answer; approaching others with fear and anger only robs them and ourselves of peaceful resolution and growth. Rather, he argues, we should see the humanity in everyone and recognize their stories.Bryan urged the WFS community to get proximate to help solve complex issues that various communities face every day. Policymakers often make decisions from distant places, leaving them unable to hear or see many of the troubling issues at hand. To serve the community and make a positive impact, getting close to the people that you care about and are trying to serve creates an understanding to be able to create real change. -
Jeffery Robinson
Criminal defense and divil rights attorney Jeffery Robinson joined us for a film screening and discussion in May of 2022 about the film, Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America.The film features Robinson and interweaves lecture, personal anecdotes, interviews, and surprising revelations as he draws a stark timeline of anti-Black racism in the United States. Described by critics as powerful, moving, and a "must-see," the film is a New York Times Critic's Pick and was an audience award winner at the SXSW Film Festival.
We were thrilled that Robinson joined us virtually for a Q&A discussion after the film. He is founder and CEO of The Who We Are Project, a nonprofit organization working to change the narrative on our shared history of anti-Black racism in the U.S. Robinson has four decades of experience working on criminal and racial justice issues in his private practice as a lawyer, lecturing across the country, and then as a Deputy Legal Director and the Director of the ACLU’s Trone Center for Justice and Equality. -
Dr. Michael E. Mann
On April 5, 2022, prominent climate scientist Dr. Michael E. Mann joined us in the theater for a presentation on "Urgency a& Agency in the Battle to Avert a Climate Crisis. Dr. Mann is the author of more than 200 peer-reviewed and edited publications, numerous op-eds and commentaries, and five books. Dr. Mann was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 2020, and he is also a co-founder of the award-winning science website RealClimate.org. -
Rebecca Davis
101 School Road, Wilmington, DE 19803
302.576.2900 | info@wilmingtonfriends.org
Preschool - 12th Grade
302.576.2900 | info@wilmingtonfriends.org
Preschool - 12th Grade
Statement of Nondiscrimination as to Student Enrollment
Wilmington Friends School admits students of any race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of these schools. Wilmington Friends School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin in administration of their educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.
