Siddharta Reynolds
Second Grade Student
Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary School 

Eight-year-old Siddharta Reynolds proudly honors the traditions of his Indian mother and his American father. The Reynolds household is a multi-racial home that recognizes the importance of culture and representation – and Siddharta has taken it a step further by being a cultural champion at his school by sharing his traditions with his classmates. Since kindergarten, Siddharta has brought a little “Festival of Light” to his class and welcomed his fellow students to celebrate Diwali* with him.

Let's Find Out More About Siddharta:

Q: Tell us a little about your family.

A: My dad is American. His heritage is Irish, German and French. Some of my ancestors on my dad’s side have been here since the mid-1700’s. My mom is Indian-American and her ancestors were from South India. She immigrated to the U.S about two decades ago to finish her education.

Q: Why did you feel it was important to bring Diwali to your class?

A: I saw the American side of my family represented in books, TV, movies and just everywhere – but I felt Indian culture and traditions weren’t being represented anywhere. It’s always fun to celebrate holidays with family and friends, but most of my friends had never heard of Diwali.

I had the pleasure of celebrating Diwali in India with my maternal grandparents and I realized there was no school led celebrations (in BUSD) of one of the biggest holidays celebrated all over the world. So, I had the idea that maybe I could do something about that.

Q: What’s the celebration like in your classroom?

A: I do a small presentation about the importance and significance of Diwali and handout crafts to all kids. Then we all color ethnic candle holders called Diyas and, as part of the tradition, we light a lamp to signify the victory of good over evil.

Q: How did you get your school community involved?

A: When I was in kindergarten, my teacher at Stevenson Elementary, Ms. Carillo, encouraged my mom and me to share the Diwali traditions with the class. That support started the trend. Mrs. Thomas was happy about the event in the 1st grade and then Ms. Lavitt in the 2nd grade. The kids really appreciated joining in and even some parents participated.  Some of them still have the Diya (lamps) we decorated when we were younger.

I feel like there’s still a lot of work to do and I’m thankful that my school supports me.

Special Q&A with Siddharta’s parents: Amruta Shanbhag-Reynolds and Pete Reynolds

Q: Discussions on race and ethnicity are often difficult, especially for children. Can you share why this kind of involvement is so empowering to Siddharta and others?

A: As a family we always talk to him about his diverse heritage. He is a prolific reader and has come across various books where people are treated differently due to the way they look or the color of their skin. We think that’s why his desire to empower multi-racial kids—and their families—is so strong.

The challenges faced by multi-racial kids are complex. In our homelife, our friends as well as our family are incredibly diverse, and we all have the goal of treating everyone equally and with kindness. It’s that kind of acceptance that Siddharta is looking to share with others. Being comfortable in his own skin has empowered him to tell his story. This creates a positive dynamic for everyone: he feels seen and respected; other students learn about different cultures; and students of color or from an ethnic or multi-ethnic background can see expressions of themselves within the school building.

We are incredibly thankful to BUSD for actively acknowledging diversity and inclusion. There’s no better time than now to teach our kids.

*Diwali, known as the Festival of Light, is one of the largest, most significant religious celebrations in the world. This five-day celebration is observed by more than a billion people across several faith groups, including Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists.