With the addition of an award-winning journalist on Monday and the founding architect of inclusive excellence on Friday, this year’s Diversity Symposium brings a week of thoughtful and thought-provoking speakers and panels to the Colorado State University campus. All completely free and open to the public.
On Monday, Sept. 25, Jessica Bennett, journalist and author of Feminist Fight Club, will join Cori Wong, director of CSU’s Women & Gender Collaborative, in a fireside chat on how to challenge subtle sexism in the workplace. Lory Student Center Ballroom D, 1-2:15 p.m. Sponsored by the Women & Gender Collaborative.
CSU Inspire brings a TED Talk-like session to the Lory Student Center Theatre on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The talks, by CSU faculty and staff, are focused on sharing engaging and inspiring initiatives that are happening on our campus in relation to diversity, in short 8-minute presentations.
Presenters include T’hani Holt; Meena Balgopal and DeeDee Wright; Robert Franklin; Alexis Kanda-Olmstead; Dafina-Lazarus (D-L) Stewart; and OiYan Poon.
Light lunch will be provided. Registration is not necessary. Tickets are not required but seating is limited.
Later on Tuesday, Claude Steele, social psychologist and professor of psychology at UC Berkeley, will speak in the LSC Theater, 5:30-7 p.m.. Best known for his work on stereotype threat, Steele is also author of the 2010 book, Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do.
The Chief Diversity Officer Panel on Wednesday, Sept. 27, in the LSC North Ballroom, 2-3 p.m., bring together CSU’s Vice President for Diversity Mary Ontiveros, University of Northern Colorado’s Fleurette King and University of Denver’s Frank Tuitt to discuss the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion as a strategy to support the critical mission of higher education.
Thursday, Sept. 28, is the Education track of the Diversity Symposium, and the keynote will be delivered by Christine Sleeter, author, speaker, teacher, and activist who uses creative work to spark insight about respect for the diverse people who share space in classrooms, schools, and communities. She is also the author of the 2015 novel White Bread. Sleeter speaks 4:30-5:30 p.m. in LSC Theatre. In partnership with the School of Education.
The week wraps up on Friday, Sept. 29, with a presentation by Damon A. Williams, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the LSC Theatre. Williams is an award-winning scholar, leader, and educator passionate about making organizations inclusive and excellent for all, empowering a new generation of diverse leaders for America. He is also the author of Strategic Diversity Leadership: Activating Change and Transformation in Higher Education.
Full schedule of sessions
In addition to these remarkable keynote speakers, the 2017 Diversity Symposium nearly 50 different sessions on topics ranging from strategies for incorporating inclusion in the classroom to making generational diversity work in the workplace. A presentation on the findings of the most recent Campus Climate survey will be given at noon on Wednesday in LSC Room 324.
The complete schedule for the Diversity Symposium is on the website, and is available through the Guidebook app for smartphones. To volunteer to help run the Diversity Symposium, go to the signup website or contact Alicia Sprague by email at alicia.sprague@colostate.edu or call (970) 491-6544.
Sponsors for the Diversity Symposium include the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, College of Health and Human Sciences, School of Education, and the Center for Racial Justice Research and Advocacy.
