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Dismantling Racism: Tools for Student Affairs Educators on Higher Ed Live
If you’re not familiar with Higher Ed Live, let me have the pleasure of introducing you… Description from their website: The Higher Ed Live network offers viewers direct access to the best and brightest minds in education and allows viewers to share knowledge and participate in discussions around the most important issues in the industry. Higher Ed Live provides live, weekly content about admissions, advancement, marketing, student affairs, and communications to higher education professionals. Episodes feature knowledgeable hosts conducting exclusive interviews with professionals from institutions; journalists; consultants; and other thought leaders. Tackling new topics with each broadcast, we aim to foster knowledge sharing and to be a trusted source of information…
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ANNOUNCING: The Center for Transformation and Change
It was a great day! Recently, one of the people in my year-long Certification Program observed me facilitating a day-long workshop on creating inclusive organizations. I believed she learned a lot and I appreciated her observations and feedback as we debriefed over dinner. Each passing day since the election, I am ever more deeply committed to work with a small group of bad-ass change agents in this Certification Program! Can you relate to being on this roller-coaster of extreme emotions since November? Feeling rage, grief, fear, disbelief, and now also a deep sense of urgency and resolve that we each must move fully into our power, consistently speak our truth,…
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Transforming Lives and Changing the World
As I move moment by moment with the deep grief and rage I feel, I am so clear we each must move into our power, speak our truth, and mobilize others to heal the world. People see me as a powerful mobilizer who creates change and stimulates growth. People tell me that I can take people from denial and complacency to inspiration and action. I have a reputation of being someone who can move people who have been written off as unreachable or unchangeable. A lot of people think this came naturally to me; that it’s just a gift I have and other people don’t. But I’m going to let…
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Lessons from a Cockroach
I have always hated cockroaches and so imagine my revulsion as I saw THE BIGGEST COCKROACH EVER as I left the gym just now. I thought to crush it, then had a moment to wonder what message its appearance might be bringing me….And as I Googled “Cockroach totem”, half thinking there could never be anything on this, to my surprise, I found numerous sites! From www.Linsdomain.com I got fabulous insights and messages that resonated, like: “Clean out the dead and useless aspects” of your life I had spent some time this past weekend clearing away old, unneeded things in the apartment…as well as making a pledge for a “no complaints”…
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Choosing courage to speak my truth
“Being vulnerable feels dangerous and I think it feels scary and I think it is terrifying but I don’t think it’s as dangerous, scary or terrifying as getting to the end of our lives and wondering, ‘What if I would have shown up?’” ~ Brené Brown I had spent so much of my life hiding, trying to fit in, to blend in with those I wanted to accept me, to like me. I would change something about myself, how I interacted, how I dressed, my tone of voice ~ all trying to do whatever it might be that got people to notice me, accept me, let me be a part of their…
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Following my path
I just recognized that “dread” and dream” are separated by a single letter….I have chosen dread and fear so much of my life….maybe out of the illusion that by choosing fear I would be safer. I slowly built and reinforced a cage around myself each time I chose fear. Today I choose to dismantle this cage; and choose faith and courage…one step, one choice at a time. I commit to living my dreams, walking the path of my calling. I am reading Martha Beck’s blogs and book, Finding Your Own North Star. I hope you find inspirational sources to guide you to your true calling!
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The New Normal
In response to an interview question this morning about the needs of students of color on campuses, I said they need white administrators, faculty and staff who consistently demonstrate the competence to create inclusive campus environments for all students and to dismantle any racist policies, practices and programs that exist. And I am now remembering something I said during a panel at the ACPA 2013 Convention: “There is a new normal ~ It is no longer acceptable for student affairs staff to not demonstrate a moderate, continuously developing, level of awareness and skill around issues of equity, inclusion, and social justice.” We can no longer afford to have lower expectations…
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Navigating Triggers
Click to read / download the article: Navigating Triggering Events
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Part 4: Infusing Diversity Into Everything We Do
“If you want to go fast, go alone; If you want to go far, go together.” African Proverb Earlier in my career as a college administrator and an organizational consultant I used to teach a wide variety of courses on various interpersonal skills (leadership development, team building, communication skills, conflict management, customer service, stress management, time management, etc.) with little or no direct reference to the issues of inclusion and diversity. As I look back I am rather appalled since today I cannot imagine teaching these topics in corporations, human service agencies, or at colleges and universities without some attention to issues of diversity and inclusion. To be fair, the…
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Part 3: Infusing Diversity and Inclusion Into Everything We Do
Most facilitators of courses and training sessions can infuse issues of diversity and inclusion to a far greater extent than they currently do. In my first two posts (below this post starting from the bottom) I explore ways to infuse diversity using the metaphor of creating a layer cake ~ starting with a solid foundation: Layer 1 Acknowledge the organization’s commitment to creating an inclusive environment for all members. “Do no harm.” Encourage participants to recognize the full breadth of differences in the organization and those they serve. Begin to explore their role and responsibility in creating an inclusive organization for all members. Layer 2 Use examples and images that…