Students Present at Local Conference
By: DICE – Diversity, Inclusion, Community, & Equity
Unity Multicultural Education Center
LGBTQ+ Resource Center
We envision a community where human difference is affirmed and integrated into the intellectual, personal, and professional development of all students.
Recently, a group of undergraduate and graduate students, working as staff in our Department of Diversity, Inclusion, Community, and Equity, had the opportunity to present at a local conference. Gabbi Fuller, a junior, has shared her perspective and reflection of her experience.
The Globalization and Diversity in Education conference was comprised of various workshops and sessions, where students and educators across the country were able to engage with others and learn from each other. The workshops consisted mainly of graduate students and educators presenting their research projects and analysis. It was interesting to see what people had been researching for years and the conclusions they found. While I do not see myself going into teaching, it was refreshing to see so many people that were dedicated to bettering the education system, especially for young children.
What Nodia Rogers, Cortni Story and I presented, was using a non-traditional approach that we had demonstrated in a class taught by Dr. Morlock. In this class, we focused heavily on genocides across the world, and soon realized that a very important genocide was left out, right at home. Told to be creative in our presentation strategy, we delivered a deep and blunt spoken word piece, highlighting the systematic genocide on Black Americans as a direct result of racism and colonization. We titled it, “The Black Holocaust”, drawing connections between slavery, mass incarceration, colonialism, the education system, the housing market, and more.
What I gained at this conference was a sense of what was out there. Being one of a few undergraduate students at the conference, I realized that I could soon be doing the same amazing things that these students and educators were doing. In addition, I liked having my views challenged and questioned. It either made me rethink certain ideas I already had or allowed me to further understand my beliefs.
Other topics presented by Gonzaga students included: “Having Difference Find a Place in the Classroom”, “Humanistic Experiential Learning”, and “Understanding Power and Privilege Through Emotional Intelligence”.