Description: These workshops bring university faculty and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) staff together in a timely discussion of racial terminology, the generalization of minoritized racial identities in conversation and research, and the use of the terms BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and POC (People of Color). In collaboration with a collective of faculty and DEI staff presenters, this two-part dialogue will:
- discuss social, political, and cultural implications of racial and ethnic naming and grouping within White dominant systems.
- unpack the complexities of intersectional racialized identity within higher education.
- explore how the acronyms (BIPOC and POC) give voice and access to minoritized racial groups.
- outline how to utilize the acronyms (BIPOC and POC) as a tool of erasure and/or avoidance of specific racialized identities.
- work toward understanding the pervasiveness of systemic oppression which relies on positional power via proximity to Whiteness and the perpetuation of anti-Blackness.
This year, perhaps more than ever, we are reminded once again why our differences should be valued and celebrated. Every person, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, or religious affiliation, deserves the chance to realize their potential.
Presenters: Lillian Casillas, Monica Medina, Bruce Smail