Reframing the Conversation – Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion strives to contribute to an ecosystem of learning by hosting large annual events aiming to educate all its participants on varying aspects of experience and identity. Reframing the Conversation brings together experts from across campus and the community to spark important conversations around racism, othering, and safety.

While continuing to identify and remove barriers and bias incidents targeting our campus community, persistent strides towards an institution where every member is given the opportunity to be educated on equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts will remain at the forefront of our work.

This is a monthly hybrid series. Attendees can join in person at the Hinckley Caucus Room (GC 2018) or virtually on this page. Session recordings will be uploaded here and to EDI’s YouTube channel as they become available.

Upcoming Sessions

The Reframing the Conversation series has wrapped for the academic year. Event information on the 2023 – 2024 sessions will be published as details are solidified. Stay tuned with Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion’s newsletters and socials (@uofuedi on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) to be the first to know about programming updates.

Past Sessions

Apr 19, 2023

Turning the Tide: Water Rights & Indigenous Communities

Why are Indigenous communities affected by environmental crises, and how are many becoming involved and pushing back?

Mar 1, 2023

The Power of My Voice

What unique challenges do women face, and why is it important for women to be present in policy spaces?

Jan 18, 2023

Stronger Than Hate

What are the challenges to countering hate, and how can communities move collectively away from it?

Nov 16, 2022

Reaching Across Religious, Spiritual, & Philosophical Lines of Difference

What is the role of religion and faith in building community, promoting allyship, and advocating for equity, diversity, and inclusion?

Oct 19, 2022

The Power of Pronouns

Do pronouns possess power—determining who gets to live? Where might that power fall short? And as gender-inclusive language continues to evolve, whose voices might still be left out?

Sep 14, 2022

Practicing Academic Freedom & Free Speech

Most recently at the forefront of public disagreement has been what students should be taught about the country’s history and how it relates to current issues such as diversity, equity, and inclusion. How can we reconcile academic freedom and free speech?

Mar 16, 2022

Thriving in Your Own Body

What does body positivity mean to you? We suggest that body positivity should be radical acceptance and inclusion – loving the skin you are in regardless of its size, shape, color, age, or ability.

Feb 9, 2022

Strange Fruit: Why We Must Address Anti-Black Racism

We know that no single solution is going to work for every community; but we also know that solving for anti-Black racism gives us the best chance at recreating our systems to ensure equity for all.

Jan 19, 2022

2045: Towards a More Diverse Future

What are we doing today, to shape and make room for a more diverse and beloved community of tomorrow?

Nov 3, 2021

Eradicating Health Inequities in Native American Communities

American Indian/Alaska Native people continue to experience some of the greatest health disparities of any U.S. population. Why is this, and how can we reduce these disparities?

Oct 6, 2021

Decoding the X

What does the “x” mean at the end of identity-based terms like Latinx or Chicanx? How does it fit with other self-selected identities, and why is there conflict surrounding the use of these expressions?

Sep 8, 2021

Inclusive Histories Matter

Why is teaching inclusive histories important? How can we uproot misinformation in the classroom? For the first iteration of Reframing the Conversation for the 2021-2022 academic year, our panelists tackled Critical Race Theory and the misinformation surrounding CRT.

Apr 7, 2021

White Supremacy and Antisemitism

Where do nationalism and nativist othering come into a discussion of antisemitism and Whiteness? Our panel of experts discussed how antisemitism is closely related to and emerges from various forms of othering.

Mar 10, 2021

Women Who Run

2020 marked yet another historic moment for more women running for office than any previous election. Panelists reflected on what inspired them to run for office, the challenges and successes they experienced in government, and how and why more women should run.

Feb 10, 2021

Black is Not a Monolith

Despite the vast array of cultural/ethnic backgrounds and lived experiences in the African diaspora, each Black person is united by how their brown skin is interpreted in America.

Jan 20, 2021

Good Trouble & the Redline

The divisions of modern U.S. cities and de-facto segregation did not arise by accident. Our panelists examined what enabled redlining and pervasive environmental racism to shape our communities and what can be done to combat their effects.

Nov 11, 2020

How is Disability Included in Diversity?

Across the globe, there has been increasing acknowledgment of injustices such as health inequities, racism, and the vital changes needed to address these disparities. One such group often left out of the equity, diversity, and inclusion focus is people with disabilities.

Oct 14, 2020

Queering Utah Legacies

In celebration of LGBTQIA+ History Month, we took a look back at the queer legacy in Utah. Prominent leaders and activists discussed their journeys to make the U more inclusive and acknowledged what remains to be done.

Sep 16, 2020

The Rise of Anti-Asian Hate

Centering on dynamics of othering affecting people of Asian descent in America, “The Rise of Anti-Asian Hate” shared experiences and observations of bias and ways to unify with like-minded movements to eliminate systemic inequities.

Feb 24, 2020

Expanding the Portrayal of Black Men

Coinciding with Black History Month, “Expanding the portrayal of Black men” explored how racism, othering, and safety surround those who identify as Black men — specifically the effects, trends, and future of Black representation in various outlets.

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