Reflections from Participants
“Challenged my assumptions about some of my colleagues, some of whom I guessed would be abrasive and unwelcoming to this sort of discussion, but weren’t. Also, it made me remember other occurrences of racism that I’d witnessed and forgotten.”
2021 Participant
It was helpful to remember we all have identities that frame our outlook and thinking, and that we should be open to the outlook of others who may have different identities. It is also helpful to remember the extremely tragic history of slavery and racism in the US and how it influences society today.“
2021 Participant
“The whole workshop was amazing. Every aspect was on point. It helped me put some of my own thought into perspective. I loved the part about what we pay attention to because it matters to us, and what we may miss but that matters to others.”
2021 Participant
Facilitator Reflection
For me, the best part of being a CiU!-ABR facilitator is my on-going education. While I have participated in DEI activities in the College and University for a long time, the materials that Debby Covington put together for our training gave me a much better historical picture of the treatment of Black people in the US. In particular, the video seminar from Jeffrey Robinson was amazing – I can’t wait for the wide release of his film, “Who We Are: A Chronicle Of Racism In America.”
Engineers are driven by facts, and learning historical facts that we were never taught in history class is truly eye-opening. It is also great to listen to the discussions and to hear the experiences and perspectives of my friends and colleagues in the CoE. In almost all the sessions I have done, I have learned something from members of our community. As a “senior” faculty member and straight white male, there are many places in the DEI domain where I feel I must be very careful, but at the same time I feel it important for people like me to be part of the solution. The well-structured format of the CiU!-ABR gives me a pretty safe space to be an advocate while hopefully preventing me from sticking my foot in my mouth.
Fred L. Terry Jr. Professor of EECS