Cultural Diversity Immersion Workshop Series (CDI)

Who are you? Where are you from? Let’s make space to think through these questions together. In this workshop we will discuss our identities in relationship to race, gender, sexuality, and other social group identities. Learn the importance of personal identity reflection and how that impacts the ways we engage with others.

How do people understand you? What do people not get about you? So much of who we are is hard to understand by those who don’t share our identities. This workshop will build your awareness of how we are shaped by our racial, cultural, and social influences. Expand your worldview, and learn to understand others’ perspectives through discussion and a hands-on creative activity.

How do we learn, what are we taught, and how do we unintentionally reinforce racialized systems? This interactive workshop will have participants build their own definitions of social justice and expand their understanding of equality, equity, liberation, and inclusion. Gain the ability to define and explain key social justice terminology and concepts with a racial justice lens, and how they apply to other social identities.

Have you examined how your privileges can impact others? And is the system set up for you to not recognize that? We will discuss white privilege and anti-blackness through the lens of intersectionality, and how we can use our privileged identities in allyship. The workshop will use creative activities as a framework to discuss how privilege exists within individuals and groups, and how systems perpetuate privilege in the United States.

Have conversations about racial justice left you feeling frustrated or angry? How can we find more ways to be in dialogue with people who share different perspectives and identities? The workshop will explore a racially-just approach to communication. Learn how to identify and navigate your emotions and how to negotiate the impact of being socialized within a culture of white supremacy.

Do you notice when your words or behavior exclude people? What does it mean to have an inclusive mindset around race and other social groups? Language is a powerful tool that can include and exclude. As language changes, it is important that we grow with it. Learn to question your language choices through brainstorming, sharing knowledge, and dialogue.

What is a trigger? Triggers are external stimuli that cause an intense emotional or physical reaction. People and/or events can trigger you to respond in ways you might be unprepared for, and even surprise you. Reflecting when these moments come up is a skill that can help you remain aligned with your values. Learn to navigate intense conversations and recognize what emotions and physical reactions arise for you through self-assessment activities and dialogue.

What has influenced your understanding of race? Who were the first people who helped you make meaning of your experiences? This workshop will help participants apply the cycle of socialization and better understand their racialized experiences. Learn to interrupt and challenge the negative ways you have been taught to interact around race and how to use your power and/or privileges to make positive change.

How do we show up in solidarity across communities? How can we continue to grow as an ally/accomplice for and with others? This workshop will break down everyday white supremacy culture using frameworks and dialogue that offer interventions rooted in racial justice. Jumpstart your own intentional practice of solidarity that considers the systemic depth of equity and justice.