Identity & Inclusion Series workshops that take place in academic year 2020–21 will be conducted virtually via Zoom. Due to the limited capacity of our sessions, please be sure to only register for sessions that you plan to attend. We may offer additional sessions in the future for workshops that are at full capacity.
The Identity & Inclusion Series is a set of interactive diversity and inclusion workshops on building a socially conscious community.
Unless noted otherwise, each workshop is open to all students, faculty and staff; accessible to a variety of prior engagement levels; and facilitated with warmth by the members of the Multicultural Affairs team. Sign up for one or many!
We are offering the following sessions as part of the series. View the descriptions below, and log in to register for the session(s) of your choice.
Registration for each session will be capped to maintain a communal environment for discussion, so please only register for workshops that you will commit to attend.
Accessibility needs can be specified on the registration form. You can also email diversityed@columbia.edu.
Upcoming Workshops
November
Anti-Racism [Thursday, November 5, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Zoom] — WAIT-LIST ONLY
This session is wait-list only.
Through personal reflection, interactive exercises and group dialogue, this workshop explores racial oppression and its systemic maintenance, and asks participants to consider strategies and frameworks for shifting from a “not-racist” mode to an “anti-racist” one.
Communicating Across Cultures [Wednesday, November 11, 6:00–8:00 p.m., Zoom] — WAIT-LIST ONLY
This session is wait-list only.
In this interactive workshop, participants will examine the definitions of culture, understand different intercultural communication styles, and reflect on how different communication styles affect communication across cultures. Role plays, examples, and experiential exercises will be included in the session.
CU Safe Zone [Friday, November 20, 2:00–4:00 p.m., Zoom]
CU Safe Zone is a training session that provides foundational knowledge needed to support and act in solidarity with LGBTQ+ communities at Columbia University. This campus-wide program was designed to educate and visibly identify students, faculty and staff who support the LGBTQ+ community; provide an overview of LGBTQ+ communities and some of the issues these communities face; and share various LGBTQ resources available to folks on campus.
December
STAFF/FACULTY/INSTRUCTORS ONLY: Supporting First-Generation and/or Low Income Students [Wednesday, December 2, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Zoom] — WAIT-LIST ONLY
This session is wait-list only. Please note this session is reserved for staff, faculty and graduate instructors.
This workshop explores ways to create affirming environments for First-generation and/or low income (FLI) students; participants will learn about common challenges and barriers that can impact the student experience and review strategies for creating supportive classroom and administrative spaces that utilize a strengths-based approach.
STAFF/FACULTY ONLY: Unconscious Bias [Thursday, December 10, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Zoom]
Please note this session is reserved for staff and faculty.
Through presentation, discussion and interactive dialogue exercises, this workshop offers an overview of unconscious bias; the neural processes that guide our snap judgments; and strategies for mitigating implicit assumptions. This workshop is appropriate for individuals and cohorts of all levels of experience.
Past Workshops (Fall 2020)
September
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY: Unconscious Bias [Wednesday, September 16, 6:00–8:00 p.m., Zoom]
This session is for students only, and all remaining spaces are reserved for undergraduates. Graduate students who previously registered will still be able to participate.
Through presentation, discussion and interactive dialogue exercises, this workshop offers an overview of unconscious bias; the neural processes that guide our snap judgments; and strategies for mitigating implicit assumptions. This workshop is appropriate for individuals and cohorts of all levels of experience.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY: Anti-Racism [Thursday, September 24, 5:00–7:00 p.m., Zoom]
This session is for students only, and all remaining spaces are reserved for undergraduates. Graduate students who previously registered will still be able to participate.
Through personal reflection, interactive exercises and group dialogue, this workshop explores racial oppression and its systemic maintenance, and asks participants to consider strategies and frameworks for shifting from a “not-racist” mode to an “anti-racist” one.
Disability Justice [Wednesday, September 30, 2:00–4:00 p.m., Zoom] — WAIT-LIST ONLY
This session is wait-list only.
This new curriculum from Multicultural Affairs focuses on manifestations of ablelism on campus and beyond, examines the social model of disability and asks participants to consider personal, interpersonal and institutional strategies for creating a more accessible, affirmational, pro-disabled and anti-ableist environment.
October
CU Safe Zone [Monday, October 5, 6:00–8:00 p.m., Zoom]
CU Safe Zone is a training session that provides foundational knowledge needed to support and act in solidarity with LGBTQ+ communities at Columbia University. This campus-wide program was designed to educate and visibly identify students, faculty and staff who support the LGBTQ+ community; provide an overview of LGBTQ+ communities and some of the issues these communities face; and share various LGBTQ resources available to folks on campus.
Unconscious Bias [Tuesday, October 13, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Zoom] — WAIT-LIST ONLY
This session is wait-list only.
Through presentation, discussion and interactive dialogue exercises, this workshop offers an overview of unconscious bias; the neural processes that guide our snap judgments; and strategies for mitigating implicit assumptions. This workshop is appropriate for individuals and cohorts of all levels of experience.
Understanding Antisemitism [Monday, October 26, 2:00–4:00 p.m., Zoom] — WAIT-LIST ONLY
This session is wait-list only.
This new workshop from Multicultural Affairs explores antisemitism, an often misunderstood form of oppression, and how it manifests on campus and beyond. Through interactive exercises and group dialogue, this workshop will examine strategies for navigating contentious dialogue around antisemitism and discuss ways to act in solidarity with Jewish students and communities.