A precedent to continue the conversation
The university held its first Day of Dialogue event on Feb. 20. The day was filled with different speakers and events around campus in order to create an environment for sustained dialogue. Each session addressed a host of issues related to our mission of inclusion, equity and diversity. Members of the St. Joe’s community had to register for most events prior to attendance, and the event eventually was capped at 1,134 people.
The event featured a broad range of conversations discussing issues of race, gender, sexuality and neurodiversity. Each of these topics encouraged conversations that dealt with pedagogy, curriculum, language, privilege and implicit bias. Throughout each session, attendees were encouraged to speak with those around them, interact with the speakers, watch videos and give feedback once the event ended.
The Editorial Board would like to commend the efforts of the team that coordinated the day for all of their hard work and care. It was an exceptional way to bring the community together and discuss topics that are vital in making our university a more inclusive space. Moreover, it was an excellent way to encourage the members of the community to continue the discussions that began at the University Forum on racism held earlier this academic year.
While the format of the previous University Forum featured a few speakers talking to a large audience, the conversational aspect of the Day of Dialogue pushed this community further to sit in the discomfort that comes along with discussing difficult topics. It encouraged everyone in attendance to take part in these tough conversations. And not to mention, the turnout was impressive. It was encouraging to see people even sneak into events to hear certain sessions. In all honesty, we were not expecting the turnout to be so large, and the fact that the event had to be capped was promising.
Overall, the dialogue aspect of the day was fully encouraged, and we immensely appreciate the call to keep this momentum going. Nicole Stokes, Ph.D., the new associate provost for diversity, equity and inclusion, made sure to emphasize this point. While she has only been here for about two weeks now, she ended the day on a hopeful and encouraging note, urging the whole community to get involved with discussion and make change in their daily lives.
Moving forward, there is still much to be done. We are aware that many professors did not cancel their classes to allow their students to attend sessions, and some professors even assigned tests or quizzes during the day. We hope that moving forward, we can expect professors to make a conscious effort to incorporate discussions of inclusion, equity and diversity into their curriculum and make accommodations for students to freely attend events related to the topics.
The discussions held during this event can’t be limited to one day, nor should they be limited to the few spaces in which sessions were held. These conversations are and will always be relevant. Everyone in this community needs to continue talking and acting for change. Discussions of equality and inclusion need to be incorporated into our daily lives and within the curriculum here at St. Joe’s.
The Day of Dialogue sets ample precedent for these conversations to continue, and we hope that everyone who attended a session or heard about them in passing takes it upon themselves to incorporate these ideas into their everyday lives.