On Tuesday, Sept. 29, UW’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will be hosting its first town-hall in a series of professional development programs. “Confronting Racism, with Robin Diangelo” will be a one and a half hour event starting at 1:30 p.m.
According to UW news, the town-hall will integrate Diangelo’s book “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism.” Free copies of the book are available to students on a first-come basis while supplies last, however there is no information given about where to receive a copy.
According to Diangelo’s website, the book discusses how “white people in North America live in a social environment that protects and insulates them from race-based stress.” It was published in 2018.
Four UW panelists are speaking at the town-hall, including Dr. Fredrick Douglass Dixon, the founding UW Black Studies Center director. Dixon is a professor of African American and Diaspora Studies as well as an assistant professor in the School of Culture, Gender and Social Justice.
Dixon said, “”I hope the town hall discussion will supersede the common mainstream conversations surrounding white fragility and challenge those systemic pillars that persist, particularly here at UW, which uphold and further white privilege.”
Other panelists include China Jude (athletics), Emily Monago (Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), and Reed Scull (College of Education). The director of the Social Justice Research Center, Kate Muir Welsh, is also speaking.
The town-hall is available to UW employees and students on UW’s Employee LearnCenter through LinkedIn Learning. UW news also gives the following registration link: https://uwyo.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b3dqVkcN50tVlsh.
For more information or questions, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion can be contacted at 307-766-6672 or diversity@uwyo.edu.
