On Tuesday, Sept. 29, UW hosted the first town-hall in a series of professional development programs for the fall semester. The town hall, titled “Confronting Racism” was based on a webinar with Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility.
“I think there’s a reason that that term resonated for so many people,” said DiAngelo. “I mean even if you, yourself, are displaying white fragility, it’s fairly recognizable, that in general, white people are really defensive when the topic is racism and when they are challenged racially or cross-racially.”
“The panelists for the town hall shared their experiences, knowledge, and insights that are invaluable to the strategic initiatives to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice in the campus community,” said Emily Monago the chief diversity officer in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Monago was one of the seven listed UW panelists who spoke at the town hall.
“There could not have been a greater combination of scholars to launch the town hall series,” said Monago. “It was an honor to work with them.”
Reed Scull, an associate professor in the College of Education, said, “I appreciate the Town Hall series, and the leadership Dr. Monago has provided to make it possible.”
Dr. Fredrick Douglass Dixon, a professor of African American and Diaspora Studies and founding director of the UW Black Studies Center (UWBSC), spoke at the town hall as a panelist. According to UWBSC, part of their goal is to change how race is viewed in higher education.
“Having a discussion on these topics is crucial in moving discussions across higher education forward,” said Scull.
According to UW news, a recording of the “Confronting Racism” town hall will be accessible. This link has not been uploaded yet.
This webinar, “Confronting Racism, with Robin DiAngelo” can be found on LinkedIn Learning. This is accessible through the Employee LearnCenter on WyoWeb and is available to employees and students.
