The 2020 Diversity Forum (formerly the Diversity Retreat) – Advancing Social Justice: A Call To Action – will focus on outlining the key concepts for social justice education and the implementation of inclusive policies and practices. Featured speakers include Ibram Kendi, one of America’s foremost historians, and leading voices on antiracism. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller How to Be an Antiracist and the winner of the National Book Award and other honors. Participants will explore what it means to infuse diversity and inclusion best practices into the life of the University. Participants will also interrogate these issues in times of crisis, such as the response to COVID-19.

The Forum will examine systemic power dynamics within a higher education context, and the manifestations of different forms of oppression on individual, group, and societal levels. The systemic, institutionalized nature of oppression will be addressed. Participants will also discuss theories of racial/sociocultural identity development that can help in understanding oneself, others, and intergroup dynamics and aid in implementing social justice efforts. Topical institutional and societal challenges and associated strategies for change will be explored.

The University of Pittsburgh invites all members of the community to submit a virtual workshop proposal for the 2020 Forum.

Workshop Proposal Guidelines:

• Workshops should be formatted for virtual presentation
• Workshops should run for 60 – 75 minutes with Q&A included
• Workshop proposals should align with the Forum aim and objectives as detailed above

The deadline to submit workshop proposals is June 26, 2020. Questions can be directed to diversity@pitt.edu.

Complete the registration form to receive access to the Forum workshop schedule and selection information when available.