The Dallas Weekly’s Post

In December of 2023, a seemingly ordinary conversation unexpectedly transformed into a life-changing moment—a job offer. That conversation led me to be appointed as a Racial Justice Educator this year. My role involves collaborating closely with both students and professors at Brandeis University, delving into the depths of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) through a teaching and pedagogical lens. Throughout my journey, a focus question has resonated within me: How do we truly comprehend the needs of those we serve, allowing us to mold our instructional approaches to foster equity and inclusivity? This question has been the guiding force behind my work this year, as I've laid the groundwork for transformative change. Every opportunity bestowed upon me carries profound significance. I've come to realize that stepping into each role comes with an inherent pressure—a pressure I've learned to channel into the driving force behind my work. As a young black man navigating the terrain of education, I've been awarded positions typically individuals my age don't get. I reflect on the foundational blocks I've built and the impact they'll have long after I've moved on. I hope to continue this role to see forward all the projects I've started. With each step, I carry the weight of representation on my shoulders, knowing that I'm not only showcasing the capabilities of those who look like me but also validating the faith placed in me by those who took a chance on my potential. Thank you, Dr. Chip, for taking a chance on me. Projects I've Worked on as the Racial Justice Educator: - Created a Culturally Responsive Teaching Workshop for Faculty - Created a Partnership with campus partners to use the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as a resource for their work/projects. - Led the Student Panel at this year's Symposium event on DEI initiatives in Universities. - Supported the development of equity initiatives for The Allocations Board (this remains a project) - Worked with Cultural Groups on equitable and inclusive practices to develop a welcoming environment for all. - Created Culture Responsive Workshops for student leaders as their missions and strategies for the 2024-2025 school year. (this remains a project)

The Black Talent & Leadership in STEM roundtable, sponsored by Marks & Clerk, will spark some interesting discussion and important takeaways at #CamTechWeek #BlackTalent #STEM #DiversityandInclusion

An encouraging start. "MIT will no longer require diversity statements in its faculty-hiring process, making it the first elite university to abandon the practice." "MIT’s past guidance on diversity statements in faculty applications explicitly emphasized their value in showing an applicant’s understanding of DEI and track record in working to advance DEI on campus. DEI statements should portray how much the professor cares about academic inclusion for various identity groups, MIT’s guidance advised prospective applicants. It remains to be seen whether other elite universities will follow MIT and reverse their commitment to diversity statements." "Elite universities across the country have incorporated sprawling DEI bureaucracies into student life and administrative hierarchies, particularly during the peak of the Black Lives Matter movement and its resulting unrest in summer 2020. Red states have pursued bans of DEI bureaucracies from college campuses because of their tendency to promote left-wing ideology and enforce academic conformity."

Fear and rejection held me back. Year one passed by without engaging in many extracurricular activities. I saw comfort as my safest option. How could I fail? Failure meant I had lost. Failure meant that I couldn’t try again. Failure meant that I had reached my limit, and couldn’t advance beyond the ‘glass ceiling’ holding me back. So, what changed? Well, I would say that I took a step back, and began challenging these thoughts. Professionals call it ‘Socratic thinking’ – a way to objectively evaluate the evidence and reasoning behind one’s beliefs. You’d think that as a history student who comes across evidence everyday, I’d be an expert, but I was not. In my mind, I didn’t belong here. I stood out as a black student in a predominately white cohort. But why? I had received an offer to study here. I received an acceptance letter from Sheffield. I passed the entry requirements. So why did I think I didn’t belong here? This method of thinking made me realise that I did belong here. I was determined to maximise my time, and gain experiences that I wouldn’t regret later in life – so I became proactive. I spoke to Gavin Simpson-Smillie (A&H Faculty Employability Lead), James Zeller (HE Skills and Employability Consultant) and Tom Jones (A&H Employability and External Relationships Officer) about completing a placement year or year abroad, all of which helped me decide on the latter. I secured a two-week internship with the Civil Service at the DfE through Gavin Simpson-Smillie, where I researched, studied, and presented about the importance of HTQs, all under the insightful guidance and support of Corinne Austin (Higher Technical Education Strategy Advisor). I attended a roundtable discussion with Mems Ayinla (current Director of Student Influence, and former Parliamentary Clerk at the House of Commons) as the speaker and asked her a question about the “gap in the market”, regarding the lack of racial representation in spaces and how we can address this issue. I connected with Lavinya Stennett FRSA, founder and CEO of The Black Curriculum, who has inspired me to create my newsletter and piece of public history around important topics within history and the black community. I networked with Rachel Lane, Senior Service Designer at the Ministry of Justice, at a civil service event, where we had enlightening conversations about diversity within the public sector. So what changed between year one and two? I did something. I had questions, and went about finding answers. I intentionally connected with people who would pour into me and share their kindness, time, and knowledge. But to do this, I had to make myself uncomfortable. I had to take a leap of faith, embracing the changes that would make me feel temporarily uncomfortable in favour of long-term success. 

Black students are thriving at HBCUs, and a recent study proves it. According to a report by Brown University, Black students are 40% more likely to earn their bachelor’s degrees at HBCUs than Black students at other schools. A 2024 White House fact sheet further notes that HBCUs are responsible for producing a large percentage of all Black professionals in engineering (40%), teaching (50%), medicine (70%), and judicial careers (80%). Chek this out: https://lnkd.in/ewgMeq4t

Navigating the academic world as an early-career Black scholar comes with unique challenges, as highlighted in this insightful article. From navigating biases to balancing heavy workloads, these experiences often go unaddressed and under-supported in many institutions It's crucial for higher education leaders to understand these obstacles and actively work towards creating inclusive environments where Black academics can thrive and grow. Let's continue the conversation and be proactive in ensuring that academics don't just survive but excel in their careers. #DiverseEducation #HigherEd #BlackAcademics #InclusionMatters #EquityInEducation

Meg Grigal, Belkis Choiseul-Praslin, and Mindy Lingo represented Think College at the 2024 Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT) Conference in Chantilly, VA. They shared resources to support students with intellectual disability in higher ed and presented data showing improved outcomes. Learn more: https://buff.ly/3VoBGKV #InclusiveEducation #HigherEd #ThinkCollege

My anti-racism nerd brain has been thoroughly enjoying writing a recommendations report (it's now over 70 pages!) for this initiative to hire 15 Black staff and 15 Black faculty, along with RADIUS SFU. Some of the most interesting things I've been exploring are: 💡 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 (Jackson, 2023) - often when organizations are looking to increase diversity in their hiring, they use the same methods, e.g. using recruitment companies or software, without considering how these methods are designed to hire fast, which often ends up defaulting to prioritizing dominant groups. 💡Implementing '𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬,' (Yeager & Walton, 2011), can profoundly impact the onboarding experience for Black faculty and staff. By normalizing challenges and emphasizing belonging, we've seen significant improvements in job satisfaction and retention. 💡'𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡' (Yosso, 2020), highlights the rich array of knowledge and skills that Black staff and faculty bring to higher education. It's about shifting perspectives and valuing diverse contributions as essential assets to academic institutions. #CulturalWealth #DEIInHigherEd #BlackFaculty #BlackStaff #AntiRacism

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action, HBCUs are seeing a surge in enrollment as Black students seek inclusive environments. Learn how business schools and companies can support these institutions in fostering diverse talent and building a bright future. #HBCUBusiness #DiversityInEducation #BusinessImpact Read about our thoughts here: https://lnkd.in/gNnRZdyG

WE NEED BLACK TEACHERS HAPPY EASTER 2024 6 of My Black Teachers from Pathways in Technology Early College High School Became Principals and 3 Became P-TECH Principals Jamilah Seifullah Cindy Casseus Cordel Blair Rachel Hill Yaa Yaa Catherine Whaley-Williams and Anthony Williams MDRC P-TECH 9-14 Evaluation New findings in this report indicate that the P-TECH model increased students' postsecondary degree completion, particularly for male students, and boosted internship and dual enrollment rates, even during the pandemic. LINK: https://lnkd.in/e54rSYKT "By the end of the first year of postsecondary education, 2.6 percent of female and 1.8 percent of male P-TECH 9-14 students had earned degrees, compared with virtually no students from the comparison group, of either gender. These impacts for both genders are statistically significant".   "Male students who had the chance to attend P-TECH 9-14 schools were more likely to attain college degrees than male students assigned to other kinds of schools". www.ptech.org