Theme: Fostering a RESPECTful Learning Community

*Note: this event has past

21 day challenge 2024

In collaboration with the Institutional Diversity Committee, the Challenge is designed as a collective educational experience for Elms faculty and staff–that meets you where you are–to strengthen not only individual skills and competency around themes central to DEIJ, but also institutional capacity to support student success.  As we evaluate the feedback received from the Diversity and Inclusion Climate Survey, we are able to identify opportunities for professional development for all of our employees.

Part of the RESPECT Campaign, this year’s theme focuses on “Fostering a RESPECTful Learning Community”.  We want to think through how implicit bias and microaggressions impact student experiences within and beyond the classroom and learn strategies to mitigate their impact. We will end the Challenge with a special guest speaker, Dr. Arlene Torres, Associate Professor, Hunter College.

How it works?

Once we kick-off the challenge together on Thursday, April 4 via zoom, each consecutive week offers time for self-paced learning and reflection of the curated educational materials selected for each topic. Please read over the Peer Accountability Partner and Community Engaged Dialogue Agreements below. Each participant will be expected to review a series of selected articles, short videos and/or podcasts in a weekly sequence.. You are encouraged to meet 1/week with your partner to talk through your learning journey together. Then at the end of each week we will come together as a cohort for a Community Engaged Dialogue over lunch in the FDR (or on zoom), with additional discussion and reflection time built in for small groups. Lunch is on us! While we really encourage you to attend these cohort gatherings in-person for greatest impact, this year we are offering a virtual option.  If you can make one week in-person and another virtually, that is fine too! A certificate of completion will be provided to participants present for all meetings.

Program Schedule:

Thursday, April 4 Kick-Off (zoom) 1:30PM
(alternative Info Session on Wed. 4/3 12:15-1:15)
Register for Links

April 5-April 12th (learning/partner work) Friday, April 12th
Community Engaged Dialogue 12:00-1:30 FDR (zoom option)

April 12-April 19th (learning/partner work) Friday, April 19th
Community Engaged Dialogue 12:00-1:30 FDR (zoom option)

April 19-April 25 (learning/partner work) Thursday, April 25th
Guest Speaker 4:30-6:00 FDR (zoom option)

**Please arrive as soon as you can to get your lunch and settle in for a 12:20 start time!
Zoom participants, please join the meeting at 12:15.

WEEK ONE: Implicit Bias (April 5th – 12th)

Please read, view or listen to the following program materials, reflect in your journal, meet and discuss with your peer accountability partner and attend the week’s closing lunch and community engaged dialogue workshop.

Required for Everyone:

  • Activity: Take the Race IAT (Implicit Association Test) at Harvard Implicit Association Test (click on Go under Project Implicit Social Attitudes, click on I wish to Proceed, click on the Race IAT and/or other IATs) discuss the results with your partner.
  • Read + Recommended Activities:

How do I know if my biases affect my teaching? – NAME Learn

Choose 3 of the following:

Watch:

Read:

Listen:

WEEK TWO: Microaggressions (April 12th – 19th)

Please read, view or listen to the following program materials, reflect in your journal, meet and discuss with your peer accountability partner and attend the week’s closing lunch and community open dialogue workshop

Required for Everyone:

Recommend Watch All: Student (Employee) Impact

Choose Two Below:

Watch:

Read:

WEEK THREE: STEPS FORWARD

Please read, view or listen to the following program materials, reflect in your journal, meet and discuss with your peer accountability partner and attend the week’s closing lunch and invited speaker workshop.

Choose Two to Three Below:

Watch and Listen:

Explore:

Read:

Program Goals:

Participants in this program will:

  • Discover where they are on their diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) journeys.
  • Challenge deep rooted assumptions about race and racism (through an intersectional lens)
  • Increase awareness about ideas, conversations, and practices central to racial justice
  • Create safe spaces and opportunities for dialogue
  • Acquire confidence and skills to engage in difficult conversations about race and racism and take action
  • Understand the value of community in building a more inclusive campus

Program Activities:

  • Deepen educational development through Readings and Videos
  • Participate in weekly Accountability Partner Check-in Conversations
  • Complete Weekly Private Journal Reflections
  • Attend Community Open Dialogue Workshops
  • Review/Acknowledge Community and Peer Accountability Partner Agreements
  • Complete End of Program Survey

Peer Accountability Partner Overview:

All participants in the 21-Day Challenge are encouraged to pair up with a Peer Accountability Partner. Peer Accountability Partners provide support, encouragement, and a safe space for processing ideas and feelings with a trusted colleague outside of the large group weekly meetings. You are expected to meet weekly to discuss your reactions to the selected program materials you will complete each week.  The meeting between partners allows for in-depth reflection and dialogue as a way to build community.

No Accountability Partner? No problem!

  • If you would like a peer accountability partner but haven’t paired up yet, or would like to be paired with someone that is in a different unit or department from your own, let us know and we will help.
  • If you prefer to go solo, you are still welcome to participate in the 21 Day Challenge for Racial Justice!

Suggestions for Accountability Partners:

  • Begin each week with self-paced learning. Work with an Accountability Partner to preview that week’s challenge materials and share ideas for how you’ll fit the challenge into your schedule. Perhaps you will use time usually spent on recreational reading or other media consumption to instead read a challenge article. Could you listen to a podcast during your morning walk? Maybe you can meet up with your Accountability Partner to watch videos together in-person or via Zoom.
  • Accountability Partner Check-ins can be used to process ideas and feelings, ask each other questions you might not feel comfortable asking the whole group, role play ways to approach old situations in new ways, and share strategies (i.e. journaling, making a list of action items, searching for additional resources about a particular topic, rereading/reviewing materials to think deeply about their message, etc.)..Decide what check-in style works best for both of you (text, phone call, email, Zoom, in-person office meeting, go for a walk, meet for coffee/tea, etc.).
  • Accountability Partners can support each other during the Community Engaged Dialogue Workshops through their shared experience and insight into each other’s work throughout the week.
  • Moving beyond the 21 Day Challenge, your Accountability Partner is part of your community and a partner in continuing these vital conversations and this very important work.

For more tips on Accountability Partners, check out “Do the Work: An Antiracist Activity Book” by W. Kamau Bell and Kate Schatz.

Peer Accountability Partner Agreement

Please keep in mind the following principles when working with your Peer Accountability Partner:

  • The partnership is a professional and equal relationship based on mutual respect, collegiality and trust
  • The partnership is non-hierarchical and complements (rather than replaces) other forms of professional development
  • Participants share responsibility for the relationships formed, which should be mutually valuable
  • Participation is voluntary
  • Reflection is a critical component of the partnership

Accountability partners agree to:

  • Maintain confidentiality and respect each other’s privacy
  • Be respectful, non-judgmental and supportive
  • Keep to scheduled meeting times or give adequate notice of change
  • Behave ethically and safely at all times

Community Engaged Dialogue Agreement

Be open-minded, curious and courageous.

Respect differences—we are all on different parts of a journey. Suspend your judgment about self and others—assume good intentions.

Prioritize active listening to understand over trying to be understood. Speak for yourself instead of generalizing—use “I” statements.

Challenge ideas, not people’s experiences. Take what you already think you know and ask: How can I take this deeper? Or how am I applying this in practice?

Identify your learning edge and push it. Acknowledge discomfort as necessary for growth

Hold your opinions lightly and with humility –Strive to move beyond opinion to informed knowledge, which comes from sustained experience, study and practice.

Take a reflective stance—especially of your own frame of reference. Recognize how your own social positionality (e.g., race, class, gender, gender identity, sexuality, ability) informs your perspectives and reactions to others and the program materials

Don’t take things personally or shut-down—notice your own defensive reactions and use them as entry points for gaining deeper self-awareness

Maintain confidentiality—outside of our community, only share your own stories and lessons learned.  What is learned is intended to be applied; however, do not share names or personal stories

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