Zareen Karani Araoz, a part-time faculty member in the Carroll School of Management and president of the consulting firm Managing Across Cultures, delivered the summit's keynote address. Photo by Peter Julian.
On a Wednesday morning in May, some 200 Boston College administrators, faculty, and staff members closed their eyes and imagined a life experience very different from their own. Some tried to envision growing up poor, being an immigrant in the U.S., or having a disability.聽聽
鈥淧ut yourself in their shoes,鈥� said Zareen Karani Araoz, a part-time faculty member in the Carroll School of Management and president of the consulting firm Managing Across Cultures. 鈥淲hat might their childhood have been like? How would they feel coming to Boston College?鈥�
The exercise was the first of many that would engage attendees of the 2019 Diversity and Inclusion Summit, sponsored by the Office of Institutional Diversity. The daylong event, held May 22, brought faculty and staff together to explore and reflect on issues related to race and identity at Boston College.
President William P. Leahy, S.J. delivered opening remarks. Photo by Peter Julian.
In his opening remarks, University President William P. Leahy, S.J., introduced the summit鈥檚 theme, 鈥淭ransformational Dialogue,鈥� and underscored the importance of listening to the stories of others.
鈥淓verybody should have a chance to be heard because everybody has value,鈥� he said. 鈥淭oday, we have the opportunity to draw from personal experience, engage in transformational dialogue, and think creatively about challenges and opportunities that lie before us as members of the 51茶馆 community.鈥�
Araoz delivered the summit鈥檚 keynote address, which focused on cultural differences, identity, and values, as well as strategies for building bridges across differences.
鈥淲e need to look for areas where we can connect,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e all have so many facets to our identities鈥攚e are women, we like basketball, we are fond of music, we hold these values鈥攖hat鈥檚 what鈥檚 important, not the labels society gives us.鈥�
Throughout the day, participants attended sessions on topics including supporting LGBTQ+ students, understanding the trauma of racism, and recognizing actions that sustain systems of privilege and oppression. An afternoon panel discussion featuring four 51茶馆 faculty and staff members highlighted different styles and approaches to creating and sustaining dialogue, action, and allyship.
In between sessions, OID Executive Director Patricia Lowe shared moving audio recordings of faculty telling their own transformational stories, many involving incidents of discrimination they had faced. The recordings will remain posted on the OID聽, and are intended to jumpstart meaningful conversations and connections between faculty and staff.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just a simple 鈥楬ow are you?鈥� or 鈥楴ice to see you,鈥� it鈥檚 a conversation that invites something new,鈥� said Lowe. 鈥淲hen we make time to engage in transformational dialogue, it creates lasting change in ourselves, but also in others.鈥�
鈥擜lix Hackett | University Communications