History of the Dialogue on Diversity
During the summer of 1995, five Rhode Island College faculty members worked together to design a comprehensive program that would “bring together advocates , scholars, teachers, and professors, politicians, the public, and students to reflect upon the challenges and opportunities inherent in educating people for life in a democratic and increasingly pluralistic society.” David Thomas took the lead, and with Ellen Bigler, Xae Alicia Reyes, Gale Goodwin Gomez, and David Cappella, set the stage for a college-wide, year-long examination of “The Challenges and Opportunities of Pluralism.” President John Nazarian accepted their proposal and announced in August the formation of the Challenges of Diversity Program. All those interested were requested to contact his office. Thirty-eight faculty and staff members stepped forward.
Thus, “in keeping with the spirit of Katherine Murray, and the Katherine Murray Endowment established upon her death to support programs for the improvement of public education, and to inform the general public by examining issues of critical significance in education, in teaching, and in learning,” the Rhode Island College Dialogue on Diversity Project was launched. Xae Reyes and David Thomas were appointed co-chairs. The President, they asserted, “has provided us with a strong vote of confidence with his initial and generous funding for a preparatory kick-off …. This event will inaugurate the full program for the academic year 1996-97. We thus have two immediate tasks: to decide the form and structure of a spring event, and to organize the planning for the full program.”
The newly formed and very enthusiastic committee met on October 18. By December it had taken to heart the President’s advice to form subcommittees – on speakers, workshop, academic interface, film series, logistics, public relations (which later merged with community outreach), and fundraising – while observing that others might yet be necessary. The proposed calendar of events reflected many perspectives. During the spring semester there would be:
- A series of workshops for teachers
- A convocation address on effective education in a culturally diverse society
- A series of related panels, films, major speakers, and additional workshops
- A graduation address on democracy and education in a pluralistic society
In the fall a similar series of events would take place, highlighted by a week-long symposium in which pluralism and education would be explored and commented on by community and business leaders, faculty, students, and national figures. All this would confirm the College’s commitment to pluralism and initiate an ongoing dialogue between the College and the community. All this was ambitious, exciting, extensive, and expensive. Too expensive.
The initial program, “Affirming Diversity: Workshops in Multicultural Education,” targeted teachers. Invitations also went out to both community leaders and the general public. It provided morning and afternoon workshops and a keynote address by Dr. Sonia Nieto who proceeded to set the tone for RIC’s Dialogue on Diversity. It worked. In a letter to John Nazarian, Joyce Stevos, of the office of Providence Public Schools, wrote:
“When I listened to and heard your inaugural speech in which you talked about diversity and the College, I felt compelled to become actively involved as an alumna, friend, and an educator devoted to ensuring [that] the children in the City of Providence receive a quality education. … I brought to the conference thirty-two persons from the family centers in Providence. The majority of these people were parents who are working to make home-school connections. The organizers and facilitators welcomed them and looked upon them as resources”
The following spring the Committee organized a lecture by Morris Dees, Founder and Chief Consul of the Southern Poverty Law Center, followed by a series of related workshops.
At the year’s end John Nazarian wrote to the committee, “The programs the committee organized or sponsored over the last year and one half have, as we know, been very successful. I would like to see this tradition continued, and I know there is strong sentiment, not just among the members of the committee, but on the campus generally, that the diversity initiative should continue.”
Each invited speaker had the knowledge and background to focus on a different aspect of diversity. Christopher Edley, Jr. made a presentation on “Race and American Values.” John H. Bracey spelled out “The Cost of Racism to White America,” Marcia Gillespie discussed “Confronting Racism and Sexism [and Moving] toward a More Humane Society, and Kevin Gover examined “The Role of Native Americans in a Diverse America.”
Sometimes the best laid plans had unanticipated results. After some antigay incidents on campus, for example, the Committee brought in a prominent gay speaker, Anthony Romero, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union. Appointed a presidential advisor only one week before the September 2001 terrorist attacks, Romero focused on its after affects, including the Patriot’s Act. “In times of national crisis,” he declared, “we must not unify to the point of Intolerance.”
John Artis related “A Personal Narrative” of his journey from conviction for a crime he did not commit to counseling and guiding at-risk youth. Attorney Urvashi Vaid raised the issue of “JUSTICE or JUST-US: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Politics.” John D. Kemp guided us in an exploration of “Disability,” based upon his own personal and professional experience. Angela E. Oh, best known as the spokesperson for the Korean American community after the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, described the path of her own spiritual evolution.
Ingrid Mattson, President of the Islamic Society of North America, shared her perspective on “Islam and Muslims in the USA.” “Who’s Still Struggling with Human Rights in 2008 …?” asked Native American activist Suzan Shown Harjo. Dr. David Ames of the Global AIDS Project and former RIC campus minister, addressed the topic of AIDS prevention in Africa and described his own work in Malawi. The Director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists, Edmund Barry Gaither, examined the expression of diversity in the arts. Tony Johnson, a visual and performing artist as well as an arts administrator, talked about “The Power, Problem, and Potential of the Arts.” Longtime DoD member, Amritjit Singh, returned to RIC to tell “African American and Asian American Stories” of Migration and Citizenship.
John H. Jackson reported on “Race, Class, and Indifference [as] Predictors of Educational Access and Outcomes,” and Shirley J. Wilcher took a long look at “Affirmative Action in the Age of Inclusion.” Anna Cano-Morales, Chair of the Central Falls School District Board of Trustees, spoke of “Education Communities [and the] Strength in Partnerships.” Barbara Jensen focused attention on working class students travelling “Across the Divide” into Academia.
Although the Spring Series was intended mainly for RIC students these speakers shared their perspectives with audiences that included teachers, activists, and others from the community. Early planning had determined that the Committee would also produce a major event during the fall semester. The first Promising Practices took place in September 1998 and set the pattern for the future. It was a day-long event, a multicultural media fair with workshops and a keynote address. “We invite you to join us,” the flyer read, “in learning about the latest thinking on important issues that all educators confront daily, especially around diversity issues.”
Ewa Irena Pytowska, the Central Falls Assistant Superintendent Schools, urged educators to look beyond labels, RIC’s Patricia Madeiros-Landerand and Dennis Littky of the Metropolitan School encouraged them to foster cultural and linguistic diversity, and Providence’s Superintendent Diana Lam challenged them to reform schools so that all students would benefit. RIC alumna Lelia De Andrade led the entire audience in a workshop on preventing hate crimes in schools.
Ronald Thorpe of the Rhode Island Foundation investigated the impact of computer technology, Laura Wood of Dorcas International Institute addressed globalization and immigration, and Tricia Rose, Professor of Africana Studies at Brown explored “Inspired Teaching and Difficult Subjects.” Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott spoke of “The Power of Community Partnership.”
Speakers from beyond the Rhode Island area also shared their knowledge: Paul Kei Matsuda (on communication), Paula Rothenberg (on re-segregation), Kathleen Cushman (on education and school reform), Peggy McIntosh (on privilege and power and teaching for change), and Dennis Shirley (on “Mindful Teaching and Learning”).
All along the Committee made efforts to involve and engage students. Youth Hour, a panel of young persons engaged in conversation about teaching and learning, achieved great success and became a feature of future Promising Practices. Youth Pride was invited to do workshops.
Teen Empowerment, a Boston youth leadership organization, took the stage in 2011, followed by Dana Fusco’s “Child and Youth Development Approaches.”
In 2013 a plenary panel and keynote speaker Howard Rosing explored contemporary efforts to engage students and members of the community in social, political, economic, and environmental challenges. Christopher Emdin focused on STEM education in urban environments.
For every Promising Practice the big picture issues remained the same: Who is this event for? How do we want to involve teachers? How best to recognizes outstanding educators? Can we partner or co-sponsor? Do we refocus our recruiting?
There were other initiatives: an experts list of faculty and staff with expertise on specific diversity issues; a web page; and the establishment, with the Unity Center, of Diversity Week at RIC. A dedicated core within the Committee created a diversity-related film collection -- securing funding, making selections, creating forums, and leading discussions – and brought the Global Lens Film Series to the College. In times of controversy on campus the DoD has invited students to speak at its meetings and has voiced its support for the positive efforts of others. In 2003 it lobbied for filling the position of Director of the Unity Center, and during a later vacancy voluntarily staffed the Center for two months.
The DoD, observed one co-chair, is “a committee with major responsibilities without support staff, our priority always to get things done as informally and as expeditiously as possible. … While the whole team is putting finishing touches to the last minute details for the November … program, we are already working on our concrete plans for the annual spring event.” It was not unusual for members to physically set up meeting rooms and display areas for Promising Practices. “Please come for this part, if you can,” said one call for volunteers. “If you arrive and [see] no one … look for us moving chairs and tables, setting up podia and screens, or moving boxes of educational materials. Just join in and help.”
Initially, President Nazarian had taken care to appoint at least one member from every academic department, declaring that “the committee should be inclusive rather than exclusive.” Over time some members stepped away or took a break, and each year the President requested and received recommendations for appointments. Periodically the composition of the Committee became a topic of debate, usually with no resolution. But in the end older members shared their experience, newer members brought fresh ideas, and the Committee benefitted.
Year after year the Committee on College Lectures, as well as staff, administrators, faculty, centers, departments, schools, and programs throughout the campus have generously partnered with it to provide advice, support, and financial assistance. Nevertheless, the Dialogue on Diversity Committee is a presidential committee, and without the support of the President it is unlikely that the committee would be able to function effectively, let alone help advance diversity at Rhode Island College.
In his 1998 appointment letter President Nazarian said, “I expect that this exploration and celebration of issues related to diversity will have a significant and lasting positive effect on Rhode Island College as well as the community at large. Perhaps the words of one student provide an answer, “this diversity stuff always makes you more aware of our society and about what goes on in the world, and what needs [to be done].” Today, looking back on twenty years, I echo the words of another Committee member, “I take pride in associating myself with programs executed successfully each year by a large and seemingly unwieldy, but at the same time a most friendly, open-minded, genuinely democratic, and almost carnival-like committee called the Dialogue on Diversity.”
Presented at 20 Year Anniversary Dinner
April 4, 2016
By Marlene L. Lopes
