Pitt Diversity Forum

Hosted by the University of Pittsburgh:

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 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. Featured speakers also include anupama jain, executive director of Pittsburgh Gender Equity Commission and Jasiri X, Pittsburgh-based rapper, activist, and founder of anti-violence group 1Hood, along with others. 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.