WWU’s 'Day of Learning and Community Building' set for May 8

April 30, 2024

You are all cordially invited to WWU's Day of Learning and Community Building on Wednesday, May 8, starting at 9 a.m. at the Viking Union. This is a day to come together to learn, share ideas and experiences, and work towards building a more inclusive and equitable community at Western.

The conference includes a diverse lineup of presenters who will share their expertise on crucial topics such as community-building practices, social identity, navigating conflict, and more. Sessions will cover a spectrum of topics such as: Community as Verb: Lessons from Grassroots Movements about Building Community in Challenging Times; Navigating Conflict & Difficult Conversations; and Race, Power, and Privilege, among many others.

Faculty and staff presenters will include Veronica Velez, Daniel Records-Galbraith, Spencer Anthony-Cahill, Christie Scollon and Jennifer Devenport, Brandon Joseph and Travis Tennessen, Liz Stuart, Tara Perry, and Adrian J. Villicana.

At the heart of the gathering will be the presentation of our draft Institutional ADEI Plan and framework, shaped by months of engagement with all of you, along with data gleaned from the WWU climate survey and Structural Equity Team report. This plan will serve as our compass as we navigate a path towards building a more inclusive community.

If you can't make it in person, some sessions will be streamed. For session details, please visit equity.wwu.edu/community-belonging. Registration is required (and can be completed via the link to the event page), and lunch will be provided.

Our deepest thanks to the Craig and Susan Cole Endowment for their generous support of this conference. Let's come together to build a community where everyone feels valued and empowered!