PROGRAM DATES & TIMES
Winter Session
March 5, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Please visit our online store to register.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This virtual professional development program is designed to deepen your awareness around racial equity, implicit bias and diversity and spark reflection around how you and your team/organization/business/school/church/etc. can take meaningful action to create a more equitable world. This training includes in-depth organizational analysis, solution-based discussions and resources for change.
MODALITY
This dynamic program will be offered synchronously via Zoom—you’ll need access to a stable internet connection. Participation is encouraged (though not required). This is NOT a pre-recorded program.
PROGRAM BENEFITS
- Build your vocabulary and learn terminology that will increase your ability to communicate clearly and constructively about race, implicit bias and diversity
- Advance your understanding of cultural awareness and differences in communication styles across diverse groups
- Develop your understanding of key obstacles to success in recruitment, retention and performance–including implicit bias, microaggressions and harmful stereotypes
- Conduct and evaluate a diversity, equity and inclusion audit of your policies, procedures, and overall environment
- Provide a strategic plan to help integration of DEI practices to increase diversity within your organization
- Design an outreach plan to engage diverse professionals, community members and families to strengthen talent within your organization, board and leadership
- Understand the role of organizational gatekeeping as a mechanism for perpetuating racism
- Create processes to continue building a supportive, inclusive environment
TOPICS COVERED
- Communicating about racial equity, implicit bias and diversity – a terminology/glossary overview
- How racism, implicit bias and discrimination manifest and can be improved through collaboration, messaging, outreach, policy, trust and values
- Reflection and self-awareness around identity & privilege (personal and organizational)
- Advancing cultural competency
- Human resources – how to hire and retain diverse staff members without tokenization
- Equitable problem solving
- Strategies for addressing diversity, equity and inclusion
- Identifying resources to address challenges
- Community impact assessment
- Solution-based opportunities to advance racial equity
WHO SHOULD ENROLL
This online professional development program is designed to further your understanding of racial equity, diversity, and implicit bias. If you want to understand how you, your business, organization or school can move beyond reflecting and into the work of creating a more equitable world, this is the program for you. Similar to the Restorative Justice program we offer, we encourage you to sign up along with other people from your networks—an accountability partner goes a long way!
- Professionals
- Teachers, educators, professors—anyone in the field of teaching and learning
- Administrators
- Municipalities
- Nonprofit workers
- Healthcare administrators and workers (doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, birth workers, etc.)
- Police officers and security professionals
- Lawyers
- Social workers
- Clinicians
- Small business owners
- Writers/journalists/communications professionals
- Religious leaders/administrators
- Human resource professionals
All perspectives and opinions shared during this training are confidential.
INSTRUCTOR(S)
David Patrick (Co-Founder of Racial Equity & Justice)
As an advocate for communities of color, David supports families, individuals, and students through his work as a co-founder of Racial Equity & Justice and Associate Director of The Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine. David combines experimental knowledge, social work education, and clinical problem-solving skills to build cross-cultural relationships, offer consultation, and provide mediation. His focus is working with strategic partners, stakeholders, and community leaders for policy development, policy implementation, and community change. As a speaker, writer, and facilitator, David offers candid reflections of his experiences as a person of color in both public and private life. As a social worker, David supports adoptive families with post-adoption support resources, advocacy, and mentorship. In addition, David has spent many years working with some of our most vulnerable neighbors through his work with individuals struggling with housing and homelessness, substance use disorders & recovery, and Crisis Intervention. Gardening is not only a method of healing for David but a resilient form of supporting and feeding his family and community members.
Desiree Vargas (Co-Founder of Racial Equity & Justice)
As an Indigenous woman of color and an anthropology scholar, Desiree navigates advocating for Black, Brown, and Indigenous people uniquely with a focus on redistribution of resources and cultural preservation. Desiree’s skill set includes racial justice advocacy, anti gender-based violence advocacy (trauma-informed healing, MMIWGT2S, & campus safety), harm reduction activism, administration, keynote speaking, heart-centered decolonization consultation, grant writing, workshop and training facilitation, public relations, community organizing, youth behavioral health work, and childcare. Additionally, she is involved in various initiatives in her tribe and the greater community. Her favorite work includes community education, Land Back Projects and cultural preservation for the next generation. Her experiences and education equip her with expertise in her work at Racial Equity and Justice. She relies on her culture, relationship with the earth and herbal remedies as pathways to healing and enthusiastically encourages others to embrace fully their own traditional ancestral healing as a form of liberation and resilience.
To learn more about Racial Equity & Justice, click here.
PROGRAM FEE
$95
Click here for more information about paying for your professional development, including information about need-based scholarships, group discounts and tips on how to get your employer on board.
Current UMaine students are eligible for a 20% discount. Use code STUDENT20 at checkout.
Note: UMaine offers a number of ongoing programs related to racial justice, implicit bias, diversity and inclusion to the UMaine community. For more information about these programs, please visit the Office of Diversity & Inclusion.
CLASS CAPACITY
30
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
- 0.4 CEUs/4 contact hours
- Certificate of completion
For more information or to request an accommodation contact Michelle Patten, Conference and Professional Development Coordinator, um.fhc.pd@maine.edu; 207.338.8002.
