During these workshops the use of certain language, scenarios, and situations might trigger participants. Because our discussions are meant to name, own and interrupt conditions of oppression and invisibility, we use terms and scenarios in certain situations that are sensitive to some. Please use this as general guide to determine comfort levels:
L - Low
M - Medium
H - High
Foundations of Anti-Racism (45 min, M)
Talking about race and racism can be a hard conversation to have. Start here! This is a safe and judgement free zone where you will learn history, vocabulary, solutions and actionable next steps, as well as be encouraged to ask questions.
Empathy vs Guilt in Allyship (30 min, L)
Strengthening our empathy muscle through care and humility can be key for impactful allyship. Learn about different strategies to put empathy front and center in your path to become a better ally.
Debate, Discussion or Dialogue (60 min, M)
How do you engage in difficult conversations? Learn the differences between debate, discussion, and dialogue, and take away some tools for navigating challenging topics.
Understanding Diversity & Inclusion for Beginners (60 min, L)
Many things contribute to an individual’s identity, including race, ethnicity, gender, age, appearance, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, education, and political beliefs. This workshop will help you develop your knowledge and understanding of diversity, equipping you to create a more inclusive and open environment that is welcoming to all.
This is Me: Identity (60 min, L)
This workshop opens dialogue on personal and social identity, as well as how identities are formed and how they shape our lived experiences
Developing Cultural Humility (60 min, L)
Cultural humility is a life-long self-examination and accountability process that helps people think critically about their own assumptions, beliefs, biases and values in order to address historic and current inequalities. This workshop will introduce participants to the core philosophy of cultural humility and initial steps for application,
Got Privilege? What does it mean to have privilege? (60-90 min, M)
How do your social identities (e.g., race, gender, class, religion, sexuality, etc) grant or deny you privilege? This workshop will explore these questions, offering students an opportunity to develop skills for effective allyship, and learn how implementing even the smallest of steps toward equity, inclusion, and justice can transform an individual into an agent of change in their communities and profession.
Understanding Implicit Bias and Microaggressions (60-90 min, M/H)
Microaggressions occur as the result of implicit bias and can be interpreted as commonplace verbal, behavioral or environmental insults, whether unintentional or intentional, that demean or insult others. Implicit bias is learned through the process of socialization, the same system that confers power and privilege on individuals according to their social identity group. This interactive session introduces the concept of implicit bias: what it is, why it happens, and how it affects our interactions with others.
LGBTQIA+ 101 (60 min, L/M)
Designed to introduce participants to the spectrum of transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming, and gender-questioning identities and expressions. This workshop will address information about language and terms, pronouns, effective ally behaviors, resources available on and off-campus, and specific challenges LGBTQIA+ non-binary students face. Our goal is to provide a welcoming environment for all people at MICA so they can feel included as well as invited to share in the totality of their identities.
Let’s Get Uncomfortable. It’s Time to Talk about Racism (90 min, M/H)
We will explore how we arrived at this moment and how racism impacts all of our lives, communities, schools, workplaces, families and country. And given the rise of racist acts during the pandemic, examining these issues takes on an even greater sense of urgency.