11/09/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/09/2024 16:47
The campus community is invited to come together Sept. 18-19 for the 2024 Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Conference, presented by the UMass Office of Equity and Inclusion.<_o3a_p>
The two-day event will feature a lineup of workshops, talks, panels and networking sessions dedicated to fostering a sense of belonging, navigating challenging conversations, and advancing the core values of diversity, equity and inclusion that are central to the UMass mission.
To register to attend any of the events during the 2024 JEDI Conference, visit www.umass.edu/diversity/jedi2024.
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Note: A reception, including refreshments and the opportunity to talk and reflect with friends and colleagues, will follow the day's programming.<_o3a_p>
11:30 a.m. - Lunch/registration <_o3a_p>
12:30-1:30 p.m. - The UMass Leadership Panel<_o3a_p>
Moderated by Vice Chancellor of Equity and Inclusion Marsha McGriff, the panel will discuss the values, vision and mission of the new campus leadership. <_o3a_p>
Panelists include:<_o3a_p>
1:45 - 2:45 p.m. - An Introduction to Dialogic Practice<_o3a_p>
What is dialogue? How is it different from discussion or debate, and how can dialogue practices foster understanding and build bridges across divides when guided by skilled facilitators? This session will introduce participants to various streams of dialogue, highlight key practice principles, share examples of how dialogue is currently being utilized at UMass, and provide information about how community members can learn more and get involved.<_o3a_p>
The team of presenters includes:<_o3a_p>
3-4 p.m. - Belonging and Mental Health on Campus Communities<_o3a_p>
This presentation is designed to explore the critical impact and harms of social media and technology on mental health and community wellbeing. It explores how the emergence of social media correlates with significant increases in a range of individual mental health outcomes, including anxiety and loneliness as well as flourishing. The session will also explore the relationship between technology, focus and learning and consider how social media impacts the critical elements of community such as engagement and belonging, and also polarization and social unrest. Finally, this talk will encourage individuals to implement tools and strategies for technology use that supports wellbeing, and to discuss what structures and strategies can be created to mediate the negative impacts on community.<_o3a_p>
The session will be presented by: <_o3a_p>
Thursday features a wide array of workshops with topics including belonging, spiritual identity and faculty attitudes for student success.<_o3a_p>
A full list of the day's workshops can be found on the JEDI Conference website.<_o3a_p><_o3a_p>