SIUE Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Team Members Gather More Insight
Listening, learning and planning how to undo racial power structures and replace them with equitable systems has been the focus this week for several Southern Illinois University Edwardsville faculty, staff and community partners.
SIUE members of the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) team participated in the Expanding TRHT Campus Centers to Dismantle Racial Hierarchies and Build Equitable Communities online conference from June 16-19, hosted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).
Attending were Jessica Harris, PhD, interim assistant provost and associate professor, and Bryan Jack, PhD, associate professor, both in the Department of Historical Studies; Connie Frey Spurlock, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Sociology; Kathryn Bentley, associate professor in the Department of Theater and Dance; Courtney Boddie, PhD, SIUE Counseling Services director; Elizabeth McKenney, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Psychology; Taylor Cross, graduate student in the Department of Public Administration and Policy Analysis; Ro Kicker, youth program manager at NCCJ St. Louis; and Antwoinette Ayers, digital marketing intern with I Am EStL the Magazine.
“The conference is designed to support teams who are planning to create or already have a TRHT center on their campuses,” said Frey Spurlock. “I hope to learn more about how other centers are using racial healing circles and how they are using the TRHT framework to transform their cultures. Hopefully, we’ll help others learn from our experiences, too.”
“This is a critical time and as an institution of higher education, SIUE must position itself as a leader in addressing racism and inequity in our communities,” said Harris. “During our time together at the institute, the TRHT team hopes to learn as much as we can in order to bring those lessons back to the SIUE campus in support of this vitally important work.”
Some speakers at the conference included:
- Gail Christopher, PhD, founder of the Ntianu Center for Healing and Nature, executive director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity
- Lynn Pasquerella, PhD, president of the AAC&U
- Charles Alphin, former director of education and training for the Martin Luther King Center for Nonviolent Social Change
- Jessie Daniels, PhD, professor of sociology at Hunter College and The Graduate Center, City University of New York
About AAC&U
AAC&U is the leading national association dedicated to advancing the vitality and public standing of liberal education by making quality and equity the foundations for excellence in undergraduate education in service to democracy. Its members are committed to extending the advantages of a liberal education to all students, regardless of academic specialization or intended career. Founded in 1915, AAC&U now comprises 1,400-member institutions, including accredited public and private colleges, community colleges, research universities, and comprehensive universities of every type and size. For more information, visit www.aacu.org.
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SIUE Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) faculty, staff and community partners attended an online conference hosted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) about dismantling racial hierarchies.
