After assessing feedback from a comprehensive series of one-on-one interviews, workshops, surveys, national institutes on best practices, and focus groups that included a cross-section of faculty, staff and students, the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OEDI) is excited to launch a university-wide shared reading initiative focused on the theme of “somatic/body healing.”
The initiative involves the formation of faculty/staff and student reading circles that will meet once a month for 90 minutes. During those 90 minutes, participants will read aloud one (1) chapter from Resmaa Manekam’s My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies.
Reading circles will be assigned and scheduled based on participant preferences. No pre-reading is required. Simply, show up on Zoom or in-person (depending on group preference), read aloud (reading aloud is optional) and engage in a facilitated discussion.
Those interested in serving as a facilitator for a reading circle will attend an OEDI training and meet with other facilitators to assess and adjust as necessary to ensure optimal reading-circle facilitation.
A copy of Resmaa Manekam’s My Grandmother’s Hands will be provided to all participants who need and want one.
Additionally, two (2) “Communal Groundings” luncheons will be held from noon-1:30pm on October 26th and November 30th at all three NEIU campus locations where participants can share their experiences in the reading circles while sharing a meal.
Dr. Shireen Roshanravan, Executive Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, will be holding Zoom presentations on this initiative and other OEDI 2022-2023 programming on the following dates. Feel free to drop by during these sessions to learn more and ask questions.
- 8/4 at 2:30pm
- 8/12 at 11:00am
- 8/19 at 10:00am
The success of this initiative depends on early planning. To that end, please complete this faculty/staff survey by August 19, 2022 to assist the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion with planning for the Fall 2022 semester.
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