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Part I: October 25-27, 2023
Part II: February 20-22, 2024

Empathy is revolutionary. Liberation is revolutionary. Justice is revolutionary. We are revolutionary.

We invite all members of the George Washington University to join us in the fall and spring semesters for the two-part, in-person 9th Annual Diversity Summit, Defining Revolutionary: A Call for Justice, Liberation & Empathy. This year’s theme challenges us to turn inward to define ourselves together as GW, in space that allows for both a pouring into our community and sharing out from our community in accordance with our intended learning goals.

We call on the engagement of our community in the face of threats that are antithetical to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, including the grim rise of book bans, anti-LGBTQIA+ policies, the erasure of Black history from K-12 pedagogy, and the elimination of DEI offices and race-conscious admissions in higher education. Gun violence, climate change, and ongoing acts of hate directed at particular communities continue to plague our nation.

In this moment, we need to grow our capacity to empathize, work toward liberation for all, and fight for justice. These acts are in fact revolutionary. Indigenous scholar, activist, and artist Lilla Watson said, “If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.” Activists, scholars, and changemakers strategically work in coalition, with the understanding that our inequities and oppressions are intrinsically tied. GW, let us work together during dedicated space and time at the Diversity Summit, as one university.

Part I of the Diversity Summit will include a series of panel discussions and keynote sessions, covering topics such as the recent SCOTUS decision on race-based admissions, threats against DEI in the US, gender and sexuality bans, campus safety and policing, and the goals for inclusive excellence at GW. There will be opportunities to learn from President Granberg and other national scholars and members of the GW community.

Part II of the Diversity Summit will invite members of the GW community to submit proposals for educational sessions, research papers, panel discussions, and poster presentations. Registration and a call for proposals for Part II will be shared with the community later in the fall semester. We encourage undergraduate and graduate students, staff, and faculty to submit proposals in alignment with this year’s theme, Defining Revolutionary: A Call for Justice, Liberation & Empathy, and learning goals.

Registration for Part I of the Diversity Summit is now open. An overview schedule of events for Part I is available and will be updated with additional information in the near future. Please note that at this time, all events will occur in person.