Empathy is revolutionary. Liberation is revolutionary. Justice is revolutionary. We are revolutionary.
We welcome all members of the George Washington University to join us from February 20 - 22, 2024 for the 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.
Registration for the 9th Annual Diversity Summit closes on Friday, February 16, 2024 at 5:00pm ET.
Register for the Diversity Summit
Submit a Proposal
The Office for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement (ODECE) invites students, staff, and faculty to submit proposals for the 9th Annual Diversity Summit by Tuesday, January 9, 2024 by 11:59pm EST. All sessions will occur in-person and may be delivered in the format of educational workshops, panels, poster sessions, creative arts, and scholarly presentations. Creativity and full expression are encouraged.
We ask that you be bold in your proposals. The 9th Annual Diversity Summit will prioritize proposals that foster intergroup dialogue and highly interactive opportunities about developing our collective capacity to critically self-reflect, create learning environments where curiosity is welcome, collaboratively theorize, and courageously build in an effort to create sustainable change at GW and beyond. Diversity Summit session proposals could include best practices, current research, and/or innovative ideas. Only proposals in clear alignment with this year’s theme, Defining Revolutionary: A Call for Justice, Liberation & Empathy, and learning goals will be considered.
We call on the engagement of our community at this moment, perhaps more than ever, to consider empathy, liberation, and justice. As we collectively experience the substantial loss of life, anti-Arab discrimination and bias, antisemitism, Islamophobia, ongoing oppression toward those most historically marginalized, feelings of hurt and lack of safety, and a reinforcement of power in many ways, we must call actions out, bring attention to injustices, and work toward liberation for all. We have an obligation to repair where harm has been done, restore trust and relationships, and work toward building a collective, healthy, and beloved community. From conflict to compassion, we need to strive toward creating the world we want and deserve. We have to be willing to seek the humanity in other people, challenge ourselves to understand another point of view, and empower each other to disrupt and push against all forms of oppression.
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 change makers 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.
Please visit our website and follow us on social media @InclusionatGW for information and updates. If you have questions, please email [email protected].