Making Trouble - Good Trouble

It's the aftermath of the first day of the AASE (Association of Academic Support Educators) Third Bi-Annual Diversity Conference, hosted by CUNY Law.  Unfortunately, my notes are a mess, much like life I suppose.  

But I managed to jot down some key thoughts from speakers and participants that pierced my heart today, leading me to reflect deeply on what I, personally and professionally, must do next, must be next.  

So here's some of what grabbed my heart from today's conference. It's just one person's view.  And I realize I left out much. But, in case you weren't able to participate today, I share with the hope that what we learn together in community might truly be life-changing for so many of our students, left behind and hidden.

• Be willing to and make the invisible visible.
• Generosity of spirit.
• Ask questions about the learning environment, culture, the institution.
• Who's here? Who's not here? Who's rules? Who created them?
• Be a sponge - absorb.
• Be curious, especially about who's uncomfortable.  
• Reach out to student groups. Don't wait for them to reach out to you. Be the instigator.
• Build rapport and relationships.
• Grow in humility.
• Social Identify Mapping: A Tool - Use it! Share it!  Practice it! Live it!
• Humble ourselves.  
• Be willing to lose control so the others might grow and learn.
• What's your definition of academic freedom? Who is it for? What does it serve? How does it help or hinder our students and their learning?
• Are you living mission statements or mission? Truly?  Really?
• Why so hard to talk about race?  What are you waiting for?
• Crown Act - creating and crafting successful curricular ways to teach learning, build DEI, and grow in respect and appreciation for others.
• A few possible communication principles for living, learning, and growing, together: "Vegas---Wall Street---weather.com"
• There's more to academics than academics - much more.
• Pandemic Education - What worked? What didn't? What will you continue? Who did it work for? Who didn't it work for? How were you changed by it? How will you let what you learn positively impact your teaching and your students?
• Don't be afraid to let your students see you, know you.
• Create space for expression, for belonging.
• Ask more questions.
• Make Good Trouble--Yes, Be a Trouble-Maker!

Finally, thank you to the organizers and leaders of this conference - Professors Yolonda Sewell and Haley Meade - and all of the participants, speakers, and sponsors for giving so much of themselves to us for others. And thank you to Dean Hayat (CUNY Law) for your opening remarks and Dr. Spates (Kent State) for your keynote address. Truly inspirational. (S. Johns).