Inclusion

The process of truly connecting with others — no matter their differences — can be challenging, even difficult at times. Columnist and filmmaker Aisha Sultan will explore the theme of embracing others during her upcoming keynote for the university’s annual Day of Dialogue & Action on Feb. 18.

The Academy for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion launched with a full staff at the start of this academic year. On Sept. 20, the academy held an event to celebrate its initial engagements and to look ahead to the work that remains to be done.

Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton has spoken out recently to underscore the global nature of our university community and our commitment to welcoming students, scholars, faculty and staff from all around the world. Chancellor Wrighton today shared a statement of principles building on those sentiments.

Award-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa will be the keynote speaker at the campus-wide Day of Discovery & Dialogue, to be held Feb. 24-25 at Washington University. Her talk, titled “Inclusion: Finding New Ways of Thinking, Inspiring Action,” will take place at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24, in the Eric P. Newman Education Center on the Medical Campus.

The Center for Diversity and Inclusion, which launched last fall, has given students and the broader university community a place to connect around the issues of diversity and inclusion both on and off campus. Director LaTanya N. Buck, PhD, outlines the center’s five strategic priorities and provides an update on some significant progress on these initiatives.

During a retreat this summer on the Medical Campus, department heads, division directors and other senior leaders at Washington University School of Medicine explored unconscious bias and how to diminish its impact in medical environments.

The discovery was an important first step; the dialogue continues. That’s the takeaway more than 600 participants from within the Washington University in St. Louis community heard in a unique, universitywide forum called “Race & Ethnicity: A Day of Discovery and Dialogue” that took place Feb. 5 and 6.

In an effort to extend opportunities to members of the medical school community who wish to share thoughts and viewpoints on becoming a more diverse and inclusive community, the School of Medicine is hosting a series of facilitated discussions.

School of Medicine faculty, staff and students came together for three town hall meetings last week in response to the tragic events in Ferguson. Attendees talked about how to help Ferguson and how to improve diversity and inclusion at the university. Two more meetings will be held on the Medical Campus this week.

In response to the tragic events in Ferguson, Washington University School of Medicine will host a series of town hall meetings for faculty, staff and students beginning Wednesday, Aug. 27. A key objective is to identify how members of the Medical Campus can be of help to Ferguson, its residents and the entire St. Louis region.