The Equity and Diversity Certificate is a program developed by the University of Minnesota System’s Office of Equity and Diversity. This ally model series of workshops help participants develop tools necessary for advancing equity and diversity in all aspects of their personal and professional lives. It’s free of charge and open to all faculty and staff on all University of Minnesota campuses.
The Office for Equity and Diversity and the University Wellbeing Program are collaborating for the 2023-2024 academic year to provide system-wide virtual ECHO programming. Learn more about the complexities of the medical industrial complex and how that interacts with this program here.
For details and workshop descriptions - click here.
Spring 2024 Offerings at the UM, Duluth campus
This Spring, we offer five UM Equity Certificate Hosted Online (ECHO) program courses. The UMD Office of Diversity & Inclusion partners with the UM Office for Equity and Diversity (OED) Education Program to offer these courses to UMD faculty, staff, and students.
Each course consists of three learning activities: reading materials, watching or listening to media clips, and group discussion participation. Depending on the spots available, learners can choose to take the courses at UMD ECHO and/or UM ECHO courses.
Registration Information
The Equity Certificate Hosted Online (ECHO) program is free for all current staff and faculty on all five system campuses.
ECHO Workshop - Challenging Classism
January 23, 2024, 10:00-11:30 am - KSC 268
January 25, 2024, 1:00-2:30 pm - Virtual
The impact of classism in our society leads to bias and barriers for low-income, poor, and working class people and communities. Exploring classism is an essential part of understanding how wealth, status, and income are intertwined with social, cultural, and historical issues in the United States. This course explores how class and classism intersect with our identities and experiences, and how we can challenge assumptions and biases about class.
ECHO Workshop - Navigating Challenging Conversations
January 29, 2024, 2:00-3:30 pm - Virtual
This workshop addresses one of the most significant aspects of equity and diversity work: navigating challenging conversations. In each of our ongoing developmental paths around equity, diversity, and social justice, we will find ourselves in more situations that call for self-reflection, careful listening, nuanced language, and thoughtful questions. This workshop introduces skills in the following areas: noticing and naming our own triggers and activation, developing nuance in our understanding of our intentions, and developing empathy and active listening skills when we impact others.
ECHO Workshop - Gender, Gender Identity and Sexuality
February 6, 2024,10:00-11:30 am - Virtual
February 8, 2024, 1:00-2:30 pm - KSC 268
We commonly think of gender and sexuality as restricted to binary-based and heteronormative definitions and representations. This dialogue centers around expanding our awareness about the constellation of gender and sexuality identities and expressions, and exploring ways to challenge erasure and harm targeted towards the 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual+) and gender expansive communities. Finally, we will identify strategies for creating affirming communities and environments where everyone’s identity, orientation, and expression is respected.
ECHO Workshop - Understanding and Addressing Gender-Based Oppression
March 26, 2024, 10:00-11:30 am - Virtual
March 28, 2024, 1:00 - 2:30 pm - KSC 268
The struggle to attain global gender equity has been a centuries-long battle. Although there have been significant advancements in the ongoing struggle for gender justice, many continue to disproportionately suffer from discrimination and violence. This course fosters awareness and dialogue around harmful gender norms, gender-based violence, and barriers to gender justice. We will also explore key strategies for interrupting and addressing harm, bias, and discrimination rooted in gender-based stereotypes and oppression.
ECHO Workshop - Navigating Challenging Conversations
April 2, 2024, 10:00-11:30 am - KSC 268
April 3, 2024, 1:00-2:30 pm - Virtual
This workshop addresses one of the most significant aspects of equity and diversity work: navigating challenging conversations. In each of our ongoing developmental paths around equity, diversity, and social justice, we will find ourselves in more situations that call for self-reflection, careful listening, nuanced language, and thoughtful questions. This workshop introduces skills in the following areas: noticing and naming our own triggers and activation, developing nuance in our understanding of our intentions, and developing empathy and active listening skills when we impact others.
ECHO - Ableism and Disability Justice
April 18, 2024, 10:00-11:30 am - KSC 268
April 23, 2024, 1:00-2:30 pm - Virtual
Ableism and discrimination towards people with disabilities and the disability community plays out on the individual, cultural, and institutional levels in the U.S. and worldwide. In this course, participants learn about the foundational frames and the nuance involved in fighting ableism and working for disability justice, a movement-building framework that centers the lives, needs, and organizing strategies of disabled queer and trans and/or Black and brown people rooted in the ten principles of disability justice.
The Equity and Diversity Certificate helps participants develop tools necessary for advancing equity and diversity in all aspects of their personal and professional lives. It’s free of charge and open to all faculty, staff, and students on all University of Minnesota campuses.
For more information about the certificate program, registration, or to request disability accommodations, contact Susana Pelayo-Woodward at [email protected] or 218-726-8444