Competency Level: Exemplary
"For the purpose of the Social Justice and Inclusion competency area, social justice is defined as both a process and a goal that includes the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to create learning environments that foster equitable participation of al groups and seeks to address issues of oppression, privilege, and power. This competency involves student affairs educators who have a sense of their own agency and social responsibility that includes others, their community, and the larger global context. Student affairs educators may incorporate social justice and inclusion competencies into their practice seeking to meet the needs of all groups, equitably distributing resources, raising social consciousness, and repairing past and current harms on campus communities " (ACPA & NASPA, 2015, p. 30).
Social Justice and Inclusion is the competency area that I have become most passionate about learning and growing in during my time in this graduate program. I began unpacking my privilege and dimensions of identity within my engagement in the alternative break program and service in the local community in my time in undergraduate study at James Madison University. I gained a better understanding of the impact my privilege and identities have on the people around me and in society as an AmeriCorps in New Orleans. The more I learned about the experiences of folks with different identities than me, the more I understood the importance of diversity, equity, social justice, and inclusion.
I was able to engage in the work I needed to do in order to be a part of dismantling systems of oppression in difficult dialogues and reflecting critically in writing and speaking in the CSP 6035: Multicultural Competence in Student Affairs course (ACPA & NASPA, 2015, p. 30). This course and discussions with folks in and outside of the cohort have helped me in identifying what and how I can create more inclusive environments and work towards a more equitable education system and society. As my two years in this program come to a close, I recognize that I have come to operate from a paradigm of asking “who is missing?” I think about this in the literature we read, the programs we facilitate and who is or is not present, the policies we create and who they serve, etc.
My current reading stack.
In order to advocate appropriately for the folks who may be missing, it is critical to learn as much as possible about experiences across difference, particularly those of marginalized identities. I work to do this personally and professionally, knowing that I can learn and come as close to understanding as possible, but never truly understand. For example, reading in my free time consists of characters that are different from me in varying dimensions of identity, but also literature focused on identities I hold as salient. Growth in both areas is critical.
Professionally, I work to weave the thread of social justice and education throughout any program I facilitate, any writing I do, and conversations I have with students and staff members. In order to do these activities and make a difference, it is important to have connections and
relationships with those people (ACPA & NASPA, 2015, p. 30). People interact and react based on their identities and lived experiences; these inform who they are and how they behave. In higher education, it is so important that we are looking individually at students as well as marginalized and privileged groups they belong to in order to serve, support, and advocate for them in the most meaningful and effective manner. We must push past the boundaries of race and sex and dig further into spirituality, ability, gender, socioeconomic status, first-generation student status, political standing, etc., but also be cognizant of the intersectionality of one person or group’s identities. I have gained experience in strengthening this within my internship institution as the racial diversity is not high. In talking to students, I find myself discussing the saliency of mental health and socioeconomic status.
I have worked to weave social justice into my practice by addressing it at every opportunity, not just when it is convenient, and to design programs and events that inclusive, promote social consciousness, and challenge systems of oppression (ACPA & NASPA, 2015, p. 31). For example, I have had the opportunity to create in-service training sessions for residence life staff members multiple times that I have focused on education of marginalized identities. In the last training I facilitated, I received a lot of positive feedback from the staff, including an email from a staff member (see side panel).
I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for the wonderful In-service tonight! It really hit home for me and I really appreciated it! I think sometimes it’s nice to just take a step back and be able to come together as a group to talk about things like our values. Thank you for always being a positive face on campus and role model for equality. You are appreciated more than you know.
email from a staff member after an in-service training
Inclusive Language Lesson Plan
Creating More Inclusive Classrooms Faculty Workshop
American College Personnel Association & National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. (2015). Professional competency areas for student affairs practitioners. Washington, DC: Authors. Retrieved from http://www.naspa.org/images/uploads/main/ACPA_NASPA_Professional_Competencies_FINAL.pdf
Social Justice
and Inclusion
In addition to creating training sessions, I have also worked to include facilitation of dialogue about issues of social justice, inclusion, power, privilege, and oppression in a few different ways (ACPA & NASPA, 2015, p. 31). In the engineering leadership course I facilitate, one of my first lessons is focused on how to avoid bias in writing and speaking, where many of my students are met with notions, concepts, and prose they have not before encountered. I also created a workshop for faculty members within the engineering college that is focused on how to create more inclusive classrooms. The opportunity to present and work with faculty members is always enlightening and I appreciate the mindset to positions that they bring with them. Lastly, I have worked with our assistant to the president for diversity and inclusion to create a curriculum for workshops based on inclusive pedagogy. We hope to implement the certificate program within our Center for Faculty Excellence prior to graduation, as well as hold a half day workshop at our branch campus.