The annual University of Wisconsin-Madison Diversity Forum, this year titled “Building Bridges to a Better Future: Opportunities Through Access and Exposure,” will feature keynote speaker John Quiñones, host of the hidden-camera television series “What Would You Do?” and veteran ABC News correspondent. The event will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 5 and 6, at Union South’s Varsity Hall.
Quiñones, a Mexican-American descendant of migrant workers who benefitted from the federal TRIO program which supports educational opportunities for first-generation college students, will share his journey from a Latinx neighborhood of San Antonio to national television networks, according to a press release from the UW.
That Nov. 5 morning session also will include a large-group panel discussion on handling situational ethics in a multicultural environment. There will also be discussion panels on what local public schools are doing to improve equity and inclusion and how to navigate difficult discussions while staying true to ethics. Day one of the Diversity Forum will wrap up with a traditional town hall conversation examining uncomfortable public discussion confronting America’s legacy of white supremacy.
On Nov. 6, the discussion of inclusion and ethics will expand with sessions and workshops, including:
- broadening history to include the story of First Nations;
- understanding the language of gender identity;
- how to support stressed graduate students;
- how to re-imagine local and statewide racial disparities;
- combatting generational stereotypes;
- the unintentional harm of exposure to global trauma;
- inclusion for people with non-apparent disabilities;
- investing in Latinx talent; and
- deconstructing social justice myths.
(Photo by A. David Dahmer)
Annette Miller, founder and chief executive officer of EQT By Design, will close out the second day of the conference with a hands-on workshop titled “What Will You Do? Equity in Action.” Participants will learn how to activate their personal commitment to inclusion.
To register, click here. Go to the event website to see a full list of events.
