In her book, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, Robin DeAngelo points out that honest and transparent conversations around diversity issues can be challenging for many people and arouse intense emotional responses. “Anger, fear, guilt, behaviors including argumentation and silence” are some of the emotions experienced by those who are bold enough to confront racial issues and engage in courageous conversations around diversity. Unless such emotions are acknowledged and dealt with appropriately, the “white racial equilibrium” status quo will continue impeding meaningful cross-cultural dialogues.

In this course, you’ll be guided through a discussion of why courageous conversations around diversity issues are difficult. You will receive reflective questions which allow you to explore your own emotions related to such conversations and will be provided strategies that will allow you to engage in meaningful racial dialogues. This will lead to developing a personal action plan that will allow you to engage yourself and others in a discourse that creates a more equitable, inclusive, and diverse workplace.

I Will Learn To: 

• State the reasons why conversations about race and diversity are challenging.
• Examine emotions that prevent you from being willing to participate in meaningful dialogues around race and diversity issues.
• Summarize strategies that can be used to ensure that you and others can engage in healthy cross-cultural dialogues.
• Develop a written action plan to outline what you will do to ensure that you and others in your workplace can discuss race and diversity issues in a manner that promotes equity and inclusiveness for all.