Enlightenment Workshop Series

Join us for courageous conversations designed to foster a culture of inclusive excellence at The University of South Florida.

The Enlightenment Workshop Series presents courageous conversations designed to foster a culture of inclusive excellence at the University of South Florida. Organized by the Black Employee Steering Committee with support from the Institute on Black Life and Black Faculty & Staff Association, these sessions began in 2020, and since the launch, over 400 members of the USF community have registered to attend.

Under the coordination of Dr. Ruthmae Sears and Geveryl Robinson (co-chairs), the workshops focus on perspectives related to bias, cultural competence and systemic racism, with an emphasis on current trends facing Black communities across the African Diaspora.

Our goal is to create a space to reflect on the concrete ways that USF faculty and staff can embrace diversity, advance racial equity, and facilitate an inclusive environment where faculty, students, and staff can flourish. This collaborative virtual space is designed for both USF faculty and staff who would like to share their experiences and learn strategies that will promote inclusive excellence.

Each lecture is free and open to the public and hosted online through Microsoft Teams. More information about this series, including a list of topics and facilitators, is located here.

Schedule of Topics and Facilitators

September 20, 2022 - Freedom of Speech vs Academic Freedom: The Cost of Self-Expression - Kyaien Conner, Gerrard Solis,

October 18, 2022 - Equitable Workload and Expectations - Ruth Bahr, Jean Kabongo

November 15, 2022 - Power and Privilege in Higher Education - Clara Buie, Nicole Luckett

December 6, 2022 - Looking through the Mirror and Window to Evaluate Effectiveness - Kevin Jones, Sarah Lee

 January 17, 2023- Model Minority Myth - Walter Jennings, Kevin Lee, Carlos Moreira

February 7, 2023- A Courageous Conversation about Justice, Education, and Solidarity for and within the Black Community - Geveryl Robinson, Elizabeth Hordge-Freeman

February 21, 2023 - Conceptualization, Commercialization, and Commodification of Ethnicity and Race - Kelly Cowart, Elizabeth Hordge-Freeman

March 21, 2023 - Embracing Culture in a Virtual Environment - Denise Davis-Cotton, Marie Byrd, Ashley Reese, Fanni Green

April 18, 2023 - Being your Authentic Self: The Space between Discomfort and Belonging - DeWayne Anderson, Jacob Diaz, DeWayne Anderson, Antonia Robinson