In The Margins Diverse Education

In this episode, we revisit a thought-provoking panel discussion from the National Action Network’s 2024 Convention held April 10-13 in New York City. Led by moderator Dr. Jamal E. Watson, esteemed panelists Kimberlé Crenshaw, Stephanie Ruhle, Dr. Alvin Tillery, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, and Dedrick Asante-Muhammad delve into the profound impact of anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) legislation.
 
The panelists explore the widespread attack on DEI initiatives across various sectors, including higher education and corporate America. Their discussion on legal challenges, political strategies, and the role of misinformation are dissected highlights an urgent need for proactive action and community organizing. They stress the importance of unity, solidarity, and demanding accountability from institutions and elected officials.
 
Tune in to gain insights into the ongoing struggle for social justice and discover actionable steps toward meaningful change in today’s polarized landscape.
 
 
 
KEY POINTS:
 
- There is a concerted effort to undermine DEI initiatives in education and corporate sectors.
- Legal challenges against DEI-focused agencies underscore the need for proactive counter-measures.
- Political strategies aimed at suppressing racial justice movements are contextualized within broader agendas.
- Misinformation shapes public perception of DEI initiatives, and the importance of countering false narratives.
- The corporate response to anti-DEI efforts demonstrates the need for accountability and meaningful diversity initiatives.
- Community organizing and activism is essential in challenging anti-DEI legislation and corporate practices.
- Calls for collective action and consequences for institutions undermining DEI efforts underscore the urgency of sustained pressure and activism.
- There is a critical need for unity and solidarity across communities in combating systemic racism and promoting equity.
- There is a demand for justice with bold advocacy and media coverage.
- Allies from privileged backgrounds are urged to stand up against attacks on DEI and advocate for truth and justice within their communities.
- Actionable steps, including organizing and mobilizing against injustices, are essential for progress.
 
QUOTABLES:
 
“We have to start from a place of truth and realize those who are attacking DEI are not playing fairly, they're playing dirty. And I'm not saying you have to fight dirty with dirty, but open your eyes and bring a weapon to the fight.” -  Stephanie Ruhle
 
“His (Martin Luther King Jr.) high intelligence occasioned lethal opposition, because nothing is as dangerous as a Black person with a brain.” - Dr. Michael Eric Dyson
 
“One of the things we have to recognize is that this is not just an attack on a policy, it's an attack on a people, and that people would be us.” - Kimberlé Crenshaw
 
GUEST RESOURCES: 
 
Leaders Call for Active Resistance Against Anti-DEI Measures | Diverse: Issues In Higher
Education (diverseeducation.com)



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Closed captioning and a live show transcription are available in the video for this episode. 
 
In The Margins is produced by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and edited by EPYC Media Network (visit at https://www.epyc.co/).

Meet defensive lineman Darius Robinson, a first-round selection in the 2024 National Football League (NFL) Draft, and sprinter Olivia Womack. As exceptional college student-athletes, Robinson of Mizzou and Womack of Ole Miss were named 2024’s Arthur Ashe Jr. Male and Female Sports Scholar of the Year.
 
The Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar program is part of Diverse’s over 30-year legacy of recognizing young minority men and women who have distinguished themselves in their academic and athletic pursuits. Of the nearly 600 student-athletes nominated this year, Robinson and Womack were chosen for best exemplifying the standards of scholarship, athleticism, and humanitarianism.
 
Tune in as they share their biggest sources of inspiration and how their passion in top-tier athletic competition translates to their endeavors off the track and the field. We hope you enjoy getting to know these scholars better in this special double-episode with Diverse host Ralph Newell.
 
Key Points:
 
- Arthur Ashe’s legacy on sport and society
- How community service plays a significant role in Womack's life
- Womack’s plans to attend law school
- Womack and Robinson’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) experiences
- The effects of NIL on student-athletes
- Athletic opportunities and academic support for African American student-athletes
- Robinson’s Helping Hands Foundation and how it helps people who lack resources
- The importance of balancing academics and athletics
- The pivotal role of resilience and learning from setbacks
 
Quotables: 
 
"Football only lasts so long, but my education will last forever." – Darius Robinson
 
“When it comes to setbacks, especially when academically, sometimes [in] athletics, you have to learn to compartmentalize that.” – Olivia Womack



Guest Resources:
 
Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Winner Goes First Round to the Arizona Cardinals | Diverse: Issues In Higher Education (diverseeducation.com)
 
Faith, Family and Community | Diverse: Issues In Higher Education (diverseeducation.com)
 
Forward Motion | Diverse: Issues In Higher Education (diverseeducation.com)



[Donate] Darius Robinson’s Helping Hands Foundation
Email | drhelpinghandsnp@gmail.com
IG | @drhelpinghands
 
Learn more about the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Award Program Awards/Honors > Arthur Ashe | Diverse: Issues In Higher Education (diverseeducation.com)



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Closed captioning and a live show transcription are available in the video for this episode.
 
In The Margins is produced by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and edited by EPYC Media Network (visit at https://www.epyc.co/).

Meet retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Ronnie D. Hawkins Jr., president of Angelo State University (ASU), which continues to evolve and thrive as a leading institution in higher education in part by leveraging its opportunities. The university is dedicated to serving its diverse student population and preparing students for success in an ever-changing world.
 
In this episode of Diverse, host Ralph Newell and Hawkins delve into the initiatives and challenges facing ASU, particularly in serving Latino students and navigating the landscape of higher education.
 
Experience this thought-provoking exchange as Newell and Hawkins explore the intersection of education, diversity, and leadership and the transformative impact of inclusive practices in higher education.
 
KEY POINTS:
 
- ASU’s multifaceted strategies to recruit Latinx students
- On athletic scholarships, transfer portal, and NFL opportunities
- Retired Lt. Gen. Ronnie Hawkins Jr.’s biggest challenge as a university president
- The importance of quality education and global workforce competitiveness
- How ASU increases access and removes barriers for Latinx students
- Some student success stories from ASU’s programs
- ASU’s commitment to diversity



QUOTABLES:
 
“Inclusion as a concept has so many factors influencing it. Creating these spaces that allow one to kind of speak up without feeling like the have to shut up and shut down… How do you create these psychologically safe spaces? Trust is at the center of this.” — Ronnie D. Hawkins Jr.
 
GUEST RESOURCES: 
 
2023 Seal of Excelencia | Diverse: Issues In Higher Education (diverseeducation.com), 
Angelo State University Names First Black President | Diverse: Issues In Higher Education (diverseeducation.com)




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Closed captioning and a live show transcription are available in the video for this episode.
 
In The Margins is produced by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and edited by EPYC Media Network (visit at https://www.epyc.co/).

Meet Dr. Monica Parrish Trent, chief program and network officer at Achieving the Dream (ATD). Trent's career spans over 25 years, during which she has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to improving student success and reducing equity gaps, particularly for BIPOC and low-income students. Her extensive experience in community colleges has equipped her with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by such marginalized student populations and the strategies necessary to address them effectively.
 
Join the conversation with Diverse host Ralph Newell and learn how Trent and ATD are working to form an equitable and inclusive environment in higher education.
 
KEY POINTS:
 
- Addressing inequality in higher education
- Monica’s educational journey and career aspirations
- How the ATD organization supports community college students
- The importance of culture and heritage in student learning
- Supporting the academic journey of student parents
- The decline in college enrollment across marginalized groups
- The impact of lack of education on communities
- The ATD Equity Toolkit and its eight equity principles
- The pivotal role of creating an inclusive environment for all students
- The need for partnerships with K-12 schools, local employers, and social organizations



QUOTABLES:
 
“Education matters. I am a proponent of higher education… To me, it's so important because without education and without knowing what your rights are, or what the consequences of rights that have been denied for generations… you're not able to access society in the ways that are going to protect you and your family.” — Dr. Monica Parrish Trent
 
GUEST RESOURCES: 
 
Dr. Monica Parrish Trent - Achieving the Dream 
ATD Equity and Justice Institute, May 1-2
Achieving the Dream Convening Highlights Student Success | Diverse: Issues In Higher Education  (diverseeducation.com) 
Achieving the Dream Announces 2024 DREAM Scholars | Diverse: Issues In Higher Education (diverseeducation.com) 
 
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Closed captioning and a live show transcription are available in the video for this episode.
 
In The Margins is produced by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and edited by EPYC Media Network (visit at https://www.epyc.co/).

Meet Dr. Lauren Lassabe Shepherd, an instructor in the College of Liberal Arts, Education, and Human Development at the University of New Orleans and an IUPUI-Society for U.S. Intellectual History Community Scholar, who was recognized as a leading woman by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education for her outstanding contributions in 2024.
 
In this episode, Diverse host Dr. Jamal Watson engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Shepherd, author of Resistance from the Right: Conservatives and the Campus Wars. The discussion highlights the dominance of progressivism on American college campuses during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
 
Tune in as Watson and Shepherd discuss the deeper themes behind campus politics, the leadership challenges in academic settings, and the misconceptions surrounding university culture. Shepherd offers valuable insights into the ongoing debates and dynamics shaping higher education.



KEY POINTS:
 
- The history of conservative activism on college campuses
- Lack of representation of progressive activism on campuses during 1950s and 1960s
- Dealing with campus protests and the history of far-right activism
- Conservative critiques of higher education in history
- Impact of political pressures on academic freedom
- The pivotal role of campus activism and free speech in higher education
 
QUOTABLES:
 
“Cancel culture is just rampant. If we compare the current state of our campuses to the state of our campuses during the Vietnam War and the three years that I write about in the book, we're in a much calmer climate than we were back then.” — Dr. Lauren Lassabe Shepherd




GUEST RESOURCES:
 
Lauren Lassabe Shepherd, PhD
 
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Closed captioning and a live show transcription are available in the video for this episode.
 
In The Margins is produced by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and edited by EPYC Media Network (visit at https://www.epyc.co/).

In this episode, Diverse host David Pluviose engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Jasmine L. Harris, author of Black Women Ivory Tower: Revealing the Lies of White Supremacy in American Education.
 
Harris is an associate professor of African American Studies and coordinator of the African American Studies Program in the Department of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at The University of Texas at San Antonio.
 
Tune in as Pluviose and Harris discuss the often perilous intersection of race and gender in higher education and the imperative of raising awareness regarding racism and dehumanization within academia — as underscored by reflections on the resignation of Harvard University’s first Black president.
 
KEY POINTS:
 
- Harris’ journey through higher education as a Black female
- On having perseverance in academia despite lacking knowledge and cultural barriers
- Anti-DEI efforts in Texas and their impact on higher education
- Black Women in Ivory Tower book, illuminating the intersection of race and gender in higher education
- The importance of raising awareness of racism and dehumanization in academia
- The anti-Blackness in higher education: Harvard University's removal of first Black president
 
QUOTABLES:
 
“One big takeaway is that, especially for Black women, the process is about perseverance. It's not measuring any intellect. It is about the ability to jump through hoops, commit to the sort of particular culture and structure of doctoral programs, and the socialization that they do to turn you into a professor in many ways.” — Dr. Jasmine L. Harris
 
“The timing for this book is great — and it certainly is. But it's a little sad in that way. We're in 2024; we just watched anti-Blackness remove the first Black president at Harvard University.” — Dr. Jasmine L. Harris



GUEST RESOURCES:
 
Jasmine Harris (drjasmineharris.com)
Book — Jasmine Harris (drjasmineharris.com)



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Closed captioning and live show transcription are available in the video for this episode.
 
In The Margins is produced by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and edited by EPYC Media Network (visit at https://www.epyc.co/).