Annual Diversity Conference
2024 Boundless Together: How Do We Move Forward When We Disagree?
October 15, 2024
The annual diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice conference aims to bring together leaders, practitioners, and social justice advocates within the University of Rochester, the Greater Rochester communities, and beyond. The conference offers opportunities for everyone to collaborate, learn, and engage around strategies, implementation, and application of bringing together diverse voices committed to transformative environments when DEIJ is ever-evolving.
This year, the conference endeavors to:
- Generate meaningful and purposeful conversation around civil discourse, restorative practices, wellness, and DEIJ topics at our schools and in our community;
- Explore equitable and sustainable compliance practices within higher education that align with DEIJ and our ever-changing world; and
- Explore pathways forward when there is unrest and discourse within the higher education environment and our community.
All are welcome to attend, including students of all ages from UR and the community, the Greater Rochester community, and UR staff, faculty, and trainees.
Keynote Speaker – Isabel Wilkerson
Isabel Wilkerson, is the author of the critically acclaimed, New York Times bestseller Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Published in August 2020, Caste: The Origins of our Discontents rose to critical acclaim and became a Number 1 New York Times bestseller. Dwight Garner of The New York Times called it, “An instant American classic and almost certainly the keynote nonfiction book of the American century thus far.” Oprah Winfrey chose it as her 2020 Summer/Fall book club selection, declaring it “the most important book” she had ever selected.
While serving as Chicago Bureau Chief of The New York Times in 1994, Wilkerson won the Pulitzer Prize for her deeply humane narrative writing making her the first black woman in the history of American journalism to win a Pulitzer Prize and the first African American to win for individual reporting. In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded Wilkerson the National Humanities Medal for “championing the stories of an unsung history.”
Caste Book Club
The Office of OEI is pleased to announce the launch of the Caste Book Club, featuring Isabel Wilkerson’s groundbreaking book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. This is an incredible opportunity for our community to engage in meaningful discussions on a topic that deeply impacts our society. This is a unique way that we are excited to share with you that aims to provide a path to encourage important dialogue, learn more about the impact and history of caste in our communities, and to help support the local economy.
How Do I Join?
We are seeking a contact person from each department/area to fill out the Caste Book Club Sign-Up Form before August 16, 2024. This individual will coordinate the book club activities within their respective department. Please don’t worry if your department is not hosting a book club—individuals are able to sign up as well.
What’s Involved with Being a Host?
Participant List: Send us a list of participants in your group once finalized.
Meeting Schedule: Determine a meeting schedule that works best for your group. You have the flexibility to choose the format that suits your team’s needs—whether it’s weekly discussions during department meetings, lunchtime gatherings, Zoom sessions, or utilizing a discussion board.
Facilitator’s Guide and Reading Schedule: You’ll receive a facilitator’s guide crafted by the OEI Education Team, along with a suggested reading schedule. The goal is to facilitate meaningful conversations, so there’s no requirement to finish the book before the conference.
What Can You Expect from Book Club?
Free Book: The first 500 participants to sign up will receive a complimentary copy of Caste – ALL books will be purchased from local independent bookstores!
Facilitator’s Guide: The OEI education team will provide each book club with a facilitator’s guide, complete with discussion questions and a reading schedule.
Pop-Up Book Clubs: We will also be hosting for pop-up book discussions both in person and online for those who wish to read along but may not have a book club in their own area—don’t let that deter you from signing up!
Timeline: We will be coordinating for book pick up in early August and will be reading up until October 15th.
Exclusive Event: The book club journey will culminate in an exclusive meeting for participants and hosts with the author, Isabel Wilkerson, who will be keynoting the Boundless Together Conference on October 15th at the Joseph Floreano Riverside Rochester Convention Center.
Bookstores Involved
Akimbo Books – 714 University Avenue, Rochester NY – Akimbo Bookshop is an independent bookstore in Rochester, New York’s Neighborhood of the Arts that focuses on small presses, social justice, and international fiction (though we have a little bit of everything!).
Ampersand Books – 740 University Avenue, Rochester, NY – Ampersand Books is owned and operated by Writers & Books, Rochester’s leading nonprofit literary arts center. Our intimate space boasts a curated selection of award-winning and hard-to-find fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Specialties include small press titles, texts focused on social justice, craft of writing, and books by local authors.
Archivist Books – 772 Monroe Avenue, Rochester, NY – Archivist Books is a queer bookstore curated with queer folks in mind. Every book on the shelf is queer and Taylor prides themself on sourcing small press lit and indie, queer writers to have in the store. Archivist is a love letter to queerness.
Bookeaters – 836 S. Clinton Avenue, Rochester, NY – Bookeaters combines cooking, books and community in the Swillburg neighborhood. Locals love the cozy reading nooks, specialty sandwiches and local vendors as well as the books!
Hipocampo Children’s Books – 638 South Avenue, Rochester, NY – Hipocampo Children’s Books, LLC is an independent Woman/Latinx owned children’s bookstore in Rochester, NY! We are located in the South Wedge, close to downtown. We have a varied collection of books that represent the rich cultures and languages of western NY as well as toys and children’s apparel. We host children’s programs and classes, performances, author signings, and even opportunities for adults to share their love of children’s literature.
The Unreliable Narrator – 302 N. Goodman #E101, Rochester, NY – A bookshop that includes tarot cards, crystals, cloaks, children’s books, patches, pins, jewelry, soap, dice, foam swords and daggers, notebooks, zines, nonfiction books, pouches, queer books, art prints, stickers, cards, tiny treasures, wax seals, candles, matchboxes, faeries and more!
For questions, contact equityandinclusion@rochester.edu.