Dear 学生, 教师, and 工作人员,
As we continue to grapple with the painful events in the Middle East, many of us have wrestled with how best to stand up against antisemitism, 伊斯兰恐惧症, and anti-Arab racism. In this community of students and scholars, we turn to what we do best: inquiry and learning.
In the weeks and months to come, Barnard will continue to offer a variety of opportunities and resources to help us deepen our understanding of this conflict, its effects here and around the world, and how we can continue to support one another, even when we differ on important questions. We particularly want to invite you to a series of workshops we will hold during the week of December 4, designed to give us all practical tools to live out our values in community. We urge you to consider participating — you can find out more and register here:
Challenging Antisemitism: Upstander Strategies (注册在这里.)
- For faculty/staff: Monday, December 4, 1 - 3 p.m.地点待定
- For students: Tuesday, December 5, 5 - 7 p.m.地点待定
Challenging 伊斯兰恐惧症: Upstander Strategies (注册在这里.)
- For faculty/staff: Thursday, December 7, 2 - 4 p.m.地点待定
- For students: Thursday, December 7, 5 - 7 p.m.地点待定
重要的是, we learn and make sense of our world not only through study and analysis, but through telling our stories and hearing those of others — a fundamental foundation of our liberal arts education. We are pleased to invite all students to join Center for Engaged Pedagogy (CEP), 多样性, Equity and 包容 (DEI), and Athena for a half-day workshop devoted to interpreting relevant poetry and literature surrounding the ongoing Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and to writing or telling our own stories (fictional or biographical):
The Power of Stories: A Literary Interpretation and Storytelling Workshop (注册在这里.)
- Friday, December 8, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.地点待定
Because many of us live and learn together, we are pleased to invite students to join Residential Life and 住房 staff for one of several interactive student sessions designed to increase your own capacity for empathy. Learn about what empathy is–and what it isn’t—and practice techniques found to enhance one’s understanding of others in conflict.
Radical Empathy: How to Find Understanding Even When You Disagree (注册在这里.)
- Choose one of the sessions for students offered during the weeks of November 27 and December 4地点待定
- Tuesday, November 28, 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, November 29, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
- Thursday, December 7, 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.
- Friday, December 8, 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Drawing from what was learned at four faculty gatherings and one student instructor gathering led by the CEP and co-hosted by the 教务长’s Office and 教师 多样性 and Development in mid- and late October, 教师 多样性 and Development (FDD) and CEP are holding two additional sessions for faculty that will address how to support students during end-of-semester coursework. Time in these final sessions will also be devoted to discussing any new concerns that have emerged.
支持ing 学生 through Fall 2023 Finals (教师 注册在这里.)
- December 5, 9 - 10 a.m. 和4 - 5便士.m. in Sulzberger Hall, South Tower
In addition to these communal efforts, there are many ways we can individually learn more. We particularly want to call your attention to a new resource available online, Empathy, Dialogue, and 社区 Care: Tools for Turbulent Time.
Faced with the pain and fear we have witnessed and experienced over the last five weeks, it would be easy at this point to give in to the fatigue and frustration so many of us feel. It would be easy to succumb to anger, or simply to retreat.
But as our history has shown us, Barnard is at its best when we live and act as a community. Each of us is responsible for our contributions to this community. We urge you to take advantage of all it has to offer, to engage in generous spirit with those around you, and to find your own path to contribute to a better future together.
With appreciation,
Jennifer Rosales
Vice President for 包容 and Engaged Learning and Chief 多样性 Officer
莱斯利Grinage
Vice President for 校园生活 and Student Experience and Dean of the College