Belonging Journey Dialogue Series: Bridging to Belonging
A message from: Lorenley Báez, Associate Provost for Equity and Belonging
Dear Students,
We have an undeniable need to connect with each other. Yet, we are witnessing globally, nationally, and regionally the overwhelming pressure to regard each other as fundamentally different, which inhibits our ability to have genuine relationships. We are all impacted by a range of issues and assumptions that tear at our ability to be together. On our campus, the importance of bridging will lead us toward creating and sustaining spaces where everyone belongs.
At the root of these issues is othering. Bridging, however, creates an opportunity to be present with and lean into uncomfortable situations with hopes to increase empathy, understanding, and bring people together. Additionally, bridging helps us understand the stories we are telling ourselves about others and ourselves. It centers our humanity and begins to remedy polarization. Like legal scholar john a. powell, director of the Othering & Belonging Institute (O&BI) at UC Berkeley, believes that “if we continue to fracture into smaller we’s, we will not survive.” Our goal with the Belonging Journey Dialogue Series is to promote dialogue that helps us turn towards each other so that we can be present and engaged in fostering positive change.
The Office of Equity & Belonging was established to foster a uniquely creative and intellectual learning community that appreciates a diversity of identities, perspectives, values, ideas, experiences, and beliefs at The New School. This semester, we invite you to The Belonging Journey, a dialogue series that explores our desire to connect and how our need to belong is grounded in our understanding of relationships, structures, and our notion of community.
You now have the opportunity to register for monthly dialogue sessions to begin building toward a world where we all belong. These events are open only to New School students and you can choose the session(s) want to attend below.
I look forward to you joining me in shifting the cultural paradigm of The New School by leaning into learning, increasing empathy, and fostering a global sense of belonging. If you have any questions, please email me at baezl@newschool.edu.