Critical Conversations

Have you ever felt like you had to shrink yourself to fit in? Been the "only one" in the room? Or felt pressure to speak for your whole community?

In Season 3, Episode 2 of Critical Conversations, we begin our new series Who Switched My Code? by exploring tokenism as a form of social adaptability. Together, we'll walk through the three phases: Adaptation, Reaction, and Representation. I also tell my own personal story with tokenism and reflect on how I moved from survival to authentic leadership. Code-switching has a cost; let's unpack it together.

#CriticalConversations #WhoSwitchedMyCode #Authenticity #RepresentationMatters #EquityInAction #Belonging

Host: Dr. Rick Daniels, Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Coordinator: Brenda Cruz, Coordinator of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Producer: Erick Rohn, Distinguised Professor of Design

Join us for the Season 3 premiere of the Critical Conversations Podcast as we unpack the Department of Justice's letter on "illegal" DEI practices in higher education. Our esteemed panelists Dear Aunaetitrakul, Keith Simonds, and Sylvia Rosillo will delve into three key areas of the letter: its interpretations of Title VI, its implications for diversity initiatives, and potential institutional responses. This vital discussion took place on Thursday, September 4 and was recorded in front of a live studio audience.

Host: Dr. Rick Daniels, Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion

Guests: Dear Aunaetitrakul, Senior Manager, AANAPISI, COMPASS Keith Simonds, Assistant Professor, Political Science Sylvia Rosillo, Associate Professor, Library

Coordinator: Brenda Cruz, Coordinator of Institutional Equity an Inclusion Producer: Erick Rohn, Distinguised Professor of Design

Join Dr. Rick Daniels, Janeen Jackson, and students from Oakton's Black Student Success Program as they explore the history, significance, and future of Juneteenth. This episode delves into personal reflections, the cultural impact of the holiday, and its recent federal recognition.

Host: Dr. Rick Daniels, Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Guests: Janeen Jackson, Equity Coordinator for Building Lasting African Culture and Knowledge (B.L.A.C.K.) Student Success Program [BSSP] Adaugo Uduko, Oakton Student, BSSP Mulla Juma, Oakton Student, BSSP AnnLouise Applewhite, Oakton Student, BSSP Coordinator: Brenda Cruz, Coordinator of Institutional Equity an Inclusion Producer: Erick Rohn, Professor of Design

In this episode, I unpack a simple question that left me reflecting deeply: "Are you an introvert or an extrovert?" What followed was a realization about how our environments—and the roles we play in them—can shape how we show up. I explore the idea of "performing extroversion," the fluidity of personality traits, and what it means to lead authentically, even when it feels counter to your natural rhythm. Whether you lean introverted, extroverted, or somewhere in between, this episode invites you to rethink how identity shows up in your professional life. Drop a comment and join the conversation.

Host: Dr. Rick Daniels, Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Coordinator: Brenda Cruz, Coordinator of Institutional Equity an Inclusion Producer: Erick Rohn, Professor of Design

In this episode, we explore Oakton's transition to Lattice, a new performance management system designed to foster meaningful conversations, continuous feedback, and employee growth. Join us as we discuss the journey behind the shift, unpack common perceptions around evaluations in higher education, and share what employees and managers can expect moving forward.

Host: Dr. Rick Daniels, Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion

Guests: Mindy Finnigan, Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition and Development Tom Hicks, Director of Student Success and Academic Interventions Roxana Betka, Human Resources Generalist Tamara Laws, Bursar

Coordinator: Brenda Cruz, Coordinator of Institutional Equity an Inclusion Producer: Erick Rohn, Professor of Design

In this episode, we welcome our first non-Oakton affiliated guest to the podcast, Dr. Jorg Vianden, author of the book, "Got Solidarity?: Challenging Straight White College Men to Advocate for Social Justice". We get to know Dr. Jorg Vianden, how he got started in higher education, what inspired his doctoral work and the research that informed his book. Then we discuss how he handles resistence and challenging straight white men to be advocates for social justice. We also hear from Oakton's Manager of Student Conduct and Title IX Coordinator, Robert Pererson, who studied under Dr. Vianden. Enjoy the show!

Host: Dr. Rick Daniels, Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Guests: Dr. Jorg Vianden, Professor, Student Affairs Administrator, and Author Robert Peterson, Manager of Student Conduct and Title IX Coordinator, Oakton College Coordinator: Brenda Cruz, Coordinator of Institutional Equity an Inclusion Producer: Erick Rohn, Professor of Design

In the last Holidays and Observances episode of the academic year, Brenda is going to take you from May 1st through the summer months!

1. Jewish-American heritage month spans the entire month of May, with Lag Ba'Omer from May 15-16th, which is a Jewish religious holiday celebrated on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar; a period in the Jewish calendar between Passover and Shavuot.
2. Memorial Day is on May 26th, a commemoration honoring and remembering the men and women who died serving the US military.
3. June is Pride Month, a celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride, commemorating and celebrating the contributions of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans culture and the queer community.
4. Shavout is at the beginning of June (1st-3rd), which is a Jewish holiday to commemorate the giving of the Torah to Moses at Mount Sinai.
5. Eid al Adha is June 6-7th, the Festival of Sacrifice commemorating the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail in obedience to God's command.
6. Juneteenth is on June 19th, celebrating the emancipation of enslaved Africans in the United States.
7. Al-Hijrah is June 26-27th marking the Islamic lunar new year, named after the Hijra, the migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622CE.
8. Independence Day is July 4th, where the United States celebrates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence, establishing the United States' independence from Great Britain.
9. Lastly, Tisha B'Av is from August 2-3; a somber commemoration of several tradegies in Jewish history, including the destruction of two holy Temples in Jerusalem.

Host: Dr. Rick Daniels, Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Coordinator: Brenda Cruz, Coordinator of Institutional Equity an Inclusion Producer: Erick Rohn, Professor of Design

In this episode, Dr. Rick Daniels sits down with trusted colleagues and friends with NO AGENDA. This time around, Dr. Daniels is joined by Tina Fakhrid-Deen, Distinguished Professor of English and Co-coorinator of Creative Writing and Terrance Stevenson, Coordinator for Oakton's Emory Williams Academy for Black Men.

Topics include the commonalities of their circuitous educational journey, important teachers and role models, some of the struggles, wake-up calls and epiphanies they experienced along the way, and how they now help their students rise to expectations while breaking down barriers.

This episode is a powerful, candid, and critical conversation! We hope you enjoy 🎧

Host: Dr. Rick Daniels, Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Guests: Tina Fakhrid-Deen, Distinguished Professor of English and Co-coorinator of Creative Writing Terrance Stevenson, Coordinator for Oakton's Emory Williams Academy for Black Men Coordinator: Brenda Cruz, Coordinator of Institutional Equity an Inclusion Producer: Erick Rohn, Professor of Design

In this episode of Critical Conversations, we reflect on Learning Day 2024, from October of last year. As we approach the end of the 2024-2025 academic year, it's a great time to look back at our notes, re-center some of the important themes, and give space to have conversations about how employees, faculty, and staff can continue to act on what Learning Day offered, while also planning for the future.

Host: Dr. Rick Daniels, Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Guests: Leah Kintner, Senior Workforce and Community Education Program Developer and Learning Day Programming Chair Ella Whitehead, Assistant Director of Enrollment for Equity Outreach and Learning Day Committee Co-chair Dr. Ruben Howard, Dean of Business and Career Technologies and Learning Day Committee Co-chair Coordinator: Brenda Cruz, Coordinator of Institutional Equity an Inclusion Producer: Erick Rohn, Professor of Design

In this brief episode, we want to share some of the holidays and observances in April, including Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, National Arab-American Hertiage Month, National Autism Acceptance Month, and Earth Month. Religious Observances in April include Passover, Holy Week leading up to the end of Lent and Easter Sunday, and Orthodox Easter; Pascha or Ressurrection Sunday.

Host: Dr. Rick Daniels, Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Coordinator: Brenda Cruz, Coordinator of Institutional Equity an Inclusion Producer: Erick Rohn, Professor of Design