In our global, ever shifting world, cultural awareness and adaptability are extremely valuable tools. Dr. Alta Mauro’s expertise shines, as she recounts tales from her days living in Abu Dhabi while navigating a unique racial, social, and economic landscape. As the Associate Dean of Inclusion & Belonging at Harvard College, she adeptly utilizes her knowledge to inspire the next generation of leaders. We also discuss how the pandemic is affecting Ramadan, why disruption can be healthy, and how institutions can continue to innovate regardless of their current level of success.

 

 

Bio:

 

Dr. Alta Mauro is the Associate Dean for Inclusion & Belonging at Harvard College, guiding divisional efforts related to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Under her direction, the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural & Race Relations, the Harvard College Women’s Center, the Office of BGLTQ Student Life, and Title IX coordination converge to leverage Harvard’s great diversity to cultivate inclusive community where all students can thrive.

 

Previously, Alta served as the founding director of Spiritual Life & Intercultural Education at New York University Abu Dhabi. The UAE’s cosmopolitan diversity provided an exciting backdrop to consider what it meant to educate from the intersection of Black diasporic, critical, womanist perspectives rooted in cultural humility, social justice, and equity. 

 

Alta earned a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her dissertation, Identity (re)Determination Among Upwardly-Mobile Black Women, focuses on shifting notions of self, identity, and belonging among African-American women who have been acculturated in sociocultural spaces which are markedly different from their home communities. Other areas of her professional expertise include sustained dialogue and engaging culturally-relevant pedagogy across academic disciplines. Alta has co-authored three refereed book chapters, additional articles related to DEI and global education issues, and published poetry in a recent higher education anthology.

Highlights:

 

• The ways not enough-ness shows up and how Dr. Mauro deals with this.
• How Amer and Dr. Mauro are handling a less communal Ramadan.
• How to navigate between choosing a job with higher pay with a community focused position.
• What are helpful disruptions and how did they impact Dr. Mauro’s life?
• Amer and Dr. Mauro’s experience living in the Midwest, facing religious and racial animosity.
• How Dr. Mauro’s experience in the Middle East taught her to be tolerant of ambiguity.
• Acknowledging the exploitation of labor across the world. 
• How to differentiate between fundamental problems and first-world problems.
• What are the historical barriers for women of color? How have they changed over time?
• Do successful institutions stop innovating after time?
• Are we advocating for inclusive education too robotically and philosophically?

Connect with Amer and The Eclectic Inclusion Podcast:

 

Website | amerfahmed.com

 

Instagram | @dramerfahmed

 

Twitter | @dramerfahmed

Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr. is a dedicated change agent, with leadership experience across the education and business sectors. In today’s episode, he speaks deeply to the mindset and approach that educators must adopt to truly make an on impact students. Dr. Moore shares from his past, including how he overcame addiction and found himself in the diversity, equity, and inclusion space. We also cover why there is no finish line for anti-racism work, why massive transformation will come from a series of small actions, and what it means to hold someone accountable.

 

Bio:

 

Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr. has pursued and achieved success in academia, business, diversity, leadership and community service. In 1996, he started America & MOORE, LLC to provide comprehensive diversity, privilege and leadership trainings and workshops. Dr. Moore is recognized as one of the nation’s top motivational speakers and educators, especially for his work with students K-16. Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr., currently serves as Director of The Privilege Institute (TPI) and The National White Privilege Conference (WPC), both founded under his direction to provide opportunities and possibilities for research, publications, speaking and collaborations by those committed to true social and institutional change. 

 

He received his Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Leadership Studies at the University of Iowa and under his direction and inclusive relationship model the White Privilege Conference has become one of the top national and international conferences for participants who want to move beyond dialogue and into action around issues of diversity, power, privilege, and leadership. In 2014 Dr. Moore founded The Privilege Institute, which engages people in research, education, action and leadership through workshops, conferences, publications and collaborative partnerships and relationships. (Click here to read full bio) 

 

Highlights:

 

• What are qualities to look for in a mentor?
• Is the social justice movement evolving as fast as white supremacy culture?
• How recovering from a drug addiction at age 27 changed Dr. Moore’s life trajectory.
• How Dr. Moore’s mother’s love was his saving grace.
• “It starts with believing that it matters to invest in somebody … you may never see the repercussions and results of that, but … that’s worth doing” -  Dr. Amer F. Ahmed
• Why millions of people having an impact on their small spheres of influence will change the world - “Transformation ... doesn’t just happen because one person did one big thing” - Dr. Amer F. Ahmed
• What is the White Privilege Conference? 
• Why those who are doing the work need to be challenged differently.
• How has Dr. Moore’s consultation work changed over time?
• Is higher education’s approach to fighting racism outdated?
• Why knowing your ingrained biases is vital to effective pedagogy.
• There is no one BIPOC “type” - there is massive diversity under this designation.
• Why powerful educators “respect the complexity in which their students are coming into the classroom” - Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr.
• Why is Robin DiAngelo under so much public scrutiny? Is it unwarranted?

Connect with Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr.

 

Website | EddieMooreJr.com - free e-book, 21 Day Action Plans, and book info!!

 

Instagram | @eddiemoorejr

 

Twitter | @eddieknowsmoore

 

Connect with Amer and The Eclectic Inclusion Podcast:

 

Website | amerfahmed.com

 

Instagram | @dramerfahmed

 

Twitter | @dramerfahmed

 

While the recent wave of anti-Asian crimes is frightening, the hate itself is not new. It simply became more acute and visible due to global events. Our guest, Kia Lor, intimately understands intercultural competence and holds a heartfelt remedy for the vitriol. The path forward includes deeper intentional listening and more meaningful communication amongst cultures and generations. We also cover the history of the Hmong people, inclusion issues within study abroad programs, and the sneaky ways that institutions attempt to force assimilation.

 

Bio:

 

Kia Lor (she/her), Associate Director, was a First-Generation Lower-Income (FGLI) college student who was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and raised in snowy St. Paul, Minnesota. Kia can tell you all about how to immerse yourself in intercultural courses at UPenn, including the Intercultural Leadership Program, the United Minorities Council, and the Civil Rights History Spring Break. She is also skilled in social media marketing. Kia is passionate about Hmong women narratives and digital storytelling, and she uses her training in intercultural communication to help students develop their voices. Outside of her work at the Albert M. Greenfield Intercultural Center, you may find Kia taking pictures or running along the Schuylkill trail.

 

Highlights:

 

• Background of the Hmong people, including their betrayal from the United States and the “Secret War” from the Vietnam War era. 
• How Kia came to the field of intercultural communication and how she has been applying this knowledge her entire life.
• Why a study abroad trip to India and China accelerated her passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion work.
• How Kia has brought the intersectional lens to study abroad, fellowships, and global initiatives at UPenn. 
• Salient question from Kia - “How do I be Asian in a white space?”
• Why students of different races have highly variable experiences while traveling abroad.
• Is there historical tension between the Asian and Black communities?
• What is emotional labor and why is its importance often dismissed from academic circles?
• How economics, class, and access to education vary across all minority groups, especially within Asian communities.
• What are the recent changes within the Hmong community in the United States?
• How does Kia boost intercultural learning through an equity lens at UPenn?
• What does inclusive teaching mean to Kia?
• “Listen with the intention to understand, and without having to put in my solution or my two cents, but to really hear each other.” - Kia Lor
• How the dominant culture forces assimilation and why operating with internal congruence is vital.

Connect with Amer and The Eclectic Inclusion Podcast:

 

Website | amerfahmed.com

 

Instagram | @dramerfahmed

 

Twitter | @dramerfahmed

Part 2 of this interview begins with Alex sharing insights from Standing Rock, solutions for preserving Indigenous culture, and methods for ending the colonial mindset. Alex details the specific actionable steps that white Americans can take to assist in this cultural transformation. We also talk about why authentic conversation can end white supremacy, how hyper-reactivity slows progress, and why Western society’s devotion to logic is problematic.

Alex Schein is a multimedia producer and the Director of Digital Communications for the School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. Alex’s long-established involvement in educational art projects enables him to expertly convey their potential power in realizing social and economic justice. Amer and Alex’s close relationship makes for a potent and heartfelt episode, including tales from their time living in South Africa during the Truth and Reconciliation era. Stay tuned for part 2 of this conversation!

 

Bio:

 

He is currently producing and hosting Season 2 of In These Times: Black Lives and Call for Justice, a podcast by the School of Arts and Sciences at Penn. The six-part series explores the nation’s complex history with race and examines the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 and the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Schein has served as part-time faculty at Temple University and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and as creative director for the African American Policy Forum, co-founded by Kimberlé Crenshaw, in New York City. As the sole proprietor of SkyHunter Media, he has directed and produced numerous promotional films for organizations, independent artists, and institutions. His solo-produced documentary film, Making Sense, made its world premiere in New York City at the 2014 DOC NYC Film Festival.  

As a professional songwriter and music producer for over 15 years, Schein has had songs from his self-produced album, Speed of Light, featured in the feature film Bilal’s Stand (Sundance Film Festival 2010) as well as on ESPN, NBC Sports, and in Big UP Productions' films by Emmy-Award director Josh Lowell.

 

Show Notes:

 

• The achievements of Alex Schein’s mother - Dr. Virginia Schein - one of the first female faculty members at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business
• Why aren’t more women in leadership positions? 
• Why Gettysburg, PA presents a unique case study for race and class relations.
• How Alex navigated the social complexities of diverse settings. 
• Why being the only person of your race in a room can lead to new insights.
• Does music have a unique ability to bring people together?
• Does the average American understand Islam from a spiritual level?
• Amer and Alex’s experience living in South Africa during the Truth and Reconciliation process.
• Does the United States need its own version of truth and reconciliation?
• Why leaving your comfort zone is vital to growth.
• Breaking apart the stereotypes surrounding Dave Matthews and his music.

Connect with Amer and The Eclectic Inclusion Podcast:

 

Website | amerfahmed.com

 

Instagram | @dramerfahmed

 

Twitter | @dramerfahmed

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“Real critical thinking is about cracking open conventional wisdom, bringing in other bodies of knowledge, and expanding the conversation” - Dr. Vincent Stephens

 

Decolonizing the syllabus and overturning centuries of racist policy is essential work. But, those missions aren’t achievable if we don’t truly ground into the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Dr. Vincent Stephens has been a bold force in higher education, advocating for higher degrees of discernment and intersectionality from leadership. In this episode, we dispel common social justice myths, critique mainstream American media, and provide positive reinforcement for those speaking truth to power. 

 

Bio: Vincent L. Stephens (he/him/his) began as the Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion in the College of Arts & Sciences in January 2021. Dr. Stephens serves on the Dean’s cabinet to advise the dean, help define strategic priorities, and develop and implement policy to advance the College’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. He also provides strategic consultations for faculty, staff, and students, including concerns related to climate, hiring, creation of pipeline programs, and curriculum. He has served as the Director of the Popel Shaw Center for Race and Ethnicity at Dickinson College (2015-21) and Director of Multicultural Student Services (2011-15) at Bucknell University. Through these roles he has cultivated specialties in inclusive pedagogy techniques, equitable hiring practices, cultural conflict resolution, dialogue facilitation, and student retention and engagement, among other areas.

 

An American Studies scholar, he completed his BS in Mass Communication/Print Journalism at Emerson College, MA in Popular Culture Studies at Bowling Green State University, and PhD in American Studies at the University of Maryland College Park. He is the author of 2019’s Rocking the Closet: How Little Richard, Johnnie Ray, Liberace, and Johnny Mathis Queered Pop Music (University of Illinois Press) and co-editor of 2017’s Post Racial America? An Interdisciplinary Study (Bucknell University Press). His essays on popular culture have appeared in various peer-reviewed journals, anthologies, and encyclopedias. He has also taught at multiple institutions, most recently as a Contributing Faculty member in the Department of Music at Dickinson College (Fall 2018-Fall 2020).

Show Notes:

 

• How educators can build curricular frameworks where all students can contribute
• How Dr. Stephens found himself back in Boston, working as the Associate Dean For Diversity and Inclusion at BU. 
• Why administrative positions can greatly contribute to a more equitable university experience
• How insights from higher education lead to more comprehensive knowledge
• Why we all need to do our diversity, equity, and inclusion homework
• How to end to the stereotype that only the wealthy, elite class earns doctorate degrees
• Why educators are often the first target when dictatorial governments take power
• Why public education is vital to the health of a democratic society.
• Is discernment lacking in our country? Is populism anti-intellectual?
• Why people will find media that aligns with their current beliefs
• What is the media not telling us? And why is that information withheld?
• How to avoid the trap of believing progress will only appear as legislative action
• Don’t become overwhelmed by all the info about diversity, equity, and inclusion. There is work to be done from where you are. 
• Is western civilization built on problematic norms?
• Why inclusion starts with course design, and challenges popular convention. 
• Why we need to decolonize the syllabus
• From the way you conceptualize to the way you are interacting, your influence is having an effect collectively.
• Why to emphasize being grounded into equity, diversity, and inclusion as concepts before starting to act.

Connect with Dr. Vincent Stephens:

 

Boston University Educator Profile | Dr. Vincent Stephens

Connect with Amer and The Eclectic Inclusion Podcast:

 

Website | amerfahmed.com

 

Instagram | @dramerfahmed

 

Twitter | @dramerfahmed

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Creating a radically different future will require masterful innovation from educators. Asad Ali Jafri has been at the forefront of societal transformation, working with teachers, community activists, artists, and thought leaders on intentional initiatives. Today’s conversation explores the intersection of hip-hop and Islam, the importance of backing up our words with meaningful action, and why art is a critical component of an educator’s toolbox.

Bio: Asad Ali Jafri is a cultural producer, community organizer and interdisciplinary artist with a creative vision for sustainable social change. As an innovative thinker, Asad utilizes the universal language of art to connect communities, cultures and people to transform interactions, perceptions, and collective consciousness. Since 2001, Asad has worked passionately with artists, creatives, and thought leaders across nations, disciplines, and genres to curate meaningful productions, design sustainable initiatives, and build strong communities. Currently Asad is based in Chicago as Executive Director of South Asia Institute. Asad melds his passion for art, culture, design, and space to transform people, relationships, perceptions and communities. 

 

Show Notes:

 

• Why the need for innovative solutions is higher than ever before
• What is Asad’s backstory? What challenges did he face growing up as a South Asian adolescent in the Chicago area?
• How hip-hop shaped Asad’s worldview and life perspective 
• The history of Islam intersecting with hip-hop, and how it affected Amer & Asad
• Why 9/11 marked a change in how America approached Islam and war
• What happened to the anti-war, anti-Bush energy of the early 2000’s?
• How to introduce music, culture, and traditions to new social groups
• Why no community wants to be pigeon-holed or stereotyped
• How does hip-hop intersect with higher education? How has Asad utilized the arts?
• Why music is a critical tool in education, especially for reaching young people 
• In the social justice space, it’s often a question of “how” and not “should”
• Why getting progressively minded people into positions of power is vital, as they set the budgets and agenda
• Why just saying “Black Lives Matter” is not enough
• How to bridge the gap between talking and acting
• Why the more glamorous diversity and equity initiatives tend to get more funding than the ones doing the heavy lifting
• How to create interactive ways for students to connect with the lessons
• Why true education must come from a heart-felt desire for growth

Connect with Asad Ali Jafri:

 

Instagram | @asewonder

 

Facebook | Asad Ali Jafri

 

Website | asadalijafri.com - available for schools and educators

Connect with Amer and The Eclectic Inclusion Podcast:

 

Website | amerfahmed.com

 

Instagram | @dramerfahmed

 

Twitter | @dramerfahmed

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Kelli McLoud-Schingen is a world-class bridge builder, using the power of story and art to bring about social and racial justice. In this interview, she details how her upbringing in Chicago fueled her current passion for inclusive leadership and intercultural competence. We answer pertinent questions from the diversity, equity, and inclusion field, including why Black self-determinism is non negotiable and often overlooked, how art can transform perspectives, and why gradual change is no longer a viable solution.  

 

Bio: Kelli McLoud-Schingen is President and principal facilitator/trainer for KMS Intercultural Consulting, LLC. She specializes in Inclusive Leadership, Global Diversity and Inclusion, Storytelling, Cultural Competence, Social Justice, Healing Racism, Conflict Resolution/Mediation, and Team-building. She has facilitated development workshops, trainings and dramatic presentations for educational, non-profit, government and corporate institutions in the USA and internationally since 1989. A certified professional mediator, Kelli holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from Aurora University and a Master of Arts in Cross-Cultural Studies from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. 

 

 

Show Notes:

• Why the most recent upsurge of social justice support from white America was long overdue
• Why educating from our wounds is a problem
• How Kelli transitioned out of the shame and blame model of racial justice   
• Why hurt people will continue to hurt people without the proper mindset
• Kelli details the racial environment from her youth in Chicago
• Where does the performer, artist side of Kelli originate from and how does it impact her mission as an educator?
• Why do stories captivate the human mind and heart?
• Why different people and identities will internalize their marginality uniquely
• Looking into the similarities between all oppressed and colonized peoples
• Why do television studios feel the need to Americanize every story?
• What can Kelli’s home of Tulsa, Oklahoma teach us about racial education?
• Why Black empowerment runs against the dominator’s narrative
• The horrors of the Tulsa Massacre/Black Wall Street Massacre in 1921, and how it affects us in the present
• How does anti-Black racism function and operate?
• Why Black self-determination is one of the issues that many overlook
• How white Americans married into indigenous families in order to gain legal and financial advantages
• When we fail to learn from our history, we are doomed to repeat it
• Why we no longer have the luxury of slow change
• Kelli’s definition of diversity - All of the ways we are different and the same
• Why, for the privileged group, equality will feel like oppression

Connect with Kelli McLoud-Schingen:

 

Website | kmsintercultural.com - She helps individuals, corporations, and organizations to navigate the journey to inclusion and cultural competence through the power of story.

Connect with Amer and The Eclectic Inclusion Podcast:

 

Website | amerfahmed.com

 

Instagram | @dramerfahmed

 

Twitter | @dramerfahmed

 

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Vernon A. Wall, the consummate scholar-practitioner, brings his brilliant perspectives on diversity, equity, and inclusion to The Eclectic Inclusion Podcast. During his 30 years of experience in higher education (full bio below), his passion and understanding have helped him create long lasting institutional change. We cover why self reflection is mandatory to be a top-notch pedagog, how to teach from the heart, and why fighting both systemic racism AND Covid-19 can equally be a priority.

 

Vernon A. Wall has degrees from North Carolina State University and Indiana University, and has student affairs experience at Iowa State University, the University of Georgia, UNC-Charlotte, and UNC-Chapel Hill. He has experience in Greek life, new student orientation, student activities, leadership development, global education, and university housing. He currently serves as the president of ACPA - College Student Educators, International. Between writing, lecturing, and consulting, Vernon has been an incredible force within the social justice space.

 

Show Notes:

 

• How to better represent and support students during the pandemic
• Why the experience of university is about more than just the classes
• How did Vernon Wall become highly esteemed in higher education?
• Why was Vernon hesitant to lead programming based on his identities?
• The differences between teaching from the head vs. the heart
• The vital shift from simply caring to creating real structural change
• Has the media historically sold a pollyannaish fantasy when it comes to race relations?
• What events have contributed to a rise in white folk taking a vocal stand against racism
• Why dismantling racism means we need to dismantle the rationale for it
• How did Vernon create long-lasting change in academic affairs?
• What kind of person should be the V.P. of Student Affairs? Are universities asking the right questions?
• Why there is no discipline within the college experience that does not intersect with diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Self reflection questions for educators - “Who am I in the classroom?” “What are my identities and how do they show up in the classroom?”
• Why humility and a willingness to admit when you don’t know something is a MUST for educators
• Avoid the trap - we can make both oppression AND Covid-19 a priority

Connect with Vernon A Wall:

 

Twitter | @vernonAwall

 

Instagram | @vernonawall

Connect with Amer and The Eclectic Inclusion Podcast:

 

Website | amerfahmed.com

 

Instagram | @dramerfahmed

 

Twitter | @dramerfahmed

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Welcome to Season 2 of The Eclectic Inclusion Podcast! Our host, Dr. Amer F. Ahmed, provides commentary and insights into the latest happenings in the world to set the tone for 2021.