By Zoya Zia On Wednesday, April 26, the Institute for Diversity and Civic Life will host an Open Mic Night at the University of Texas at Austin. The event aims to pass the mic to different voices and serve as a platform for students to discuss what it means to be a "Texan." Those who may … Continue reading Event Preview: #ThisTexan Open Mic Night
Tag: diversity
Event Preview: “How to be an Ally”
By Zoya Zia On March 5, individuals have the opportunity to attend a free workshop focused on "How to Be an Ally." For more information, view the Facebook event here and register on Eventbrite here. Learning about allyship is important now more than ever. The divisive rhetoric used by the ongoing administration has already led to alienation … Continue reading Event Preview: “How to be an Ally”
Q&A with the Spring Interns
Story by Zoya Zia The Institute for Diversity & Civic Life is excited to welcome four new interns for the spring. These interns will work on projects to increase outreach in the community and meet the goals of IDCL. My name is Zoya Zia and I am a sophomore at the University of Texas at … Continue reading Q&A with the Spring Interns
Recap: Live Upstander Training
By Zoya Zia On Wednesday, February 1, viewers tuned into an informative workshop aimed at empowering bystanders via Facebook Live. To learn about becoming an upstander, watch the recorded Facebook Live video below. You can also visit and download the toolkit here. https://www.facebook.com/diversityandciviclife/videos/1732009480448150/ Turning Bystanders into Upstanders is a research-based workshop that guides participants step-by-step … Continue reading Recap: Live Upstander Training
Recap: Religions Texas Conference
By Zoya Zia On Thursday, Jan. 26 and Friday, Jan. 27, religious studies scholars, academics, professors and students participated in a series of discussions about Religions Texas, a joint initiative by the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Texas at Austin and the Institute for Diversity and Civic Life to “document and map … Continue reading Recap: Religions Texas Conference
Iowa Caucus Coverage and the Friend Card
*This post is part of our series analyzing the discourse on diversity in the election and election coverage. By Lauren Horn Griffin The frequency of the “I have black/Latino friends” argument and its continued use by politicians and pundits reveal a need to engage in a more sophisticated discussion of diversity, discrimination, and difference. Since the Iowa caucuses … Continue reading Iowa Caucus Coverage and the Friend Card
The Work of Tolerance and Inclusion in a Period of Extremism
The Syrian refugee crisis and recent terrorist attacks have pushed the American public to delve into civic questions of who 'we' are and where we draw lines of inclusion and exclusion in our society. We've asked Meghan Horner, a longtime professional working in refugee resettlement and non-profit/NGO development, to write this guest post offering a perspective on … Continue reading The Work of Tolerance and Inclusion in a Period of Extremism
Texas and the Politics of Exclusion
By Tiffany Puett First published at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tiffany-puett/texas-and-the-politics-of-exclusion_b_8594446.html Last Friday night, several armed terrorists coordinated attacks around the city of Paris that left 129 people dead. The terrorist group ISIS, or Daesh, has claimed responsibility. The day before the Paris attacks, suicide bombers with ISIS affiliation killed 43 people and wounded 239 more in Beirut. The attacks … Continue reading Texas and the Politics of Exclusion
After Paris, Beirut, and Baghdad
In the wake of recent attacks in Paris, Beirut, and Baghdad, the Institute for Diversity and Civic Life extends our sympathy and compassion to all those who lost loved ones through these senseless acts of violence. We stand in solidarity with those who fear for their safety as a result of these attacks. We know … Continue reading After Paris, Beirut, and Baghdad
Religious Soundmap Project
Part III of a series investigating projects that document religious and cultural diversity across the country. By Lauren Horn Griffin As we prepare to launch our own research project mapping and documenting the cultural diversity of Texas, we want to give our readers an idea of the types of initiatives from across the country that … Continue reading Religious Soundmap Project