Our Beliefs 

The following beliefs guide the work we do and the partnerships in which we engage:  

• Individuals are worthy of respect simply because they exist.  
• Individuals ought to be vulnerable in sharing their lived experiences without fear of judgement or shame. This vulnerability is cultivated when we practice self-awareness of our own positionalities and biases, and practice the use of intentional language, reflection, and action.  
• When individuals feel safe in their vulnerability, they are more likely to authentically communicate their needs and pursue their goals; allowing them to experience a deeper level of freedom to be.  
• We are all simultaneously teachers and learners; we practice reciprocity of ideas and experiences to enrich our conversations, and challenge ourselves to build bridges across differences, and model authenticity and vulnerability.  
• We work together as a collective, knowing that the power to steer our campus culture and climate toward our vision comes from the threads of commonality we draw from our unique and diverse lived experiences.
• The spaces, events, and programs that the Intercultural Engagement Center supports in the name of “authentic dialogue” has its limits. Authentic dialogue is not the same as hate-induced speech or provocations designed to hurt, demean, or threaten individuals and groups. When such harms occur, intentionally or unintentionally, we commit to acknowledge harm when harm has occurred to draw attention to the threats to vulnerability. We hold each other accountable to repairing harm or making amends, or ask to disengage from the space if a commitment to repair cannot be made.
• To authentically practice the art of growth, we engage in a continuous critical analysis of our work to allow changes and revisions to our beliefs, mission, and vision. 
   

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Meet the Team

Our team embodies the work and its ethos. We strive to be what we wish to see. Meet us, the roots that define us, and the reasons why we engage in intercultural work.