Question: I looked into Student Diversity and Belonging after the diversity presentation at SLO Days. I really want to learn more about how I can get involved and educate myself about these things.
Answer: Hello and welcome to Cal Poly! Getting involved during your first quarter of college is definitely something I would recommend because you can form so many different connections that may last your entire college experience.
The great thing about Student Diversity and Belonging (SDAB) is the programs that are offered are mainly student-run, by the students and for the students. This can make getting involved a lot less intimidating.
Dialogues hosted by students are extremely helpful if you want to learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion in a safe and welcoming environment. Dialogues are typically held after facilitators complete a lot of research. People often attend dialogues either to learn more about the topic, or because they have prior knowledge on the topic. With all these forces, dialogues are a great space to begin your education.
Additionally, on this blog there are a number of resources to continue your education. I always recommend diversifying your social media feed with academics, activists, and other bloggers who put out resources for everyone to use to educate themselves.
When choosing general education (GE) classes in the upcoming quarters, there are a number of classes that can help broaden your understanding of inclusion and justice. The ethnic studies catalogue is a great resource as many classes will help you learn more about inclusion.
Many classes that fulfill the United States Cultural Pluralism (USCP) requirement will be formed around learning more about diversity, equity, and inclusion in a specific field.
These are only the beginning if you want to continue to educate yourself. Learning about justice and unlearning harmful understandings of the world is an ongoing process that will not be completed with a few dialogues and classes. But it is truly something I would recommend attempting. Centering your world around justice and inclusion opens your eyes to better understanding a number of different matters, from STEM to politics.
Thank you for the question! If any other readers would like to ask a question to be answered by a student assistant, feel free to use the submission form!