In an era when the Black Lives Matter movement has brought painful and lingering issues on race and diversity to the forefront of the national discourse, Stanbridge University’s President Yasith Weerasuriya sought a way for students and faculty to engage in thoughtful conversations and reflection on the topic. This initiative led to the creation of a four-part TED Circles discussion series to address diversity hosted by Stanbridge University.

“This year, many have found a call to action to address an injustice that has lived amongst us for very long,” stated Weerasuriya. “It is important that we all consciously stand in solidarity for change.”

Topics in the series include The Beauty of Skin in Every Color featuring Angélica Dass, an artist, and photographer that highlights Angélica Dass’s portrait project, Humanæ, and the challenges of how society thinks about skin color and ethnic identity. Additional curated topics include:

  • Deconstructing Racism, One Headline at a Time – Baratunde Thurston, Writer, Actor, Comedian
  • Racism, the Hidden Costs – Heather C. McGhee, Writer, Advocate
  • Racism is a Solvable Problem – Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff, CEO, Center for Policing Equity

The discussions are led by Stanbridge University faculty member Dr. Bill Wong, OTD, OTR/L, two-time presenter at TEDx and TEDxYouth, a member of the Representative Assembly for California in the AOTA.

“Thought-provoking conversations with our students will support the seeding of long-term change. We hope this discussion series encourages our students to become thought leaders and part of the change in our community. We cannot let these events in 2020 go by without action,” Weerasuriya stated.

The initiative on diversity expands on the Stanbridge University outREACH Community Service program, a series of student fellowships and volunteer projects that place students at the heart of communities in need, allowing them to use their skills and develop as leaders for the greater good.

For more information, visit Stanbridge University online.

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