Inside DOIE is a monthly series that introduces the faces in the Division of Institutional Equity. This project is an opportunity for our campus community to get to know the team.Role within the Division: Associate Vice President, Community & Culture; Co-Director, Center for Social Justice Dialogue
How long have you been at UMBC?: Since 2019, 2024

How would you describe your role within the Division of Institutional Equity? 

Beyond the titles, within DOIE and across campus, I think of myself and my role as a culture builder, community connector, institutional navigator, and joy pusher, working to lead with love and model inclusive excellence in how I exist and the work I do.

Can you share a moment or experience that shaped your passion for equity and inclusion work?

I started my career as an undergraduate student working at the Center for Multicultural Affairs; that experience, spanning over 3 years, continues to inform my thinking and opened the door for me to (still) be doing this work today.

What is one initiative or project you're currently working on that excites you?

Watching the Center for Social Justice Dialogue grow and expand has honestly been a dream come true. I was introduced to intergroup dialogue theory as part of my Master's program and have been dreaming of and planning for a center like this since 2010. I cannot wait to see the ways it continues to evolve and the impact it leaves on campus.

Outside of work, what's something that brings you joy or helps you recharge? 

I really enjoy roller skating (think Roll Bounce)! Putting on my black suede skates with iridescent wheels and vibing to the music brings me a lot of joy.

Can you share a book/quote/movie or something others can engage with from your perspective of inclusive excellence?

There are so many books I would recommend! The top on my list are Emergent Strategy, Adrienne Maree Brown; All About Love, bell hooks; Healing Resistance, Kazu Haga; Practicing Liberation, Tessa Hicks Peterson

Spring 2026 Highlights:

• MAR 26: Tea Time With Tori: Tech Drop-in & Conversation, MP 222, Noon-2 PM
• MAR 25: Accessibility Tour: Wayfinding, Skywalks and Resources, MP 222, Noon-1:00 PM
• MAR 30: Campus Accessibility Spring Update, Engineering 027, Noon-1:00 PM (Hybrid)
• APR 8: ADS Film Screening: Being Michelle, Engineering 027, 4:00 PM -6:00 PM
• APR 13: Guest Lecture: Silent No Longer, AOK Library Gallery, 3:30 PM -4:30 PM
• APR 15: Supervisors: Navigating Accommodations and FMLA from Referrals to Implementation, Noon-1:00 PM, Virtual
• APR 17: Dis/Ability On The Job: Accommodations and FMLA 101 for Non-Supervisors, Noon-1:00PM, Virtual
• APR 24: Tea Time With Tori: Tech Drop-in & Conversation, MP 222, Noon-2 PM
• APR 24: Digital Accessibility Challenge Day: Review your Site, Content, & Documents (Campus Wide)
  

Contact us: disability@umbc.edu | (410) 455-2459 | sds.umbc.edu

To view the original myUMBC post please click the link below:
https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/accessibility/posts/157680

Do you know a faculty member or academic department that goes above and beyond to make learning more accessible and inclusive for all students? Now is the time to recognize them!

The UMBC Accessibility Trailblazer Awards celebrate individuals and departments who are pioneers in creating accessible course materials, inclusive content, and teaching practices grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL). These trailblazers help ensure that every student has the opportunity to learn and succeed.

We especially encourage student nominations, but nominations from colleagues are also welcome.

• Deadline to submit nominations: April 30
• Accessibility Trailblazer Award Nomination Form

Awardees will be recognized by the Department of Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS), which houses the Office of Student Disability Services (SDS). They will receive certificates of recognition, be acknowledged by their Deans and senior leadership, and be celebrated with the UMBC student community. Finally, they will also be featured on the ADS bulletin board and highlighted in our quarterly newsletter to recognize their commitment to accessibility and inclusive teaching practices.

Take a moment to recognize someone who is making a meaningful impact on accessibility at UMBC!

Questions? Contact the ADS office at (410) 455-2459 or disability@umbc.edu.

To view the original myUMBC post, please click the link below:
https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/accessibility/posts/157406

As part of UMBC's ongoing commitment to fostering equitable and inclusive learning and working environments, we are pleased to share our growing training opportunities designed to deepen our community's understanding of religious discrimination and equip faculty and staff with effective strategies to address it. These offerings include two virtual courses and follow-up surveys available through Vector Solutions and in-person sessions facilitated by partners in the Center for Religion, Spirituality, and Pluralism.

Faculty, staff, supervisors, and campus partners are encouraged to participate. For enrollment support, submit a request form here or email culture@umbc.edu.

Virtual Trainings via Vector Solutions

1.⁠ Recognizing and Responding to Antisemitism

This course provides an overview of antisemitism, its historical development, contemporary manifestations, and effective strategies for addressing bias in academic settings.
Participants will:

• Build a foundational understanding of antisemitism and how it has adapted over time.

• Learn to identify common expressions of antisemitism in academic and community contexts.

• Explore practical approaches for responding to harmful behaviors, comments, or incidents.

2.⁠ ⁠Recognizing and Responding to Islamophobia

This course introduces the historical context and contemporary experiences of Muslims and Arabs, who are often treated as a single monolithic group. Participants will examine the interpersonal, institutional, and online forms of harm individuals may experience, and develop strategies to counter bias and discrimination in campus settings.

Participants will:

• Understand the historical and social factors shaping Islamophobia.

• Identify common behaviors, comments, and structures that perpetuate harm.

• Learn practical tools for addressing and reducing harmful actions or assumptions.

  
  

In-Person Training: FaithZone Training – Exploring Faith & Spirituality in Higher Education

Available Facilitators:  Matt Hoffman, Director for the Center for Religion, Spirituality, and Pluralism; Joseph Vann-Jones, Coordinator for the Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being.

On Thursday, March 19th and Friday, March 20th, the Office of Equity and Civil Rights (ECR) will be closed for in-person visits. 

Staff will be available virtually throughout this time.  If you have any questions or concerns during this time, please email ecr@umbc.edu.

To submit a report regarding sexual misconduct, discrimination, harassment, hate, or bias, please file an online report here. 

The Social Justice Dialogues Cohort Experience (SJDCE) at UMBC invites participants from all perspectives and experiences to engage in meaningful conversations across difference. Rooted in intergroup dialogue theory, SJDCE provides a space to learn and practice the skills, tools, and mindsets necessary for effective communication across diverse identities and lived experiences — with courage, empathy, and openness.

The Social Justice Dialogue Cohort Experiences at UMBC are 8 two-hour dialogue circles that bring together students, faculty, and staff, to engage in sustained, facilitated dialogue across difference. Each cohort meets weekly within one of UMBC's vibrant cultural centers: The Mosaic, The Pride Center, and The Gathering Space.

In a time of growing polarization and deepening social divides, and fear surrounding living authentically, the Social Justice Dialogues Cohort Experience (SJDCE) offers a way forward, not through debate or persuasion, but through connection, listening, and shared learning.

Cohorts will be split between faculty/staff and students (both undergraduate and graduate), allowing participants to forge meaningful relationships with peers similarly passionate about social change, leadership and humanizing pedagogies. 

Students interested in applying for the pilot program can do so here. Additionally, faculty and staff can nominate students by emailing csjdialogue@umbc.edu by March 10.

Faculty and staff can apply here. Applications are due by March 12.

This is a pilot that is a part of a larger research project, meaning cohort sizes are limited and the 2026 sessions will be used to collect data for assessment purposes.

These events are open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy.

To view the original myUMBC post click the link below:
https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/csjd/posts/157087

The Division of Institutional Equity joins the Women's Gender and Equity Center and our many campus community members in recognizing and honoring Women's History Month. 

Women's History Month is celebrated each year in March to honor the contributions, leadership, resilience, and achievements of women throughout history and today. The 2026 Women's History Month theme is "Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future", recognizing women who are creating transformative change across education, advocacy, sustainability, community building, and social justice.

This month, the Division of Institutional Equity invites you to engage through our "Read, Watch, Listen, Participate" list to celebrate, connect, and explore.

To request accommodation(s) or inquire about event accessibility, please get in touch with each program office directly. All sessions are open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy.

Events on campus

March 4 | 12 pm - 1 pm | The Commons: 2B23
Trivia Noon X Women's History Month
https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/themosaic/events/151757

March 9 | 11 am - 12 pm | The Commons: 2B23
Chai Chats with Merin x Women's History Month
https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/themosaic/events/152051

March 9 | 2 pm - 3 pm | University Center: 207a
International Women's Day Coffee Hour
https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/ies/events/152068

March 9 | 3:30 pm | The Commons: 2B23
Unidos X Women's History Month
https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/themosaic/events/152058

March 10 | 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm | Fine Arts: 459

The Russian Area Presents: International Women's Day

https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/womenscenter/events/152130

March 10 | 3:30 pm - 5 pm | Hybrid
Women's Suffrage: Life as we Know it Now
https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/womenscenter/events/151980

March 11 | 12 pm - 1 pm | The Commons: 2B23

Donuts & Dialogue x Women's History Month

https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/themosaic/events/152137

March 23 | 5 pm - 8 pm | Skylight Room
Stories & Success - Built for the Next Generation of Women Leaders 
https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/gsa/posts/157082

March 26 | 4:30 pm | The Commons: 2B23
Unidos X Women's History Month
https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/themosaic/events/152058

Read

This reading list features powerful stories of women that reflect courage, identity, leadership, and transformation:

• Becoming by Michelle Obama

• Mary Beatrice Kenner: The Inventor Who Changed Women's Lives | History Hit

• Dr. Ann Tsukamoto: The woman behind the Isolation

• We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

• Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy

Explore

Visit the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC, the world's only major museum dedicated solely to championing women artists.

Watch

This must-watch collection highlights the brilliance, resilience, and lasting contributions of women across science, law, culture, and social change:

• Independent Lens: Writing with Fire 

• He named me Malala

• Hidden Figures

• Little Women

• American Experience: Fly with Me

Inclusive excellence has long been a cultural touchstone at UMBC. Before now, we haven't had a definition or any other shared language to describe what we mean. This is your chance to inform our definition. Leaders in the Division of Institutional Equity have drafted a framework for inclusive excellence, and we want your input! 

The framework aims to articulate our community's shared commitments in a way that can communicate our values, guide action, inspire new collaboration, and support the development and implementation of UMBC's next strategic plan.

Join The Centers for Social Justice Dialogue and Democracy and Civic Life for UMBC Talks, which are 90-minute, co-facilitated dialogues designed to support your engagement with the framework. Each UMBC Talk will be the same, so please sign up for the one that best suits your schedule. We hope to see you there. Come and leave your mark on this important moment in UMBC's history. 

Spring Semester Open Forums

Friday, April 10, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m., UC 312 -Foregrounding faculty and staff experiences but open to everyone, with opportunities for all participants to be in conversation with people with similar UMBC affiliations.

Wednesday, April 15, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., UC 312 - Open to everyone. Conversations will be held in mixed groups.

Friday, April 24, 10:00 a.m. - noon, UC 312 -Foregrounding graduate student experiences but open to everyone, with opportunities for all participants to be in conversation with people with similar UMBC affiliations.

Friday, April 24, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m., UC 312 -Foregrounding undergraduate student experiences but open to everyone, with opportunities for all participants to be in conversation with people with similar UMBC affiliations.

Tuesday, April 28, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m., Virtual - Open to everyone. Conversations will be held in mixed groups.

Stay tuned for potential additional dates! Download the attached flyer to post or share.

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UMBC Talks is a collaborative initiative that aims to enhance the sense of community, vibrancy, and well-being at UMBC through guided community conversations that reestablish our commitment to inclusive excellence and foster a sense of pride for what it truly
means to be a UMBC Retriever. Using this framework offers a dialogic process for gathering community input on shared values.

If you have any questions about this feedback process, please feel free to reach out to Drs. Ciara Christian and David Hoffman at culture@umbc.edu.

These events are open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy.