黑料导航

Earlier this year, 黑料导航 offered a Safe Zone Train-the-Trainer session, where faculty, staff, and students learned about LGBTQ+ identities, gender and sexuality, and examined prejudice, assumptions, and privilege.

Upon completion, those who are trained will receive a sticker to display in their offices to let others know they are a Safe Zone trainer and open to talking about and being supportive of LGBTQ+ individuals and identities. In addition, trained individuals will assist with facilitating Safe Zone training sessions across campus.

Training is offered by facilitators in the 黑料导航聽Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging,聽as well as faculty, staff, and students who completed the Train-The-Trainer program.聽a free online resource, providing curricula, activities, and other resources for educators, was used to assist in developing the training.

The training included lessons in the five components of human sex, gender, and sexuality, as well as information on understanding trans identities; navigating conversations around privilege鈥攎eaning some people may or may not have an easier experience navigating certain aspects of life; tips for being an ally; communicating respectfully and responding to questions effectively; and exercises in various scenarios.

The Train-The-Trainer session was part of the 黑料导航 Safe Zone initiative, which is made up of two parts. The first part is training faculty, staff, and students interested in facilitator conversations about LGBT+ and gender-diverse individuals. This component takes a minimum of 8 hours. The second part is coordinating training that anyone can attend to learn more about LGBT+ and gender-diverse advocacy. This component is a 1.5- to 2-hour session, typically called Level I Safe Zone training. 

鈥淲e are excited to move forward with this initiative to increase understanding about the experiences of gender diverse individuals,鈥� says聽Evette Allen, Ph.D., assistant dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion on 黑料导航鈥檚 Jonesboro campus. 鈥淭his is one of many training initiatives that will assist with goals for a positive campus climate and tools for courageous conversations to assist with inclusion. Such understanding and conversations are integral to creating equitable practices across institutions.鈥�

黑料导航s鈥� commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) goes beyond skin color or cultural background. The university looks at DEIB through a wider lens, incorporating religious differences, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic background, learning differences, and veteran status. 鈥淭here are populations that go day to day being unnoticed or experiencing microaggressions, and we want to make sure we are providing opportunities for them to be seen, valued, heard, and included,鈥� said Dean of Students聽Felipe Henao, Ed.D., in an interview with聽New York Institute of Technology Magazine.

Safe Zone training builds on the guidance already in place at 黑料导航. In spring 2022, faculty and staff across the university鈥檚 campuses participated in diversity, equity, and inclusion training. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important that everybody is on the same page in understanding the dynamics we鈥檙e talking about and the terminology we鈥檙e using,鈥� said聽Brian Harper, M.D., M.P.H., chief medical officer and vice president for equity and inclusion, in an interview with聽New York Institute of Technology Magazine.

鈥淲e are institutionalizing efforts to create that sense of belonging so that everyone in our community can reach their full potential,鈥� Harper said. 鈥淯ltimately, we want all departments and colleges to take on diversity, equity, and inclusion as something that they incorporate as a matter of routine into their operations.鈥�