SPRINGFIELD— Lincoln Land Community College held there first Dine and Development event Jan. 28 2020 in the R.H Stephens Room sponsored by Student life and TRIO. This event had guest speaker Dr. Quaye, from Ohio State University which he presented an Intergroup Dialogue.

Dr. Quaye is an associate professor in the Higher Education and Students Affairs Program at Ohio State University and an associate editor of the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education.

The school’s flyer also states that Quaye focuses on understanding how students can engage in difficult dialogues honestly and productively. For example, how storytelling is used as an educational tool to foster reflection and learning across differences. He’s also interested in the strategies educators use to facilitate these dialogues and what they learn about themselves in the process.

This event participants learned different terminology such as privilege, power, oppression, intersectionality and learn skills for enabling them to engage in healthier cross-racial dialogues.

At the beginning of the event, Dr. Quaye made sure everyone was given 2 minutes uninterrupted to introduce themselves to create that atmosphere for people to talk.

Cierra Rose, who attended the event, says that Quaye did an exercise called “Highs, Lows, and Uh-Oh’s,” which is you can list what your “high” of the month was, for example, getting that job you wanted or passing a test. Then list a “low.” For example, if you failed a test, or you stressed a lot that month. An Uh-Oh, for example, is if you embarrassed yourself in front of some people or fell asleep in class.

Rose’s favorite part of the event was the fact that, “he made sure to use my correct pronouns and that he demonstrated the best way of fixing the mistake when you use the pronouns,” she says.

Quaye clarifies what the event is all about, “The event is an Inclusivity Speaker Series to help students, faculty, and staff create better environments for people with minoritized identities and learn how to talk about issues of privilege, power, and oppression,” he says.

He also expressed what inspired him to take on this topic to want to share with others, “I love helping people talk better with each other across differences. My goal is to create healthier environments for people to communicate about difficult topics.” He said.

Quaye listed skills that people can take from this event that will be helpful for healthier cross-racial dialogues, “Validate people who experience oppression; do your own work in learning; reflect on your own privilege and power; resist the urge to become defensive.”

Lastly, Dr. Quyae hopes for all those who attended the event take away and use in their lives, “That they become more self-aware of the privilege they hold. That they talk to people with their shared identities about privilege and power. That they listen to people with minoritized identities share their pain.”