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Dewsbury Plenary: "Is this what it took" to get people to finally pay attention to systemic racism? He is frustrated... but still hopeful. #Botany2020
Dewsbury: We don't teach biology. We teach students. Teaching needs to be grounded in authentic relationships with students. Education is about empowerment. #Botany2020
Dewsbury: Authentic and inclusive practice in the classroom will mean taking steps that make us feel vulnerable... and to be trained in ways we probably haven't been. #Botany2020
Dewsbury: It's too easy to go back to business as usual after this summer. A 4-step plan to not let that happen: #Botany2020
1) Have this vision: Any person who attends your institution feels like it's their place. Cultivate individual empowerment. Every person should be able to thrive. #Botany2020
Dewsbury: If we're still inviting people to campus in 5-10 years to tells us why diversity matters, we have done a bad job. #Botany2020
2) Be ready to LEARN. Think of this as a back-to-school period for all of us. Do not rely on your education to have taught you the truth about how people have been marginalized. Time to dig deeper. #Botany2020
Dewsbury: Academics are inclined to say, Just tell us how to be inclusive and we'll do that. That is not enough. "Get to reading" and sit with it. #Botany2020
3) Strategize. Decide what plan is feasible for you. Start with a class module on diversity among scientists. Do what you can achieve and build from there. What is one thing you can achieve this academic year that contributes to moving things forward? #Botany2020
4) Stay Humble. DEI work is not about proving your own wokeness. #Botany2020
Dewsbury: Every institution/department/program needs to have regular climate surveys. Keep assessing how you are doing. This extends to the classroom, where he uses 500-word essay prompts to just ask "How are you doing?" #Botany2020
Dewsbury: It has been a chaotic time. But the bright side: This conversation might not have happened 5 years ago. Use this to get our campuses/instituions to where we want to be. #Botany2020
When we all see each other in summer 2021, let's not have it be that we all only joined a book group. Spend this being intentional about making real change. #Botany2020 https://2020.botanyconference.org/featured-speakers/plenary-speaker.html
