Title: “From Ally to Coconspirator: How to Support Women of Color in the Workplace”
Description: Summer of 2020 saw a resurgence of allyship after the murders of Atatiana Jefferson, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Amand Arbury. The COVID years have also seen an increase in Anti-Asian hate, a disturbing rise in antisemitism, and the dehumanization of migrants from South and Central America. Once again, white America was reminded that racism in this country is alive and well. These events have led to performative activism and “allies” who made no practical moves to truly uplift People of Color. Even well-meaning individuals found themselves at a loss for what to do to promote anti-racism in both word and deed. What happens when being an ally is no longer enough? This presentation will discuss ways women can better support Women of Color in the workplace by being a coconspirator. A coconspirator is an individual who works hand-in-hand with People of Color to act in harmony toward a common end: the equitable treatment of humankind in pronouncement, policy, and practice.
Bio: In addition to working with her spouse to raise three young children, Cree Taylor is a Lecturer at Utah State University. Her classroom is informed by Social Constructivism, Critical Race Theory, Feminism, Black Feminist Thought, and Pedagogies of Care. She works to employ an Engaged Pedagogy and to establish her classroom as a brave space where students feel empowered to share their own perspectives and have those perspectives challenged in respectful and meaningful ways. Cree loves mentoring students and has a special interest in working with BIPOC students at USU. She recognizes the mental and emotional toll of navigating Predominantly White Institutions as a member of a traditionally marginalized community and she hopes students will feel comfortable reaching out to her for support. Her favorite part about working with students is engaging with them on controversial topics and texts. Students are so smart and well-informed and they are full of brilliant ideas. She loves hearing student perspectives and ideas during classroom dialogues and discussions and reading about what they are learning in their writing. She also enjoys witnessing student progress in writing and research from the beginning to the end of the term. Cree also serves as the Black Student Union Faculty Advisor, the USU Juneteenth Planning Committee Co-Chair, and the Special Assistant to the Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.