Community Voices
Honoring the stories of our DU community
In our C+V declaration, we declare our intention to “engage multiple perspectives and foster greater belonging.”
Born out of the Experience Pathway, C+V has made it a mission to gather the stories of the people we work, study, and live with to share our community's voices. There is power in a person’s story—in their culture, background, and experiences. We want to make space for everyone and ensure that all DU community members have a seat at the table. These stories will help us to understand the different experiences of people on our campus and how we can take action steps to ensure DU is a welcoming and inclusive place for all. We know that DU is not a perfect place, and we want to acknowledge these errors and learn from them. In addition, these narratives will inform our DU Values as we explore them as a community and boldly state what we stand for and what we do not stand for.
Over the past year, we reached out to our community. Many responded with bravery and a willingness to share, and we are honored to feature their voices in our Community Voices initiative. There is power and importance in storytelling and sharing one's experiences (Crenshaw, 1997; Ladson-Billings, 1998; Solórzano, 1998; Solórzano & Yosso, 2002). We intentionally have created this space for our community. We want to emphasize that we encourage all of those listening to these stories to practice active listening, compassion, and empathy. This project is meant to honor and recognize that each individual’s story is unique to them, and this is not meant to be a space for conflict, but rather, a place for learning from one another in our community and creating connection so that we can begin to create a deep sense of belonging at DU for all.
We commit to continuing our efforts to capture our students, faculty, staff, and alumni stories. We know the importance of a personal narrative. And especially during these unique times, it’s more essential than ever to feel belonging and to bond through our shared values and experiences.
Summit Snapshots: 20 Years of Intersectionality at DU
This year the DU's Diversity Summit turns 20. Along with the traditional presentations and panels, ODEI is happy to partner with Community + Values to create a spotlight centering the intersectionality of the DU community called "Summit Snapshots: 20 Years of Intersectionality at DU.”
"I am from..." poems are a creative way to reflect on the many intersecting identities we all hold in the DU community. These poems allow us to contemplate the many experiences that shape the way we move about the world by guiding us through a sensory journey of some of our most memorable and influential moments in life. This project features representation from students, faculty, staff, and alumni, giving a broad picture of what it means to be part of the DU community. We invite you to read the I Am poems of our community and learn more about the authors.
Elevating Community Voices Through Digital Storytelling
Manda Wittebort | Alum, Master of Arts in Higher Education
June Churchill | Department of Physics & Astronomy
Caris Fox | College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences
Sharing Experiences: Community in the Time of COVID 19
Recreating Opportunities for Community Virtually
An Interview with Emily Schosid, Sustainability Program Coordinator in the DU Center for Sustainability
Creating Personal Moments Online
An Interview with Thomas Walker, Director of Inclusion & Equity in Student Affairs & Inclusive Excellence
Staying Connected & Building Community
An Interview with Andrea Stanton, Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and Chair of the Religious Studies Department
Adapting to Online Teaching
An Interview with Sister Fred, Professor of French and Francophone Studies in the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Culture
Digital Storytelling Archives
Walid Hedidar
Alum, Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and International Studies
- Walid Hedidar on Community
- Walid Hedidar on Belonging
- Walid Hedidar on Supporting Students of Color: Creating an Anti-Racist Community
LaNaya Butler
Josef Korbel School of International Studies
Anne Walker
Department of Communications, Teaching Instructor
Sharing Experiences Archives
Reimagining Student Engagement
An Interview with Jasmine Pulce, Assistant Director, Race and Ethnicity and Affinity Group Student Support, The Cultural Center
Connecting with Alumni and Donors in a Virtual World
An Interview with Wyatt Hornsby, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Creative Engagement, Advancement
Share Your Story
If you are interested in sharing your story* or if you have any questions, please email communityplusvalues@du.edu to connect.