Gilliam has never met a stranger, a trait passed on to her from her father, and that has been one of the keys to getting the job done well.
“Many of the alumni volunteers I work with closely are older white men,” she said. “Once you talk to people, you realize there is always a point of connection. These relationships have become one of the best parts of my job.”
Gilliam’s DEI contributions have been celebrated over the past year, but she has been contributing quietly for years through conversations with leadership.
A long-time volunteer for Charlotte-Mecklenburg public schools and at the state level, she believes in contributing to her communities in whatever ways she can. Now, her Davidson position has been formally changed to reflect the importance of these contributions.
“This is my community, and I feel like it should be the best it can possibly be,” she said. “There has been a lot of DEI work happening in my office and across the College Relations division before it was popular, but last year, I finally said to myself ‘put up or shut up.’ I was talking a lot, but I wasn’t doing anything to push change. It was time to hold myself and all of us accountable if we were really going to be who we say we are as a division and a college.”
Today, Gilliam leads groups focused on antiracism and DEI work, both for her office and the division, and she has joined cross-campus conversations. She has attended trainings and earned a certificate through the Lenoir-Rhyne Equity and Diversity Institute. Gilliam highlights the importance of starting internally before taking the work to outside audiences.
“Examining our own policies and procedures first was key to being able to develop inclusive and equitable engagement strategies, and I think we’ve done a good job prioritizing the work in that way,” she said. “I have a lot of family members and friends who are not working in environments doing this work; we are lucky to have the option at Davidson. Truthfully, I had no plans to do DEI work, but I found I had a lot to say, and I found a passion there.”
About the Award
The Spencer-Weinstein Prize for Community and Justice, established by Carole and Marcus Weinstein and honoring the late President Emeritus Sam Spencer and his wife, Ava, recognizes students, faculty and staff working to foster dialogue across difference and build bridges for a more just community. The winners share a $10,000 prize. Carole Weinstein is a former member of the Davidson College Board of Trustees and currently serves on the Board of Visitors.
Additional Stories
Students Create Mural With Powerful Message
"work" - Google News
May 11, 2021 at 03:05AM
https://ift.tt/3o23yCA
Meeting the Moment: Prize Recognizes Work Toward a Just Community - Davidson News
"work" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3bUEaYA
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Meeting the Moment: Prize Recognizes Work Toward a Just Community - Davidson News"
Post a Comment