If you are interested in submitting a request for a Community Conversation topic please fill out the Community Conversation Request Form.
The Community Conversations Program was developed by the Office of Equity, Social Justice, and Multicultural Education to open dialogue and build deeper relational trust and understanding among students, faculty, and classified professionals. This program is an attempt to bring "hot topics" or burning issues of interest to the De Anza community forward, in a safe place where we can hear each other's perspectives, hopes, concerns, and personal stories. The community conversation space is a venue to both give and receive cross-cultural respect and support. These conversations are led by De Anza community members, facilitated by students, and organized by the student interns of the Equity Office.
If you are interested in volunteering, please complete and submit the Equity Office Volunteer Form.
Conversation Community Agreements:
- I will stay engaged in the dialogue and social justice work
- I understand that I may experience discomfort
- I will speak my truth for the good of the group
- I will listen without judgment
- I will assume positive intentions on behalf of my peers
- I will support the balanced contribution of all group participants
- I will accept non-closure; this is an ongoing process
- I will maintain confidentiality
Source: WCCUSD Equity Team
Starting Assumptions:
- We all want to be here for the good of the group
- There are more questions than answers
- This is an ongoing learning process
- We are equals
- Our values, cultural identities, and past experiences matter
- Conflict is always possible, and conflict is OK when addressed from the heart
- We are all prejudice; prejudice is learned and can be unlearned
- We are here to learn from each other