University Of Delaware: Social Justice Peer Educators

Press release from the University of Delaware:

September 20, 2021

New UD program advances social justice with students as the teachers

Isaiah Howton wants to change hearts. Most of the social justice impact he’s seen recently among his University of Delaware classmates has been surface level, he said.

Others, like Howton, are clear. “I’m Black,” he said smiling. He called the program the “perfect opportunity” that fulfilled his desire to advocate for social justice.

‘This is anti-racism work’

The peer educators’ training was designed very intentionally, focusing on best practices and empowering students; each training session the students hold will have measurable learning outcomes enabling campus equity, diversity and inclusion leaders to chart growth, and actualize the University’s commitment to diversity.

“I cannot tell you how exciting this program is for the institution,” said Stephanie Chang, director of student diversity and inclusion, as she addressed the students at one training session. Chang and Garcia expect the program will only get deeper and richer over time as the peer educators hone their skills at facilitating dialogue on often-uncomfortable topics. “It is an art doing this work,” Chang said.

In the training room, Garcia sat behind a tangible example of the work’s complexity – a large pile of books purporting authority by authors such as Angela Davis and Audre Lorde. “One book is not the entire source on what it means to be anti-racist,” Garcia said, picking up one book, “this is anti-racism work.” Then another, “this is anti-racism work.” And another, “this is anti-racism work. It’s not just situated in one place.”

The work is sensitive, complex and can be situational. Mentors are expected to navigate and lead tricky dialogues with their peers, answering questions that might befuddle experts. And, while each mentor is equipped with a thick compendium of research on diversity, equity and inclusion, some of the more relatable lessons come from a less cerebral source: pop culture. A discussion of a scene from HBO’s hit show “Insecure “ becomes a lesson in how discriminatory systems can continue for generations unless they are disrupted and why individuals who benefit from oppressive systems cannot distance themselves without taking action.

The primary concern for all involved is having the chance to speak, not preach, allowing students to learn from each other in these polarized times.

“There is not a lot of communication happening and hopefully with this, we're having a communication that we were missing,” McIntrye said. “I see it as a first step.”

Leaders in the Office of Institutional Equity, Diversity and Inclusion hope it is just that and have aspirations to one day develop a companion program offering academic credits. Garcia likened the idea to deepening one’s social justice knowledge to Russian nesting dolls, the ones where each time you unscrew a larger doll, you find a similar, but slightly different smaller one inside. This program might eventually help thousands of students each year unlock new insights and bring about social justice.

Support for the program

The Social Justice Peer Educators program is supported with funds from the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Fund. The JEDI Fund was created to enhance and create resources to help empower UD students, faculty and staff become leaders of positive change at UD and beyond. To learn more about supporting UD equity, diversity and inclusion programs, contact Michael Miller at mlmiller@udel.edu or 302-831-7031.

This press release was produced by the University of Delaware. The views expressed here are the author’s own.