Immersive DEI Education

This initiative is a unique opportunity to advance my passion for human rights and contribute to meaningful mindset change in the realm of diversity, equity, and inclusion though multimodal methods and holistic approach.

The Motivation Behind The Initiative

Coming from Russia, I have always been deeply concerned about human rights and thus got passionate about DEI. I believe that education is the most powerful tool to promote DEI, as it is not just about imparting knowledge and skills but about inducing a profound shift in mindset. When a friend recently asked for my thoughts on Alexei Navalny’s region-specific referendum approach to LGBTQA+ rights, I responded that such measures are ineffective without addressing the deep-rooted fear, oppression, and stigma that persist. Before asking people their opinions on gay marriage, we must provide them with opportunities to learn about the history, immerse themselves in personal stories, and develop a deep understanding of the issues. This conviction drives my focus on DEI projects.

Identifying Gaps and Seeking Solutions

Last semester, I participated in DEI training through my campus work and realized that I was familiar with 90% of the material. Notably, those who opted for this paid training genuinely cared about DEI. But what about those who never engage in such training? They remain uninformed, and this gap needs addressing. I began thinking about how to make DEI more attractive to a broader audience, particularly those who are less concerned about diversity. The goal is not only to inform those already knowledgeable but also to spark interest among wider groups. DEI training should be less theoretical and more practical, engaging, and emotion-provoking.

I aim to provide practical DEI tools that participants can use to teach others, especially those already familiar with DEI concepts. This semester, I created and led a feedback training session in a practice-oriented format to test my ideas and contribute to workplace DEI from a more human-relationship-focused perspective. The training was successful, offering consultants and project managers a better understanding of how to defend their personal boundaries and effect positive change. Participants listened to a lecture on feedback and DEI and engaged in role-playing scenarios to resolve conflicts. I want to continue developing such training to help people communicate more effectively in conflict situations, such as microaggressions. My approach values both the promotion of positive relationships and the maintenance of personal boundaries and comfort.

Project Steps

• Learning from Diverse Experiences

Leading this project, I connected with the LSA Opportunity HUB, as I work there as a Course intern, and even transferred to the DEI-related role. I was able to access focus group data of diverse experiences among LSA students and engaging in conversations with various individuals, and though analyzing it I have learned a lot about the different backgrounds and obstacles people face. DEI is about ongoing dialogue and striving to understand others, so profound experience research is a must.

• Making DEI Education Engaging

Second, I wanted to make DEI appealing and interesting to those who do not currently care about it. This led to the idea of immersive role-play experiences. I am working on structuring a process for creating and operating role-plays, where participants fully immerse in assigned roles for an hour to experience life from another identity’s perspective while striving to achieve their professional and business goals.

• Challenges and Planning Ahead

I joined SHIFT only in the Winter of 2024, and my biggest challenge has been managing the volume of work in such a short period of time. Despite building multiple connections with faculty and receiving their support, it has been difficult to divide the tasks and tackle everything alone. By the end of the semester, I managed to plan out the entire process to prepare everything for the beginning of the academic year, aiming to lead the first workshop then. This project reflects my belief that DEI education must be immersive, practical, and engaging to foster true understanding and change.

И его лучи отражаются в нас —
Им благодаря мы друг другу видны
Выходить из тьмы — это больно для глаз
Но нет варианта не выйти из тьмы

— In memory of Alexei Navalny