MADISON—The 2024 Diversity Forum, “Threads of Belonging: Navigating Differences and Building Community,” is now open for registration. Hosted by the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement (DDEEA), the forum will take place at Union South on November 13 and 14. Author and entrepreneur Steve L. Robbins and playwright, performer, educator and producer Fanshen Cox are keynote presenters.
For over 20 years, UW–Madison has hosted the annual Diversity Forum for participants to engage in discourse and education on contemporary issues related to creating equitable and inclusive learning and working environments. Diversity Forum is the largest of its kind in the Midwest and draws over 500 people to the university campus and more than 1,000 virtual attendees each year.
The forum will present an engaging lineup with two main keynotes and 12 breakout sessions. Each session provides opportunities to gain insights from different perspectives. Among these sessions, attendees can look forward to a broad scope of diversity, inclusion, and belonging engagements ranging across religion, race, veteran status, disability, and sexuality. This includes opportunities to hear from campus experts sharing experiences, innovative models, and evidence-based practices.
This year’s forum also celebrates the 15th anniversary of UW–Madison’s DDEEA. With events like Diversity Forum, the DDEEA empowers the UW community by providing transformative, data-informed programs and services that promote equitable access and success for all students, faculty, and staff. The 15th Anniversary Reception will be held at the conclusion of Day One of Diversity Forum on Wednesday, November 13, from 4-6 p.m. at Union South. The public is welcome to help celebrate the university’s enduring commitment to educational and inclusive excellence.
“I am really excited for this year’s Diversity Forum, which provides a great opportunity for attendees to lean into pluralism, gaining new perspectives through engagement in diversity and difference,” said LaVar J. Charleston, Vice Chancellor for Inclusive Excellence, whose division organizes Diversity Forum each year. “When we embrace a plurality of data informed ideas and innovations, we uncover solutions to the world’s most challenging problems. I hope to see you there!”
Keynote Day 1: Steve L. Robbins
Day One of Diversity Forum will feature keynote address “Your Brain is Good at Inclusion…Except When It’s Not” by author and entrepreneur Steve L. Robbins. He is well known for his science-based approach to many topic areas, including inclusion and diversity, mindful leadership and emotional intelligence. In this keynote, Robbins will explore inclusion from a scientific perspective, examining how our brains react to inclusion (better cognitive performance and engagement) and exclusion (social pain and distraction).
The first 100 in-person attendees to check in will receive copies of Robbin’s book, What If? Short Stories to Spark Diversity Dialogues, and have the opportunity to get it signed after his keynote address.
Keynote Day 2: Fanshen Cox
Day Two of Diversity Forum will feature keynote address “Tell Your Story, Change the World” by playwright, performer, educator and producer Fanshen Cox. In this interactive keynote, Cox will guide participants through a process of self-reflection based on the stories behind our names. She will share her own journey of discovering the impact of narratives and how maintaining a commitment to truth, justice, and love can guide us towards a more liberated future.
Event Details
- Dates: November 13-14
- Times: 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Central Time
- In-Person Location: Union South, Varsity Hall (2nd floor), 1308 W. Dayton St., Madison, WI
- Online: Virtual attendees who RSVP will receive emailed instructions before the conference begins
- Cost: Free
- Contact: events@cdo.wisc.edu
- Learn more: diversityforum.wisc.edu
Media Contact: Tsering Thillman, tthillman@wisc.edu