headshot of Estela Bensimon

Estela Bensimon

headshot of Kelly Hurst

Kelly Hurst

Illinois States University’s Culturally Responsive Campus Community (CRCC) Conference provides participants the chance to choose from among 60 talks, presentations, workshops, and discussions on ways to challenge oppression and forge alliances. See the full CRCC schedule.

Under the theme “Building Solidarity Across Movements,” the CRCC will be November 18-19 in the Bone Student Center at Illinois State University. The free conference is open to all. Registration is required. Lunch is free to the first 350 who register. Register by November 8.

This year’s lunchtime keynote speakers will be Estela Mara Bensimon of the Center for Urban Education at the University of Southern California and Kelly Hurst of Crossroads AntiRacism Training. Find out more about the keynote speakers at the CRCC website.

Invited speakers will include Shay Stewart-Bouley and Professor Nilda Flores-González.

headshot of Shay Stewart-Bouley

Shay Stewart-Bouley

headshot of Nilda Flores-González

Nilda Flores-González

Shay Stewart-Bouley is the executive director of the anti-racism organization Community Change, Inc. The author of the popular blog Black Girl in Maine, Stewart-Bouley will present the interactive workshop “Authentic Dialogues: Talking about Racism and How to Take Action.”

Nilda Flores-González, a professor at Arizona State University, will present “Latinx Youth in a New ‘Old’ Era of Racism.” In her book Citizens but Not Americans: Race and Belonging among Latino Millennials, Flores-González uses data collected in Chicago, most specifically Chicago millennials. She examines how Latino millennials understand race, experience race, and develop notions of belonging.

Other presenters will also speak to creating a more equitable and just campus environment for all. Presentations range from sessions about having meaningful conversations on race in the classroom to web design with diversity and inclusion. Angell Howard and Dakesa Piña will present “When the Needle is Moving too Slow: Self Care Chat for Those Doing the Work.” Lucille Eckrich will discuss “How We Pay for a Culturally Repressive or Responsive World.”

The full list of speakers will be available shortly on the CRCC website.

Those who need help registering for the conference, or require special accommodations to fully participate in this event, can email CRCC@ilstu.edu.