The Culturally Responsive Campus Community (CRCC) Conference will have a new look for 2020, and a refocus on its original purpose—confronting anti-Blackness.
The conference, which drew more than 800 people last year, will be from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. October 29-30. Under the theme Equity in a Mirror, CRCC 2020 aims to speak to the goal of facing personal, institutional, and societal barriers to overcoming anti-Blackness.
“We should all be proudly anti-racist and vehemently oppose anti-Blackness that exists in our systems, policies, beliefs, and actions,” said Director of the Multicultural Center Dr. Christa Platt. “Without an intentional focus on anti-Blackness, we compromise our commitment to humanity and justice.”
Due to COVID-19, the conference will move to Zoom this year. Participants who register will be given a Zoom link to sign in the first day of the conference. Registration will be open soon.
Day 1 of the conference, October 29, will feature a keynote speaker for the entire CRCC audience. Participants will then choose between four concurrent sessions exploring anti-Blackness. The second day of the conference, October 30, will be an institute—a deeper dive into topics covered the first day. Day 1 attendance is required to register for Day 2. CRCC organizers understand prior, firm commitments, such as class and appointments, and will allow flexibility for those who can attend most but not all sessions.
Angell Howard, programming co-chair of the CRCC, said the institute will allow attendees to be in community with groups based on their position within the Illinois State University community, meaning faculty, staff, students, or community members. “With guidance, each group will engage in critical discussions surrounding the content from Day 1,” said Howard. “Attendees should expect to leave the institute with tangible ways to infuse anti-racist frameworks within their spheres of influence to best support the campus community in being more equitable and just, specifically for black students, faculty, staff, and community members.”
The CRCC will not be taking proposals for individual or group presentations this year, as multiple guest speakers will be invited to facilitate the conference and institute sessions. Registration will open in early October.
The conference aims to enlighten, educate, and ignite conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion. For information on the history of the CRCC, go to https://crcc.illinoisstate.edu/. Those with questions can email CRCC@ilstu.edu.
