Campus Dialogue on Race (CDOR) is an annual event hosted by the Social Justice Equity and Inclusion Center (SJEIC). The event aims to facilitate discussion on racial justice and its intersections. It creates spaces and structures for reflection, analysis, dialogue, and positive strategies for change. Each year students, faculty, and community members gather to share insight, present, and attend programs. This week the event takes place through Oct. 29.
Frank Herrera, SJEIC Coordinator, helps students to organize the event. Herrera sees CDOR as a place of community on campus. In recent years, it has been adapting to the pandemic which has added challenges. Herrera explains the history and context of the event.
“The local community and HSU come together to talk about race,” Herrera said. “It started with Bill Clinton in the 1990s. He challenged universities to have these discussions. [HSU has] been the only university that’s been continuously running CDOR for 23 years now.”
CDOR hopes to create community, share, and learn about what’s happening in different cultural groups. It is a space to get informed and make positive impacts. Students can grow, learn, and leverage systems to create change.
Shiara Naicker is on SJEIC staff and has been working to organize CDOR events. Naicker appreciates the open-minded space for discussion. It offers a space to be mindful of privileges. This year’s theme aims to uplift Asian communities.
“It’s going to be great,” Naicker said. “We have some amazing speakers that are coming. We have Hari Kondabolu speaking about racism in media depictions of South Asians, specifically Indian people.”
CDOR will offer events through Friday, registration for which can be found online. Keynote speaker Hari Kondabolu will speak on Thursday, Oct. 28. Lisa Nakamura will speak on intergenerational trauma and race solidarity within Japanese communities. Throughout the week, there are workshops on white accountability, black liberation through the arts, anti-racist student and faculty organizing, and unspoken queerness within.
