We are thrilled to invite you to the Dialogue Symposium: Bringing Campus and Communities Together, a unique space to explore how dialogue can deepen connection, foster inclusion, and shape the way we work together across campuses and communities. This event will feature interactive sessions, hands-on workshops, peer-led exchanges, and kick off with a dynamic keynote fishbowl conversation you won't want to miss. Register today!
We're honored to present a distinguished group of leaders whose work advances dialogue, inclusion, and community engagement:
Rhonda Fitzgerald — Executive Director of the Sustained Dialogue Institute, where she brings decades of leadership to efforts empowering campuses and communities to use sustained dialogue for conflict transformation and inclusive engagement.
Dr. Brighid Dwyer — Vice Dean for Academic Excellence & Engagement at the University of Pennsylvania School of Arts & Sciences and Vice Chair of the Difficult Dialogues National Resource Center Board. Dr. Dwyer brings decades of leadership in higher education and intergroup dialogue, offering insight into structural and educational approaches to inclusive campus climates.
Instead of a traditional panel, our keynote will be presented as a fishbowl conversation — a structured, participatory dialogue method in which a small group discusses key questions in the center while others observe and engage. This format allows for vibrant, inclusive exchange and reflects the very principles of active listening and shared meaning-making that dialogue advocates.
Whether you're new to dialogue or an experienced practitioner, this conversation will offer rich insights into the benefits and challenges of dialogue as a campus and community approach, and create space for reflection, connection, and shared learning.
Spaces are limited, and interest is growing. Whether you're an administrator, educator, student, facilitator, or community member, this symposium offers opportunities to build skills, connect with peers, and be part of shaping dialogue practice across our region.
Register now and be part of this engaging, thought-provoking event! Link to register: https://umbc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3qT4mFIw7bWNZFY
We look forward to seeing you there — ready to listen, share, and learn together!
]]>Position Type: Internship, Stipend, Undergraduate Student, Graduate Student
Handshake ID: 10523914
Hiring Manager: Wendy Low
Term: Spring 2026 semester with the ability for renewal
Semester Stipend: $750
Do you always find yourself talking about social justice? Are you the friend in your group who's always adding “nuance” to the conversation? Then we’re looking for you! Social Justice Dialogue Facilitation Fellows work for the Center for Social Justice Dialogue and are supervised by professional staff within the Center.
The main role of this internship is to support the work of the Center for Social Justice Dialogue (CSJD) in cultivating a campus community where everyone feels empowered and equipped to engage in difficult dialogue across differences of identity, background, and lived experience. Built on a foundation of Intergroup Theory and other social justice education frameworks, interns will co-create and deliver workshops on topics of identity, social justice, and dialogue to student populations. Further, students will support projects including MediaBytes, Your Story Belongs Here, InterACT, FYS: Race, Social Justice, and Dialogue, and other departmental programs. They may also support collaborative dialogue programs in partnership with other departments on campus (e.g. The Women’s Center, Center for Democracy and Civic Life, Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion & Belonging, etc). Facilitators are expected to work a maximum of ten hours a week which includes weekly staff meetings to engage in deep learning, prepare for workshops, and continue developing student-focused programming. Interns engage in ongoing training, reviewing key activities, facilitation skills, and foundational introductions to various social justice concepts. Interns must be available for these training sessions as well as program retreats.
Upon the completion of more advanced training (including Restorative Practices) and a full year of participation, students will have the opportunity to apply to a “senior internship” position to facilitate higher stakes dialogues.
Develop, facilitate, and promote peer-led workshops on topics related to identity, social justice, and dialogue to student populations
Engage in ongoing learning and development connected to dialogue and facilitation
Co-create the continued foundation for IDEAL and InterACT programs, as well as contribute ideas and content for workshop curriculum
Support CSJD programming through attendance, marketing/promotion, co-facilitating activities within larger dialogues and workshops, etc.
Meet with the primary supervisor and attend regular student staff meetings (dependent on student availability)
Serve as departmental “student liaison,” gathering information about current student “hot topics” and needs and wants connected to dialogue
Serve as an ambassador for IDEAL and InterACT programs, as well as CSJD more broadly
Follow all area regulations within the Code of Conduct (this is provided during the staff onboarding process)
Fulfill all other duties and responsibilities as appropriate and assigned (including, but not limited to occasional oral / written reflections, time tracking, etc.)
Must be a full-time, matriculating undergraduate or graduate student at UMBC;
Must have and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (semesterly checks will be conducted);
Must be able to commit to a minimum of Spring Semester for at least 10 hours per week; oppurtunity to renew
Interns are strongly encouraged to enroll and fulfill all the requirements PRAC098 offered through the Career Center each semester, but especially for their first full semester of the internship program. Learn more about PRAC here.
Must be committed to being a positive role model and demonstrate leadership skills;
Must demonstrate ability to interact and communicate mindfully in person and online with diverse students, staff, faculty, and other campus community members;
Must be flexible with schedules depending on relevant programs, events and/or student professional development opportunities;
Must have flexibility to work evening and weekend hours on occasion;
Must attend all training sessions
Please hold Jan 8, Jan 21, Jan 23, Jan 26, Jan 29th for upcoming events
Demonstrated experience with myUMBC, Gmail, Google Drive, Canva, Instagram, Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and/or Illustrator
Demonstrated basic knowledge in any of the following areas: the relationship between identity, power, privilege and oppression, intersectionality, social justice-related theories, intergroup dialogue (e.g. Critical Race Theory, Feminist/Womanist Theory, Queer Theory, Social Identity Theory)
Demonstrated leadership skills and experience through student organization leadership, civic engagement and/or activism
Have summer and winter availability; and
Have verbal, spoken, and/or written multilingual skills
From the Center for Social Justice Dialogue Directors
For some, the holidays are a season of joy, connection, and shared traditions. For others, they can be emotionally demanding, a careful dance around long-standing tensions, lingering conflicts, polarizing political disagreements, or generational wounds. A friend once told me, "I love my family, but three hours is all I can manage." Many of us prepare strategies, invite "buffers," or brace ourselves just to get through the meal.
Holiday tables have always held complexity. This year, though, many of us are feeling the weight of that complexity more intensely than ever.
As directors of UMBC's Center for Social Justice Dialogue, we want to offer our Retriever community tools to navigate this season with grounding, compassion, and intentionality. Whether you're entering difficult conversations about identity, politics, justice, or family history, the competencies of dialogic community building—critical self-reflection, cultural storytelling, generous listening, and loving accountability—can help guide your steps.
Here are some tips, tools, and practices to consider.
Before we enter dialogue, we begin with ourselves. Critical self-reflection calls us to look inward at our identities, experiences, triggers, the stories we carry, and the assumptions we bring to the table.
Ask yourself:
What am I feeling in my body as I anticipate this gathering?
What topics or comments tend to activate strong reactions in me?
What boundaries do I need to hold to maintain my well-being?
How can I show up in ways that contribute to community care?
Radical self-care reminds us: you can opt in to dialogue, and you can opt out as an act of protection and love. If a conversation becomes unsafe, dehumanizing, or overwhelming, it is valid to pause or walk away. Your well-being matters.
Community care reminds us: how we show up impacts others. Our presence, tone, boundaries, and choices can contribute to a safer, more compassionate environment, even when disagreements arise. Community care invites us to hold ourselves with compassion and to consider the collective well-being of those around us.
Dialogue deepens when we share the stories that shape us, not to prove a point, but to build understanding.
Cultural storytelling invites you to:
speak from your own experiences rather than speak about others,
connect present tensions to personal and community histories,
illuminate the values, traditions, and identities that shape your worldview.
This practice helps shift conversations away from abstraction and toward authenticity.
It also supports relational connection—"Here is where I come from, and here is how it shapes what I believe."
Generous listening is the heart of dialogic community building. It requires vulnerability, patience, wonder, and the willingness to pause your assumptions to consider someone else's perspective truly.
This kind of listening sounds like:
"Help me understand how you came to that belief."
"What experiences shaped that view for you?"
"I hear your intention. Can we talk about the impact?"
Generous questioning invites deeper reflection rather than defensiveness. It widens the possibility of connection, especially across difference.
Dialogue doesn't mean avoiding conflict; it means engaging conflict with compassion and clarity.
Loving accountability includes:
naming harmful language or behavior with respect and honesty,
recognizing when someone's disagreement denies your humanity,
setting boundaries without shaming,
aligning your tone and words with your values.
You can say:
"I want to stay in this conversation, but I need us to slow down."
"That comment felt hurtful to me. Can we talk about why?"
"Your intention matters, and so does the impact."
As James Baldwin reminds us, we can disagree and still love each other—unless that disagreement denies our right to exist.
Loving accountability holds us all to a higher standard, not to win, but to grow.
If you feel overwhelmed, flooded, or frozen:
Breathe deeply to reconnect.
Body scan: Where is tension showing up?
Name your reaction if you want:
"I'm noticing I'm having a strong reaction right now."
Pause the dialogue if needed.
Re-enter or step back based on what your well-being requires.
This is part of loving accountability, to both yourself and the relationship.
When the conversation ends, ask yourself:
What emotions linger in my body?
What did I learn about myself?
What support or community care do I need now?
What joy practices can help me reset?
Choose rest. Hydrate. Journal. Move your body. Connect with people who affirm your dignity and wholeness.
As you move through this holiday season, remember that dialogue is not about perfection. It is about showing up with intention, curiosity, and heart. Whether you are leaning into connection or protecting your peace, you remain part of a community dedicated to justice, equity, and humanity.
May you find moments of grounding, clarity, and care wherever you gather.
In community,
Ciara and Jasmine
The Center for Social Justice Dialogue Directors
UMBC | Division of Institutional Equity
#UMBCtogether #SocialJusticeDialogue
Facilitating dialogues through InterACT was a profoundly rewarding experience that challenged and expanded the way I approach communication, empathy, and leadership. Through each session, I witnessed the quiet yet powerful impact of intentional listening—what we often called "generous listening." Hearing others share their stories and reflections on identity, privilege, and social justice allowed me to see how dialogue can serve as both a mirror and a bridge: a mirror that reflects our own biases and growth, and a bridge that connects us across lived experiences.
One of my favorite moments was during the generous listening activity, where participants explored the difference between "good" and "bad" listening through a short series of role-playing exercises. Watching students step out of their comfort zones, laugh, reflect, and learn together reminded me that vulnerability and curiosity are often the first steps toward genuine understanding. It was deeply moving to see how quickly strangers could become collaborators in empathy.
The most challenging part of facilitating was finding the balance between stepping in to guide a conversation and stepping back to let participants discover meaning on their own. Learning when to intervene and when to simply observe was a delicate process, one that taught me patience and trust in the group's collective rhythm. Working alongside Anelsy made that process far more fluid; our partnership created a sense of balance and support that carried the sessions forward with warmth and confidence.
Ultimately, InterACT reaffirmed for me that dialogue is not about having answers, it's about creating the space where transformation quietly begins.
SistaCare is a community-care and dialogue group that explores the ways undergraduate and graduate students who identify as Black/Africana women and femmes, regardless of their gender expression, experience campus communities. Weekly sessions will explore experience, impact, and connection and are open to all individuals regardless of their sex, gender, race, ethnicity, or national origin. Come to learn, share, and connect!
9/25: Kickoff: Who are We?
(RSVP here)
10/9: Representation and Socialization
10/23: Intersecting Identities and Intersectionality
11/6: Bodies + Body Politics - All Shapes and Sizes
12/4: Skin + Hair and the Spectrums of Color and Texture
12/18: Radical Care and Reflection
To request accommodation(s) or to inquire about event accessibility, please get in touch with us via email, csjdialogue.umbc.edu, with "Sistacare" in the subject line. All sessions are open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy.
]]>This fall, the Center for Social Justice Dialogue is hosting Interact, a series designed to help participants hone the skills to successfully engage in dialogue across difference. If you are a student within WILL+, ILE, any other Living-Learning Communities (LLC) or are just an undergraduate student interested in upscaling your dialogue, register now!
Interact is a four-week program for undergraduate students focused on creating an introduction to the dialogue skills required to engage in difficult conversations, dialogue across difference, and intercultural dialogue.
The goal of Interact at UMBC is to develop foundational dialogue skillssuch as critical self-awareness, listening and sharing authentically, asking questions toward creating deep connections, and apologizing and adjusting appropriately, while creating opportunities for participants to become more self-aware. As a result of participation in Interact, participants will have the skills to engage in dialogue within any type of situation and any topic of conversation.
Participants meet weekly in small groups for 90-minute sessions that are co-facilitated by 2-3 facilitators. Each small group consists of 10-15 participants. During these sessions, participants learn and practice the necessary skills to become inclusive leadersand engaged community members.
To register, click this link!
Co-sponsored by the Center for Innovation, Research, and Creativity in the Arts; the Center for Social Justice Dialogue; the Department of Gender, Women’s, + Sexuality Studies; the Latin American Feminisms Faculty Working Group; the Latin American Studies Minor; the Latinx and Hispanic Faculty Association; The Mosaic: Center for Cultural Diversity; and the Orser Center for Public Humanities.Johanna Toruño is the founder of The Unapologetic Street Series, a street art series that is exhibited at public spaces, such as walls, utility posts, and mailboxes. Her bold imagery and statements, often adorned in lush florals, celebrate queer, working class, and immigrant communities. Through her work, Toruño challenges social norms and centers messages of self-reflection and self-acceptance. Using a soft aesthetic with colors that remind her of home, Toruño brings storytelling and a chance for her audience to re-learn and decolonize their own self to accessible spaces. Her political and social messages highlight topics of reimagining norms, and the joy of holding space for collective liberation. Johanna is a TED speaker and lecturer at Universities like Stanford, Princeton, Columbia, and others. Johanna's work has been featured in The New York Times, Teen Vogue, NPR, Nylon, and more. Johanna lives and works in Los Angeles with her partner and 2 dogs. If she's not wheat pasting, she's cooking.
The Building Bridges Across Difference: A Dialogue for Every Day series equips faculty, staff, and students with practical tools to foster connection and understanding across differences in today’s polarized climate. Grounded in the Center for Social Justice Dialogue's commitment to shared power and inclusive practices, this series provides strategies to build trust, navigate challenging and emotionally charged moments, and create environments that encourage community and mutual respect. By embracing intergroup dialogue practices daily, participants will enhance their ability to inspire critical self-reflection, cultural storytelling, generous listening, and loving accountability.
All sessions will take place on Wednesdays from 11:30 - 1:30 pm and will be held VIRTUALLY.
If you have accessibility needs, please email csjdialogue@umbc.edu.
RSVP: https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/csjd/events/143931
From childhood to the workplace, we are influenced by powerful cultural and institutional messages that shape our understanding of who we are and how we relate to others. In this session, we’ll engage the Cycles of Socialization and Liberation to examine how these messages shape our perspectives and behaviors. Participants will reflect on their own socialization and explore ways to move toward more equitable and liberatory practices.
RSVP: https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/csjd/events/143932
Each of us brings a unique set of identities to our roles on campus, some are visible, while others are less so. This session uses an identity chart activity to explore how our identities influence our experiences, relationships, and sense of belonging at UMBC. Together, we’ll build a shared understanding of power, privilege, and difference, and explore what each of us can do about it at UMBC.
Nonviolence was once considered the highest form of activism and radical change. And yet its basic truth, its restorative power, has been forgotten. In Healing Resistance, leading Kingian Nonviolence trainer Kazu Haga blazingly reclaims the energy and assertiveness of nonviolent practice (utilized by the Women’s March and Black Lives Matter), and proves that nonviolent civil resistance remains the most effective strategy for social change in hostile times. Kingian Nonviolence takes on the timely issues of endless protest and activist burnout, and presents tried-and-tested strategies for staying resilient, creating equity, and restoring peace.