The purpose of the Multicultural Leadership Experience is to provide a space for students and student leaders who identify with diverse or marginalized backgrounds to discover their own capacity to lead, while also promoting a better understanding of their experiences, issues, and outcomes in navigating their own collegiate careers. 

This year's MLE Mini-Series theme is Deconstructing Grit and Greatness! Below you will find the event links to the three sessions we will be offering this semester. Students are welcome to sign-up for any or all available session(s). 

Due to COVID-19 physical distancing restrictions, we are at a limited capacity of 20 seats. Due to this, we highly encourage attendees to register in advance. Doors will open 10 minutes prior to start time, all registrants will have their spot saved until 5 minutes post-start time. In which we will then open available seats to all on a first come first serve basis.

This first session of the mini series will focus on the topic of Reconstructing Resilience, specifically on how it's dictionary definition (i.e. the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness) can create an environment that cultivates toxic positivity, specifically during hardship and/or trauma. Participants will connect their understanding of themselves to their leadership approach in relation to resiliency.

Exploring Empathy and Giving Grace - October 26th, 1pm - 2:15pm
The second session of the mini series will focus on the topic of Exploring Empathy and Giving Grace, specifically on exploring one's emotional intelligence in understanding others, as well as reflecting our own personal needs. Participants will connect their understanding of themselves to their leadership approach by engaging in inter-cultural dialogue and utilizing emotional intelligent capacities.

This third session of the mini series will focus on the topic of Decoding Inclusive Excellence, specifically on questioning what Inclusive Excellence means in the context of UMBC and beyond. Participants will connect their understanding of our campus community and tools learned in order to collectively co-create a new definition for Inclusive Excellence.

Each mini series session will provide participants with:

• connections to campus and resources
• meaning-making through reflection and group discussions
• leadership learning through the lens of multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion
• and opportunities to engage with other students across different areas of campus involvement

Registration link: tinyurl.com/mlemini2021. For questions or more information, contact Beatriz Gutiérrez-Malagón, Coordinator for Leadership at Campus Life bgutierrez@umbc.edu or Carlos Turcios, Coordinator of Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion & Belonging (i3b) at carlos6@umbc.edu

**Please note that this is NOT the MLE Cohort program that runs in the spring semester.