Workshops & Consultation

Prepared Workshops

Aligned with 4D Character Development, the learning outcomes (LOs) across trainings include: 

• LO1: Acquire skills and concepts in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) to participate in effective dialogue within and outside the campus community. 
• LO2: Apply fundamental concepts in a variety of contexts to better recognize the complexities of DEIJ issues, roles, and activities and propose effective solutions. 

For all our sessions, bear in mind that they offer insights into, not exhaustive coverage of, their topics, as most of them focus on subjects people can and do spend entire careers engaging. As do we, please approach with a humility about what participants can gain realistically in available time, as well as openness to the addition learning whatever your prior knowledge.

• Inclusive Event Planning (60 m)
  • Integrates DEI and UDL principles and best practices into variety of programming areas e.g. scheduling, catering, marketing.
  • Clients include: DUPB, GSG
  • Level: Basic
• Addressing Implicit Bias (60 m)
  • Explores implicit bias from a cognitive psychology perspective and its impacts on social inequities, providing strategies for reducing harm
  • Clients include: PLP
  • Level: Basic
• Unpacking Compulsory Sexuality (60 m)
  • Applies a black feminist lens to unpacking Cisheteropatriarchy and its harmful impacts on minoritized communities.
  • Piloted at 4D Symposium 2025, designed and co-facilitated with Evelyn Stovin, Queer Student Alliance President.
  • Level: Intermediate
• Social Justice 101 (90 m)
  • Provides a conceptual framework for individuals to understand how their personal and social identities connect to systems of privilege and oppression.
  • Themed Editions--Disney!
    • Classics Edition
    • Contemporary Edition
  • Level: Basic
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 101 (90 m)
  • Introduces DEI, its relation to University mission and values, and supports affiliates in connecting the frameworks to their roles and activities on campus.
  • Themed Editions
    • Sci-Fi/Fantasy
  • Level: Basic
• Microaggression Intervention (90 m)
  • Unpacks what constitutes and how to respond to, everyday microaggressions, by practicing a variety of intervention strategies across identities and cases.
  • Themed Editions
    • Shrek
    • Pop Music
  • Level: Basic
• Authentic Allyship (90 m)
  • Unpacks the differences between performative and productive allyship and offers participants strategies to become more effective allies in their roles at DU and beyond.
  • Clients include:
    • Student Employment; 4D Constellation of Support
  • Level: Intermediate
• LGBTQ+ Essentials (90 m)
  • Introduces terminologies related to LGBTQ+ communities, and best practices for actively including and constructively engaging with LGBTQ+ identities in our everyday interactions and responsibilities.
  • Clients include: Fraternity & Sorority Life
  • Level: Intermediate
• Disability Justice (90 m)
  • Explores the differences between the Disability Rights and Disability Justice frameworks toward a more inclusive and intersectional approach to disability care and allyship
  • Level: Advanced
• Addressing Anti-Blackness (90 m)
  • Highlights the pervasive and harmful impacts of Anti-Black racism and presents Critical Whiteness Studies as a framework for deconstructing the social, material and political power of whiteness in our world. 
  • Clients include: Student Inclusion & Belonging GSAs
  • Level: Advanced
• Inclusive Leadership (2 hr)
  • An accelerated intermediary training that provides an introduction to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Microaggression Intervention, framed as essentials for any inclusive leader on campus to learn.
  • Teases our advanced trainings, Disability Justice and Addressing Anti-Blackness, as examples of Inclusive Leadership.
  • Designed for graduate students, and undergraduate student leaders who have already demonstrated a commitment to DEI values and are ready to maximize learning the practice.
  • Provides a strong foundation for any other Intermediary or Advanced training; expected to request as a follow-up.
• Queer & Ally (2 hr)
  • Q&A began as the Safezone Program at the DU Graduate School of Professional Psychology, similar to that at many other colleges, universities and even companies.
  • Level One - provides participants with foundational knowledge, awareness, and skills regarding LGBTIQ+ and Ally communities at DU and beyond. 
  • Level Two - focuses on the intersections of LGBTQ+ and Ally identities with other social identities, and expands and deepens the conversations regarding privilege, oppression and ally development.
  • Advanced trainings, recommended for graduate students and individuals seeking to specialize in LGBTQ+ affinity support.

Social Justice After Dark

SJE packages our trainings in a signature series of open workshops and frames them through a media/pop culture lens. 

SJAD increased student engagement 9x in open trainings in its pilot quarter (Fall 2023)

Students can register for upcoming SJAD trainings on Crimson Connect.

Fall - Foundations Edition

• Social Justice 101
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 101
• Microaggression Intervention
• Authentic Allyship

Winter - Identities Edition

• Inclusive Leadership
• LGBTQ+ Essentials
• Disability Justice
• Addressing Anti-Blackness

Incentives

• Extra credit and free professional development for students
• M-Th 6-8 pm in CCOM to accommodate student availability
• Sodexho meal tickets
• Candy and giveaways (stickers, pins, patches fidgets, croc charms etc.)
• Harm Prevention Credit (RSOs)
• Swag bags for attending 2 trainings
  • SJE branded long-sleeve, tote bag, koozie, custom stickers

Training Outcomes

• From Winter 2023 - Fall 2024, SJE trained an average of 190 students per quarter, with a high of 307 students in Winter 2024, roughly 3.5-5.5% of the undergraduate student population.
• Across all workshops, 95% of survey respondents across 5 workshops rated them as “excellent” or “satisfactory.”
• Students enjoyed the thoughtful, conversational, and light-hearted approach as well as the collaborative and engaging nature of the workshops.
• Trainings improved attendees’ understanding of concepts and confidence to practice DEIJ skills in a variety of contexts. 
• For example, 94% of respondents reported higher confidence to do one regular task more inclusively as well as acknowledge and correct one instance of non-inclusion.

• Social Justice 101
  • "Learning about parasocial contact, the idea that fictional characters have the same impact on our perception of any given group as real people do, really expanded my perspective."
  • "I loved the helpful equations for how terms relate to each other. The core components were really fundamental in building my understanding of social justice."
• Microaggression Intervention
  • "I wanted to reach out to you to thank you for the engaging and informative workshop. I discussed what I learnt in the workshop today with my partner right after it and realized how much microaggressions affect my life and behavior. I spent some quality introspective time too—reflecting on ways in which my speech and actions may be microaggressive, and understanding where those originate from. I really liked the way you incorporated the idea of learning how to mitigate harmful behaviors of the self."
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 101
  • “I really liked the What + Whom + How formula. After learning about what DEI is and why it is important to implement, I was left feeling a little bit unsure about how to actually implement that in my spheres of influence. Then we jumped into the formula, and it made perfect sense. I feel really confident with the formula that I can apply to multiple aspects of my life.”
  • “I found this training/workshop so helpful! I loved the dialogue and conversational nature. It allowed us to process and talk together about the information and helped me to understand in a deeper way. The facilitator helped me see DEI as a tangible, important element to bring into my program as something that is not optional but embedded into DU's values and mission, and also into my own Department and Divisional missions. I hope to refer my staff to these trainings.”

Request a Workshop

Students, staff, and faculty can submit a request for collaboration with SJE to provide a closed training for a group of 20+ students using this form.

Here are some guidelines to think about before submitting your request. 

• Guidelines for Requesting Trainings
  • Submitting a request is NOT a guaranteed booking; it's a starting place for conversation and planning.
  • We will set up an intake meeting to better understand the context, needs of your group, and determine the appropriate topic.
  • Submit your request as EARLY as possible prior to the date you anticipate the training being scheduled. 
  • At a minimum, we require submissions at least 2 weeks prior to the anticipated training date.
  • If you would like a training in a specific quarter, submit your request by the middle of the previous quarter for the best chance. 
  • Based on current staffing, we can only facilitate a maximum of 4-5 requested trainings per quarter. 
  • We require a minimum of 20 students to attend for the entire time. If your group is too small, we encourage you to collaborate with another student group to do a combined training. 
  • If you are trying to schedule a training as part of an orientation or series of talks in the same day, SJE should go as EARLY as possible or at a time when students are not tired, hungry, or mentally/emotionally tapped.
  • We consider your request for a training as a request for a true and authentic collaboration.
  • The student/staff/faculty requesting the training must be present (or someone with clearly communicated and delegated authority) for the entire training to supervise students and maintain a safe and productive learning environment.
  • We expect leadership of the group to be fully invested in our rationale for providing the training and work with us to ensure that student participants see the importance of the content.
  • You are always welcome to provide food for your students at the training; this should not disrupt our training time (as well as any other housekeeping items)
  • Trainings are designed to provide DEIJ information and discourse to students in a lecture-style format, not to dialogue or debate DEIJ
  • Constructive engagement is the bar; the facilitators’ reserve the right to determine what constitutes this in the moment.

SJE does NOT provide customized workshops at this time.

• If you are looking for information about particular populations (eg, Native American cultures, international students, etc), social issues (eg, poverty, Affirmative Action, immigration, etc), current events, or historical/ social movements (eg, US Civil Rights, 3rd wave feminism, etc), conflict resolution and mediation, etc, then there are other subject matter experts at DU and in our community who could better provide expertise on these topics. Consider contacting a relevant academic program directly; or we may be able to suggest a resource person on or beyond campus. Please contact krystoff.kissoon@du.edu with queries.

Consultations

• In some cases, individuals or organizations can benefit from a conversation instead of or in addition to a workshop. Our staff are happy to meet in-person or speak by phone/Zoom, to discuss specific situations or general approaches for greater inclusion. We can connect you to useful campus and community resources, consider whether/ what trainings might be effective, suggest possible proactive/reactive steps, and more. Contact krystoff.kissoon@du.edu with questions.