Topeka, Kan. - Washburn University will host the annual Michael Tilford Conference on Diversity and Multiculturalism Oct. 5-6, 2023. The theme is “Living into Brown: Staying the Course Toward Inclusion and Belonging.”
“The objective of the Tilford Conference this year is to renew our efforts and support our partners who are working to create educational equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging in Kansas Higher Education since the landmark legal decision in Brown v. Board that ordered the desegregation of public schools in the United States,” said Danielle Dempsey-Swopes, director of university diversity and inclusion for Washburn University. “We will discuss the progress achieved since the historic Brown decision, as well as remaining challenges and opportunities.“The conference will feature research and professional development to provide participants with tools to continue to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in education and work environments so that the full promise of Brown v. Board may one day be realized.”
The conference is comprised of general sessions featuring speakers, workshops and breakout sessions. During the entirety of the conference, attendees have the opportunity to network with those also working to increase diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, from the classroom to the boardroom.
“Washburn University is excited to once again host the Michael Tilford conference,” said Dr. Kelly Erby, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of history for Washburn University. “We anticipate welcoming our colleagues from across the region, as well as those in the local business community, to explore this important topic and hear from those at the forefront of advancing these efforts.”
Keynote Speakers
Cheryl Brown Henderson will give the conference opening address the evening of Thursday, Oct. 5. Brown Henderson is one of the three daughters of the late Rev. Oliver L. Brown who in the fall of 1950, along with 12 other parents, led by attorneys for the NAACP, filed suit on behalf of their children against the local Board of Education. Brown Henderson is the founding president of the Brown Foundation for Educational Equity, Excellence and Research, and owner of Brown & Associates, an educational consulting firm.
Dr. Sarah Deer, Dr. Rodney Palmer, Mr. Ray Dempsey and Dr. Nicole Hodges-Persley are the featured speakers Friday, Oct. 6.
Deer is a university distinguished professor at the University of Kansas and chief justice for the Prairie Island Indian Community Court of Appeals. Her legal scholarship focuses on the challenges facing Tribal Nations in the United States, particularly criminal justice. Deer has received national recognition from the American Bar Association and the Department of Justice and was named a MacArthur Foundation Fellow in 2014. Deer will speak on “Action in Academe – Moving Toward Native Visibility and Equality.”
Palmer is the chair of the department of religion and biblical languages and an associate professor of religion, specializing in homiletics and practical theology at Andrews University (AU). He is an ordained minister, a Formative Dialogue on Teaching Faculty Colleague, a certified trauma support specialist and an AU advisory board member for the International Center for Trauma Education and Care. Palmer will deliver an address titled “Fostering Thriving and Inclusive Campus Communities through Trauma-Informed Practices.”
Dempsey will deliver the luncheon keynote address, “Preparing for Work in a Global Workforce.” Dempsey is group chief diversity officer, Barclays Bank, charged with development and implementation of a strategic approach to driving measurable progress in diversity and inclusion globally. Prior to joining Barclays, Dempsey was chief diversity officer for BP America and the president of the BP Foundation.
Hodges-Persley will speak to “Staying the Course toward Equity, Inclusion and Belonging.” Hodges-Persley is the vice provost of diversity, equity and inclusion at the University of Kansas. She is an award-winning professor, artist and community leader with more than 15 years of experience in diversity, equity and inclusion work creating intentional equity pathways between academic and creative communities.
Register to Attend the Conference
Attendance at Tilford is free for students, faculty and staff of Kansas Board of Regents Institutions (KBOR), Washburn University and Haskell Indian Nations University. Registration for approved presenters is also free.
Tickets are $25 per person for attendees who are not students or employees of KBOR institutions, Washburn University or Haskell Indian Nations University. Ticket price includes a welcome reception on October 5 and breakfast and lunch on October 6.
Those wishing to register to attend should visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-michael-tilford-conference-on-diversity-and-multiculturalism-tickets-678053665767?aff=oddtdtcreator
View the tentative schedule and roster of speakers and presenters by visiting washburn.edu/tilfordconference.
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For further information, contact:Joy Bailes
Assistant Director of Public Relations
Telephone: 785-670-2153
Cell: 785-230-1648
Email: joy.bailes@washburn.edu
