Resources

For me, developing inclusivity and equity in my classroom begins on the first day of each semester. I always introduce myself by sharing the intersecting identities that I subscribe to through my personal journey & struggles through navigating my own path through higher education. 

One of the best gifts I ever received as a student was when my faculty members and mentors chose to share their own stories about their mental health and its impact on their lives. It made me relate to them more fully than before, and it humanized them to me. They were able to model what it looked like to overcome and still succeed, despite hardship, and their guidance gave me hope.

Now, no matter what course I am teaching, I dedicate a full week to engaging with mental health. I share an honest, fairly raw version of my story, and invite them into real conversation about a difficult topic they they may never have truly interacted with at this level. I allow them to engage however they feel is right for them -- I tell them about the topic in advance, let them know that attendance is optional, post the slides online, open an anonymous discussion forum on Canvas, and allow them to be on their phones/computers or lay their heads down to passively listen. I have discussion prompts with no requirement to answer, and I fill silence with my own stories.

Being vulnerable with students is difficult, but every semester, I am reminded that it is worth it.

Please click on each photo thumbnail to gain access to folders full of high-resolution, copyright-free inclusive stock images that go beyond diversity of race, but also inclusive of ethnicity, gender diversity, LGBTQIA+, physical and mental abilities, family structures, and different types of learners. All photos are free to use.