NOTE: The DEIB Summit has been postponed until Saturday, March 22. More details will be available soon.
The University of Lynchburg’s JEDI — Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion — Educational Committee and the Junior League of Lynchburg will co-host the Lead & Learn DEIB Summit from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22.
“We are so excited to be partnering with the Junior League of Lynchburg to bring together our community to discuss these crucial topics,” said Alexis Scott, the University’s assistant director of student diversity initiatives.
She added that in times when DEIB — diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging — “is being suppressed and scrutinized, it’s necessary to hold safe spaces to have these discussions and to continue pushing for change.”
Held in Drysdale Student Center’s West Room on the University campus, the summit will include what have been described as “engaging conversations and workshops focused on social justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.”
There will be a keynote speaker, breakout sessions, and a panel discussion.
Admission is $15 for students and $30 for the general public. You can register here.
The keynote speaker will be Dr. Marcia Bennett ’07, an information technology professional in the health care industry and a faculty member in Liberty University’s Helms School of Government.
Bennett has a bachelor’s degree in history from Lynchburg, a Master of Education in curriculum and instruction from Averett University, and a PhD in public policy and administration from Walden University. She is the author of “21 Ways to Win at the Game of Life.”
Bennett also will participate in the panel discussion.
Another Lynchburg alum, Davion Washington Jr. ’21, will be a panelist and lead a breakout session. Washington has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Lynchburg and is pursuing a PhD in educational leadership, policy, and human development, with a concentration in higher education opportunity, equity, and justice, at North Carolina State University.
At Lynchburg, Washington was president of the Student Government Association for two years. He also was instrumental in the founding of the University’s NAACP chapter, the first collegiate chapter in the Lynchburg area.
Chantel Spinner, a reproductive justice advocate and owner of The Melanin-fluent Doula, will be a panelist and lead a breakout session. Spinner has a bachelor’s degree from Randolph College, where she studied sociology and researched Black maternal and infant health.
Leslie King, a consultant, facilitator, and coach, will also be a panelist and lead a breakout session. She is the founder of the Race and Social Justice Conference, an annual gathering in Lynchburg that, according to King’s bio, “equips community leaders, students, and organizations with the tools to advance racial and social justice.”
King has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Randolph College.
Angelina Dawn, another member of the panel, has been described as a “passionate advocate for inclusivity and creativity” who “works to build communities that embrace diversity and connection.”
A published poet and writer, Dawn also shares her message through acting and the spoken word.
For more information, contact Scott at 434.544.8841 or [email protected].
