From being asked repeatedly if we speak Spanish based on our skin color, to being excluded from class discussion as the only minority, several of us doctoral students at the University of Kansas (KU) have experienced discrimination in our doctoral work.

We know that many times, folks don’t know what to do to support diversity and inclusivity. So, we decided to host a community forum about our experiences and perspectives. Our goal was to discuss our experiences at KU in our respective academic programs, particularly our difficulties, and to identify ways as a group to move forward.

Moderated by Dr. Sean Daley, PhD, the event took place in October 2017. Teresa Girolamo (myself), Joshuaa Allison-Burbank, Brittany Williams, and Kavita Indar discussed our multicultural experiences at KU, in CSD, and in higher education.