Powering Structural Change: A Conference Challenging the Public Sector's Status Quo
The Wagner Diversity Council (WDC) hosted its second annual conference, Powering Structural Change, from March 27–March 31, 2023 to engage the Wagner community in a spectrum of discussions around the most crucial issues in public service. In partnership with other student groups and guest speakers, the conference created space for intersectional dialogue and brought community members together with a mission to foster learning, relationship building, and strategizing around shared values of global inclusions, diversity, belonging, equity, and access. Our Wagner students attended some of these meaningful events to engage and share their reflections.
DEI in Philanthropy: Where Are We Heading?
March 28, 2023
Led by Wagner Philanthropy, this gathering was guided by an understanding that, in order to deliver great impact, philanthropic spaces must understand, reflect, and respond to the diverse communities in which it works. This was a unique opportunity for students to engage with a panel of professionals in the field, all of whom are NYU alumni. The speakers included Prachi Patankar, Senior Program Officer at Foundation for a Just Society, Son Chau (MPA 2017), Lead Institutional Partnerships Officer at East Bay Community Foundation, Mona Saghri (MPA 2019), Manager of Social Responsibility at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, as well as Genesis Nuñez (MPA 2022), Program Associate for the Future of Work(ers) initiative at the Ford Foundation. Conversation focused on the ways in which global IDBEA can not only enhance understanding amongst communities, but also allow professionals in foundations to have a more meaningful and effective impact.
Post-Pandemic - A Dialogue Around Inequality Facing International Residents in the USA
March 28, 2023
Hosted by the Wanger International Student Society (WISS) and the Pan Asian Student Alliance (PASA), moderator Melissa Zuroff, Director of Engagement at the Office of Global Services, led a panel to discuss the intricacies of being an international student post-pandemic. The panel included student and Chair of the International Student Society at the School of Global Health, Mohamad Ali Diab, Clinical Psychologist Dr. Jiyoon Lee, and Tom Sirinides, the Director of International Student Services. The conversation shed light on the diverse issues international students face such as the visa application process, mental health struggles, and the uncertainty around the job market. Panelists highlighted the differences between overcoming a language and cultural barrier, especially in terms of non-verbal communication pre- and post- pandemic. The throughline theme of the discussion was the notion that international students are not alone—Wagner and student groups are working to form communities and collect resources for international students.
Arts and Advocacy: Powering Social Change and Civic Engagement
March 28, 2023
Hosted by the NYU Arts & Culture Network, the panel was moderated by Dr. Richard Beasley Maloney, Clinical Associate Professor of Performing Arts Administration. The panel included two distinguished guests, Caron Atlas, Director of Arts & Democracy, and Marissa Gutierrez-Vicario, Founder and Executive Director of Art and Resistance Through Education. The panel centered around the importance of art as a tool for advocacy for marginalized communities within the city and around the world. Key takeaways include the importance of young people’s voices throughout the advocacy process. As well, the panelists discussed how digital media and art can give a voice and platform to those who have been denied these rights. A central theme of the panel was the idea that communities lead the work; advocacy organizations are not representing the communities but rather these communities are representing themselves, while organizations must empower their voices.
Taking Stock of Close Rikers: Updates on the Campaign to Close Rikers Island Jails and the Borough-based Jail Plan
March 29, 2023
Hosted by Students for Ending Mass Incarceration (SEMI), this panel discussed the current status of the campaign to close Rikers Island and the borough-based jail plans. Moderator Janos Marton, the National Director of Dream Justice, led the three-person panel. Speakers included Darren Mack, Co-Director at Freedom Agenda, Reverend Sharon White Harrigan who is executive director of the Women’s Community Justice Association, and Meg Egan, Chief Administrative Officer at Fountain House and previously the executive director of the NYC Board of Correction. The panelists discussed the #CLOSERikers campaign and other policy initiatives that must be met. Rikers Island is slated to be closed in 2027, however, the Brooklyn jail construction has the potential of delaying Rikers’ closure until 2029. Attendees discussed the need for city officials to act in a timely manner, ensure adequate funding, establish transparency, and garner greater political consensus on the best way to address the facility’s future. Panelists emphasized the importance of community involvement and advocacy to ensure jailed persons have their needs met, are safe, and their wellness prioritized. Additionally, discussion explored the Borough-based jail plans as the alternative to Rikers Island, a decision that has the potential to transform incarceration in New York City. Such a move may allow for improvements to living conditions, better health services for incarcerated people, and greater fiscal efficiency.
Diversity Across Public, Nonprofit, and Private Sectors: Leadership Perspectives
March 29, 2023
Hosted by the Wagner Management & Leadership Organization (WMLO) and Wagner Diversity Council, this panel discussed leadership perspectives across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. The panel was moderated by Alisha Gangadharan, Events Chair of WMLO and featured Martha Stark, Clinical Professor at NYU Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service; Shiferaw Kibriye, Vice President of Pfizer Global Health Investments Lead, Global Health and Social Impact; and Yoselin Genao-Estrella, Executive Director at Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens CDC, Inc. Each panelist spoke on their experience managing staff and organizations and how DE&I factored into their work and how it has changed in the workplace over time. The panelists spoke about how diversity policies matter, but buy-in from the whole staff to incorporate equitable practices is just as important. Creating intentional, trusting, and truthful environments in the workplace allows for a safe environment. Aligning your organization’s values, mission, and organizational policies is important. Having a diverse group of people at the table allows for different thoughts, discussions, and perspectives. Professor Stark remarked how there is a personal responsibility to learn about other cultures and people and a professional responsibility to respect which was a key driving point of the panel. The panelists talked about the importance of challenging norms and the need to create pipelines for people on the ground into leadership positions.
Diversity & Representation Among Educators
March 30, 2023
In partnership with the Wagner Education Network (WEN), this discussion centered on the need for increased diversity amongst teachers and school staff throughout our educational institutions. The vitality of this subject and the benefits of its implementation are expansive and multifaceted, including the positive impact on student success and wellbeing. Panelists hailed for a variety of disciplines and backgrounds with a shared passion for education reform to unite them, including Domingo Morel, Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Service, and author of Developing Scholars: Race, Politics, and the Pursuit of Higher Education. Domingo was joined by Petria May, NYU Wagner Adjunct Assistant Professor of Public Service, Kami Lewis Levin, a professional learning and leadership development guide, Megan Young, Talent Manager at Aspire Public Schools, and Michael Lowe, Director of Equity and Access at Shelby County Schools.
Intersectionality: What Does It Mean & How Do We Support It?
March 31, 2023
Hosted by the Wagner Diversity Council, this panel spoke to the importance of intersectionality, especially in public policy work and the public sector. The panel included Diana Lugo-Martinez, Co-Executive Director of Forward Together, and Sarina Sheth Noone (MPA 2022), associate at Education First and former Chair of the Wagner Diversity Council. The panel was moderated by Adjunct Assistant Professor of Public Service Breandan Ward. The panelists spoke to how intersectionality impacts leadership and the importance of having space at the table for the people that policies will be affecting. They discussed the ways in which identities impact how individuals travel through and experience different spaces, affecting the power and privileges that one brings to a given space. The panel considered how identities can change over time and the ways in which Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work requires participants to continuously reflect on how they are entering a space. Rooted in our own existing identities, DEI work is the process of unlearning biases while learning together how to achieve a shared mission. The costs of not doing so can be unintentionally hostile environments for those who do not fit certain norms or expectations for a space. DEI work is therefore about determining and actively creating the types of environments that we want to see.