DEIA workshop promotes looking beyond the acronym

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Around 30 Syracuse University faculty and staff gathered in Hinds Hall Wednesday morning for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s “More Than An Acronym” workshop — the first of three in its CORE Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility series.

The session, titled “More Than an Acronym: What is D.E.I.A. and Why Should It Matter to Me?,” was facilitated by Christina Papaleo, a DEIA learning and development specialist at the ODI. Throughout the presentation, Papaleo instructed attendees to draw comparisons between their personal definitions of DEIA and those outlined in the goals of the university’s five-year DEIA strategic plan.

Papaleo said the event’s purpose was to establish a “shared” language and understanding surrounding DEIA at SU, as well as clearly define the several acronyms the university uses when discussing these terms — to which she said faculty have been “desensitized.”

“(Acronyms) are used a lot … I got my master’s in higher education, and I was amazed by this ‘alphabet soup,’” Papaleo said. “It gets to the point where they’re overused, which causes a lack of clarity and communication.”

During the workshop, Papaleo urged attendees to find “commonalities” between their perspectives surrounding DEIA, as they came from a variety of departments on campus, such as the Barnes Center at The Arch, Information Technology Services and Office of Major Events.

The session began with several team-building exercises, all of which emphasized the importance of establishing and understanding language. The main activity urged attendees to write their definitions of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility on color-coded sticky notes, which they then stuck to a corresponding poster.

After conducting these tasks, Papaleo asked attendees to compare their definitions with peers and then share their observations with the broader group.

“Some of the definitions were very formal, like they read it out of a manual,” one attendee said.

“One thing we all notice is that it seemed like we used very different language to get at similar definitions and the same ideas,” another said.

Following the breakout discussions, Papaleo, who said she has a “visual impairment,” drew connections between these definitions and her personal experiences growing up with a disability. She also highlighted her background as an artist, using her artistic process as an analogy for developing one’s understanding of DEIA.

“I erase more than I draw. It does not come out pretty the first time,” Papaleo said. “(Take) that approach to this work. It’s OK to erase more than draw.”

After conducting the activities, Papaleo outlined SU’s official definitions of DEIA as defined in its DEIA strategic plan — which the university first released in 2021. SU is “in the process” of changing these definitions, she said. She called these goals the “DNA of SU,” describing how departments across campus adhere to these collective principles.

Going word by word, Papaleo defined each part of DEIA, reading the university’s definition and discussing methods to implement each principle. After the presentation, Papaleo asked attendees to identify how they will implement DEIA into their respective positions at SU.

Makram El-Hassan, a special education trainer at the Mid-State Regional Partnership Center (which is affiliated with SU’s School of Education), said he attended the workshop because understanding DEIA is crucial in his department.

“In order for students, staff and society to broaden our understanding, we need to challenge our prior assumptions and erase some of the things that you know,” El-Hassan said.

El-Hassan, who said he has worked in special education for almost 20 years, believes these conversations are important to create an inclusive environment on college campuses and center “all voices.”

“​(SU) serves everyone — the society includes everybody, every ability, every background,” El-Hassan said. “People need to feel safe, and they need to feel seen.”

Olivia Tamburro, a human resources representative for SU, said she hoped the event would help her become more “mindful” and “conscious” when discussing DEIA in the workplace. As a human resources professional, Tamburro also said she believes it is “important” to continue practicing how to listen and understand others’ needs.

“Working in HR, we see a plethora of people with different needs and different requests,” Tamburro said. “Not everyone needs the same information or (the) same assistance. It’s different for everyone.”

Papaleo said the event will serve as a “soft launch” for future CORE series events, the next being a microaggression workshop on Feb. 21.

“(The workshop) is really for you to bring back with you to your areas,” Papaleo said, addressing the attendees at the end of the session. “Keep the momentum going. Let this work be more than an acronym.”