The heightened racially charged landscape in the United States coupled with a pandemic that is disproportionately impacting low income and communities of color prompt a deeper look into the roots of racial inequality, the ways our identities interact within the system of racial hierarchy, the policies that divide us, and the ways we can use our agency for social transformation within organizations. This course is designed to cultivate a theoretical and practical understanding and application of the concepts behind systemic oppression and social justice, and help develop change agents to assist in creating more just and equitable organizations. This course combines conceptual and experiential approaches to race and racism in organizations through exercises, discussions, readings, videos, and small group work. This course will provide students from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to learn from and with each other about issues of racial conflict and common ground in a brave space of self-work, authentic dialogue, mutual engagement, and respect.

Outcome 1
Analyze structural racism and power dynamics in their personal life, social environment, at Cornell and within a partner organization.

Outcome 2
Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of how systemic racism operates in the U.S.

Outcome 3
Take informed and conscious action to address systemic racism within a partner organization.

Outcome 4
Access a support system to sustain collective racial justice at Cornell and in Ithaca.

Outcome 5
Work collaboratively with a team to manage a racial justice organizational project and produce deliverables that meet or exceed the partner’s expectations.

Outcome 6
Reflect on and analyze their multiple identities, the cycle of socialization and the cycle of liberation.