University offers 'Racial Healing Workshop' to provide 'safe space' for minority students and faculty

A California university is offering a "Racial Healing Workshop" for minority students and staff later this month, The College Fix reported.

Cheryl E. Matias will lead an "intimate" workshop titled, "Taking Back Our Truths: Healing Circle," on March 22 at San Diego State University.

Matias' program will "provide a safe space for students and faculty of color to discuss issues that impact persons of color in higher academia," according to the event's description. "Dr. Matias will facilitate group healing and she will provide tools to help POC navigate racialized spaces such as higher education and professional fields."

The workshop follows a similar event on the same day at the public university. Matias will lead a lecture on "Taking Back our Truths: Deconstructing Whiteness in Academia and Embracing Racial Justice and Healing." Attendees will also have an opportunity to participate in a question-and-answer session.

"This workshop will raise awareness about the challenges that universities face in attracting, supporting and retaining students and faculty of color," according to the Eventbrite description. "In addition, the research-driven lecture will also provide tools for white identified faculty who work with students of color to help raise consciousness about allyship in academia and professional fields."

What did the university say?

University spokeswoman Monica Everett-Haynes wrote in a statement to The College Fix that the deconstructing workshop was designed to help reduce instances of racism

The event is designed to connect students and faculty of diverse backgrounds to understand the experiences of people from minoritized backgrounds. Those who attend will discuss issues of race and identify tools necessary to help students and faculty to work collaboratively and to support one another in ways that may help reduce instances of discrimination and racism.

She went on to add that the programs, which are hosted by student groups, are not mandatory.

"This type of interaction helps to honor SDSU's vision and mission to support a diverse and inclusive campus climate, which benefits us all, not merely specific groups," she said.