USC social justice leadership conference discusses diversity gap


A group of students and faculty members joined Dr. Maura Cullen, the author of 35 Dumb Things Well-Intended People Say: Surprising Things We Say that Widen the Diversity Gap and a veteran social justice educator, for a social justice leadership conference Friday. A joint effort between the Office for Residential Education and the Office of Religious Life, the USC Social Justice Summit consisted of a six-hour interactive conversation about how to lead effective discussions about diversity in today’s social climate.

With complex terms like passing, microaggressions and intersectionality intermingled with fun magic tricks and videos, Cullen pulled from more than 30 years of experience in social justice training to lead a safe discussion about issues ranging from eating disorders to transgender rights.

Junior economics major Pastor Villagomez said he came to the event specifically for that experience.

“The big reason [I came] was to hear the side of a professional who has been studying and advocating for social justice for 30 years, and take their opinion into consideration when forming my own opinions of how society should act on social justice issues,” Villagomez said. “I’m interested in seeing how she balances the importance of having individuals with self-esteem and mental toughness with navigating a world where we’re going to have friction.”

Cullen highlighted this friction with her own anecdotes, but she also allowed students an environment to share their experiences with diversity. Focusing on differences in appearance, gender, class, race, religion, physical capabilities, sexual orientation and more, students spoke in small groups about how issues of social justice impacted their lives.

To freshman philosophy and policy, planning and development major Rebecca Hu, this close-knit format was essential.

“I think something that is little but also very important is how we’re all in small groups learning everyone’s stories,” Hu said. “It goes back to her idea of multidimensionality that we need to see people as more than one thing, as more than just black and white.”

Stories were, in fact, a common theme throughout the summit. As she talked about issues, Cullen pushed the importance of noticing those stories and differences that make people who they are, but she also urged students to notice wisely.

“We are curious creatures. It’s how our brains are wired,” Cullen said. “Noticing things is not the problem. It’s what we do with that information.”

Cullen shared her personal story of self-preservation as a lesbian woman and social justice educator. She emphasized the importance of love and inclusion in her own life, as well as in the lives of those she encounters.

“My wish for all is that everyone have the chance to be loved unconditionally, but the deal is this: once you get it, you must give it,” Cullen said. “Not only can it change people’s lives, it literally can save people’s lives.”