IDEAL Engage: Action steps for creating a more unified and inclusive community

Dear Stanford staff,

In my recent email, I discussed the painful legacy of racial injustice and Stanford’s focus on seeking ways to be defined by what unites us rather than what divides us. Many of you have asked me about our IDEAL Engage initiative, and today, I’m writing to you about actions we are taking to support that initiative and transform our grief into building a community that is respectful and inclusive. 

Under IDEAL Engage, next week we are launching Brave Spaces, a virtual forum to discuss equity, inclusion and racial justice, which will bring together groups of individuals and subject-matter experts across campus. Our hope is these conversations will broaden our understanding and strengthen our sense of shared purpose. You will receive an email invitation soon from Elizabeth Zacharias with registration information. 

Additionally, we will make available a list of resources to help each of us learn how to catalyze action and allyship, and share stories through a series of leadership videos that will inspire us to act and think differently. Over the summer, we will begin providing guidance and best practices to equip our staff, managers and leaders to tackle systemic issues of racism, inequality and injustice. Longer term, we will deliver a university-wide training curriculum to cultivate inclusiveness in our culture, work processes and day-to-day practices. 

The IDEAL initiative is a critical step in our journey toward sustained and lasting racial equity and reform. I would like to express my deep appreciation to the IDEAL Engage team who has worked hard to develop a long-term, robust plan for Stanford staff. They include:

Daniela Aivazian	Rosa Gonzalez	Jeanette Lindsay
Angela Antia	Emma Gordon	Danielle Oceguera
Charu Bhatia	Nirit Hazan	Sheila Sanchez
Cindy Cho	Victoria Hendel De La O	Sampurna Sikdar
Rossella Derickson	Shaila Kotadia	Caroline Song
Mary Foston-English	Marguerite Kunze	Karen Vesey

As you engage with this work, please remember to utilize the support systems available through Stanford. We are here to support you.

Persis Drell
Provost