BACKGROUND
The George Mason University Campus Center for Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) is a collaborative initiative with the Associate of American Colleges and University (AAC&U). It is one of only 23 designated Campus Centers in the country. The intended outcomes of the center include improving our overall campus climate with regard to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. We intend to do this by increasing Mason’s capacity to create meaning, impactful, and education dialogue amongst community members.
Narrative Change
In order to achieve equitable outcomes, institutions of higher education must address and aggressively confront the history of marginalization of diverse populations since the founding of our higher education system, as well as our respective colleges and universities. Institutions of higher education must facilitate dialogue among students and faculty, both inside and outside the classroom, that focus on valuing and inclusion of all identities, experiences, and perspectives.
Relationship Building
In our work towards equity, our institutions must identify opportunities to build collaborations and coalitions amongst stakeholders in order to leverage our collective skills, experiences, perspectives and expertise in order address issues on inequity in an interdisciplinary manner.
Community Engagement
We are committed to working collaborative with our local, state, and national community partners in efforts to meet our collective goals and objectives regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion.
VISION
A Mason Community with the capacity to dismantle systems based on the hierarchy of human value through narrative change, racial healing, relationship building, and community engagement.
GOALS
Collaborate with campus partners to enhance, expand, and make connections among institutional and community-wide programs and initiatives that challenge the dominant narratives that perpetuate racial inequity.
Develop and enhance education, training, and development programs that increase the capacity of the Mason community to drive sustainable antiracist change in their spheres of influence.