By Brian Hinchion, Staff Reporter

The third installment of the university’s racial solidarity series “It Takes a Village” occurs later today, and while its anti-racism focus is the same as its predecessors, this time around it has more heart than usual– at least in its theme: “Opening Your Heart to Courageous Conversations.”

“We wanted to promote ‘opening your heart’ for Valentine’s day,” said Monique Turner, an instructor in the CSUDH psychology department, whose research lab, the Positive Psychology Lab, is one of the event’s sponsors.

The two-hour virtual event is led by Dr. Kitty Fortner and Dr. Yesenia Fernandez, who are both assistant professors in the Division of Graduate Education. Its focus will be on microaggressions with a fishbowl activity to “model courageous conversations with our trained student-facilitators, “said Turner. Along with the Positive Psychology Lab,  other sponsors include:  the Academic Senate, the Rose Black Resource Center, Associated Students Inc., the Black Student Business Association, and the Veterans Resources Center. 

Turner, who has been closely involved with the two previous Village events, said that their purpose isn’t to teach, indoctrinate or scold, but to encourage those in attendance to open their ears,  which may lead to opening their hearts.

“The event series is not about teaching others what they should already know, it is about talking with others and learning to appreciate one’s differences,” she said. “This is what one is missing if you haven’t attended,  the value of talking with others and listening to hear, not just to respond. We have to listen and show compassion in our behaviors, from there we can all heal and grow together.”

Students, faculty, staff and administrators on campus can register here.