Skip to main content
eScholarship
Open Access Publications from the University of California

UCLA Library

Other Recent Work bannerUCLA

Toward a Restorative Culture-Building Praxis: Nurturing Belonging and Inclusive Excellence

Abstract

Amid targeted attacks on the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion, especially in institutions of higher education, it is essential to uplift and demystify key elements of work that can catalyze structural shifts to foster a sense of belonging among all constituents. It is particularly necessary to foreground the work individual people are empowered to undertake through rigorous self-reflection and in dialogue with proximate people who can shift institutional dynamics and lead to broad-reaching systemic change. Small groups of people have invariably found ways to overcome narratives of powerlessness to build coalitions and effect change by strengthening relationships with each other. By cultivating shared practices that ensure people’s needs are met, including and especially people whose minoritized identities have historically prevented them from experiencing a deep sense of belonging, such groups have generated sufficient momentum to enact structural changes. This article aims to highlight potential elements that can support such transformation and to foreground the synergies that become possible when individuals practice a restorative version of accountability and embody a commitment to inclusion and equity.

Main Content
For improved accessibility of PDF content, download the file to your device.
Current View