Equity Conference

A project of the Council for Racial and Social Justice, the Equity Conference is a chance for CFA members to connect for co-liberation. The now-annual event reflects the concerted efforts undertaken in the last several years to center Anti-Racism & Social Justice in all things CFA, beginning with the recognition that racism and white supremacy is institutionalized in our organization and a commitment to what we began calling our Anti-Racism & Social Justice Transformation.

Equity Conference registration information, including photos of speakers, list of caucuses, and link to register.

2024 Equity Conference

Register here!

Wednesday, March 13, 2024 – Saturday, March 16, 2024

Conference Narrative:

The CFA Council for Racial and Social Justice champions and promotes anti-racism and social justice in the CSU and CFA. The Council leads, organizes and acts to ensure CSU and CFA engage racially and socially just practices based on our guiding principles. CFA members are invited to dive into this work with us. 

Following a tumultuous and historic year of strikes across the nation and global unrest with local impact, Equity Conference 2024  will focus on solidarity and healing through connectedness and collaboration.  Picture two different bodies of water meeting, churning and forming another body of water with its own powerful sustaining life force.   

This year’s virtual conference will delve into the depths of merging waters, highlighting the benefits and challenges of anti-racism and social justice liberation and collaboration for the university community and beyond. Speakers and workshop presentations will track along the following conference themes to uplift and showcase the power of transformative solidarity and organizing: 

• Collaborating for the Common Good: Trouble the Water 

• Care and Healing: Ebb and Flow 

• Living Joyously and Free: Jubilee 

Keynote speakers and workshops will be offered in webinar format and with the potential for concurrent sessions. And as always, the conference planning committee is looking to create opportunities for faculty and students to connect as social beings. 

Conference Workshops and Presentations 

The conference committee is extending keynote invitations to scholars and activists. CFA caucuses are invited to collaborate with each other for workshop hosting. There are a limited number of available time slots.  

Please submit workshop abstract proposals for committee review and approval no later than Friday, February 9, 2024. Early submissions are greatly encouraged. Submit proposals using this form (submissions closed). Expect responses by Friday, February 16, 2024.  

As we are deep in bargaining and strike organizing, we encourage Chapter Presidents and Council for Racial and Social Justice representatives to invite faculty activists and new faculty to the conference. Here is a link to a shareable save the date flyer.  

To learn more about CFA and our recent collective bargaining and our Anti-Racism Social Justice work visit the informative links provided below. 

For more information about the conference, contact Director for Anti-Racism and Social Justice, Audrena Redmond at aredmond@calfac.org  and Administrative Assistant, Laura Ambrosecchio at lambrosecchio@calfac.org.     

Equity Conference Committee, 

  • Sharon Elise, San Marcos, Sociology
  • Chris Cox, San José, Sociology, Interdisciplinary Social Sciences   
  • Mark Allan Davis, San Francisco, Africana Studies 
  • Vang Vang, Fresno, Library 
  • Dahna Stowe, Bakersfield, Sociology  
  • Leslie Bryan, San Bernardino, Theatre Arts 
  • Melissa Cardenas-Dow, Sacramento, Library 
  • Audrena Redmond, CFA Staff: Director for Anti-Racism and Social Justice
  • N’dea Johnson, CFA Staff: Program Director of Anti-Racism and Social Justice  

2023 Equity Conference

2022 Equity Conference

Welcome to Equity Conference!
Featured Speakers: Charles Toombs, CFA President; Sharon Elise, CFA AVP CRSJ, South; Chris Cox, CFA AVP CRSJ, North; and CFA Equity Conference 2022 Tri-Chairs: Talitha Matlin, Aparna Sinha, and Nicholas Centino

Crutches and Spice
Featured Speaker: Imani Barbarin, Disability Rights and Inclusion Activist
Co-Hosts: Leslie Bryan, CFA Disability Caucus Chair, and Scott Hopkins, Professor, CSU East Bay

Cancel Culture
Featured Speakers: Loretta Ross, Professor of the Study of Women and Gender at Smith College; Loan Tran, leader in liberation struggles
Host: Talitha Matlin, Tri-Chair of CFA Equity Conference 2022

Acknowledging and Caring for Our Trans Siblings
Featured Speakers: Hector Plascencia, movement consultant, community builder, and social justice advocate; Fatima Shabazz, President/CEO of Fatima Speaks LLC
Co-Hosts: Vickie Harvey, Professor, Stanislaus State; Audrena Redmond, CFA Director of Programs for Anti-Racism & Social Justice

Your Debt is Someone Else’s Asset
Featured Speaker: Astra Taylor, Co-Founder of The Debt Collective
Co-Hosts: Aparna Sinha, CFA Equity Conference 2022 Tri-Chair, and Audrena Redmond, CFA Director of Programs for Anti-Racism & Social Justice

Embracing Yoga’s Roots
Featured Speaker: Susanna Barkataki, Teacher and Yoga Culture Advocate
Host: Talitha Matlin, CFA Equity Conference 2022 Tri-Chair

Defining “Servingness” at Hispanic Serving Institutions
Featured Speaker: Dr. Gina Garcia, Associate Professor in Department of Educational Foundations, Organizations, and Policy at University of Pittsburgh
Co-Hosts: Tracey Salisbury, Assistant Professor, CSU Bakersfield; Chris Cox, Associate Vice President, Racial and Social Justice, North

A Movement for Caste Equity: Addressing Caste Discrimination in Higher Education
Featured Speakers: Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Executive Director of Equality Labs; Prem Pariyar, GSW, CSU East Bay alum; manmit singh, Chico State student (Pariyar and singh advocated for adding caste to the list of categories protected from discrimination in the CSU)
Co-Hosts: Lisa Kawamura, Co-Chair of CFA’s Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Caucus; Vang Vang, CFA Treasurer and Co-Chair of CFA’s APIDA Caucus

The Power of Visionary Fiction
Featured Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Eagan, Professor of Philosophy and Public Affairs & Administration, CSU East Bay
Co-Hosts: Charles Toombs, CFA President; Sharon Elise, CFA AVP CRSJ, South; Audrena Redmond, CFA Director of Programs for Anti-Racism & Social Justice

Dreaming As Strategy: Envisioning Ourselves as Future Ancestors
Featured Speaker: June “Jumakae” Kaewsith, Founder of Your Story Medicine and professional artist, wellness consultant, and storytelling coach
Co-Hosts: Aparna Sinha, CFA Equity Conference 2022 Tri-Chair; Moe Miller, AVP, Lecturers, South

Islamophobia, Palestine, and the CSU’s Checkpoints along the Bridge to Social Justice: Healing the Wounds
Featured Speakers: Sabrina Alimahomed-Wilson, Associate Professor, CSU Long Beach; Yazan Zahzah, Lecturer, San Diego State; Stevie Ruiz, Associate Professor, CSU Northridge; Rana Sharif, Lecturer, CSU Northridge; Theresa Montaño, Professor, CSU Northridge; Manzar Foroohar, Professor, Cal Poly; Vida Samiian, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, Fresno State; and Rachael Stryker, CFA East Bay Chapter President
Co-Hosts: Rabab Abdulhadi, Co-Chair of Palestine, Arab, and Muslim (PAM) Caucus; Janet Winston, CFA’s PAM Caucus Co-Chair

Racelighting
Featured Speaker: J. Luke Wood, Ph.D, Vice President of Student Affairs & Campus Diversity at San Diego State
Co-Hosts: Charles Toombs, CFA President; Gloria Rhodes, Librarian, San Diego State

Closing Keynote: Dream Work Makes the Team Work
Featured Speaker: Dr. Cecil Canton, Professor Emeritus at Sacramento State and former CFA Board of Director

Equity Conference 2022: A Closing Reflection
Panelists: Sharon Elise and Chris Cox, CFA Council for Racial and Social Justice Co-Chairs; Nicholas Centino, Talitha Matlin, and Aparna Sinha, CFA Equity Conference 2022 Tri-Chairs; Charles Toombs, CFA President; Audrena Redmond, CFA Director of Programs for Anti-Racism & Social Justice

Continuing Education Credit 

The CFA Equity Conference is offered as a continuing education course at CSU Chico. Conference attendees who also register for Class # 5003, course MCGS 802A, Section 201 and submit proof of registration to CFA will be reimbursed the $75.00 fee. This is an excellent opportunity to build your resume. For more information on how to register for the course, you can visit here.  

2021 Equity Conference

CFA Equity Conference logo with faces.
2020 Equity Conference Chairs Sharon Elise and John Beynon welcome the group.
2020 Equity Conference Chairs Sharon Elise and John Beynon welcome the group.

2020 Equity Conference

2018 Equity Conference

CFA members pose at the 2016 Equity Conference.
Top left: CFA leaders Erma Jean Sims, Sharon Elise, Charles Toombs, Cecil Canton, Equity Conference Keynote Speaker Kevin Johnson, and José Cintrón. Front left: CFA’s Dorothy Chen-Maynard and CFA then-President Jennifer Eagan.

2016 Equity Conference

2014 Equity Conference

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