This workshop will explore how federal criminal civil rights laws can hold perpetrators accountable for committing hate crimes and police misconduct, through the lens of recent high-profile murder cases such as the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota and Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia.

Some of the largest companies and banks in the US (top of the Fortune 500 list) pledged billions of dollars (approximately $100B) in the wake of the George Floyd murder to combat and try to remedy social and racist inequality - yet, only a tiny fraction of that money - the 3 years - has actually be disbursed. DREIM.org is committed to holding these companies/banks accountable and making a deep and genuine attempt to collaborate with them to get the money disbursed and to effective organizations for racial equity.

Our session will consist of interactive activities, engaging dialog, and thought provoking questions.We will run activities that will enable participants to think deeply about the interconnectedness of their own identities and their relationships with the people they surround themselves with.

This session will cover Latine voter suppression in the United States and the different causes of it. We will encourage discussion surrounding potential solutions to the issue. All identities are welcome.

Exploring the life and contributions of an American treasure; the first Black American Rhode's Scholar, father of the Harlem Renaissance, multiculturalist, educator, and philosopher.

Have you ever watched a movie? Heard about gender? Been a person? Then this workshop is for you! We'll watch/discuss clips of classic animated media like Spirited Away, The Incredibles, Moana, and Mulan, and launch into a fascinating deep dive of their gender representations.

Our workshop will cover the most recent Women’s Led Revolution in Iran, following the death of Mahsa Amini for improper “hijab wearing.” In addition, we will touch on the history of Iran leading up to the movement, while simultaneously discussing the beautiful and nuanced aspects of Persian culture which are often overlooked in the media.

This workshop will guide students in exploring how we can build bridges with others and connect at different levels with people who have identities that may differ from our own. We will learn the importance of embracing our own identity and setting boundaries that protect our peace.

When you watch shows like Forrest Gump, Daredevil, and Glee you aren’t thinking of harmful depictions of disabled characters, and you certainly aren’t thinking of ‘eternal innocence,’ or the stereotype of ‘disability superpower.’ Where do these ableist stereotypes come from? How can you recognize harmful disability representation in the media? Come and explore these questions and more with us in this workshop.

The art of drag performance bloomed in popularity over the last decade thanks to the success of TV shows like "Drag Race" and "Dragula;" however, getting "into drag" has been a sociopolitical statement practiced for millennia. In this session, we will look at the transformation of drag over the years, its dismissal of critical voices, and the ongoing pushback across the U.S.

In this session participants will be introduced to the origin and growth of the environmental justice movement. We will define what environmental justice (EJ) is, examine case studies of injustice in action, learn about the EJ movements leaders and organizations, and discuss actionable ways in which we can address injustice in the environment around us.

We will discuss the difference between colourism and racism and how intersectionality is perpetuated in society and media. We will also connect it back to mixed-race identities which can sometimes affect colourism and racism.

Join the Jewish Student Coalition as we discuss the Jewish holiday, Purim, and discuss different celebrations. We will be making hamantashens while doing this! 

Join us for a transformative workshop on the intersections of ASL and social justice. This workshop will explore the ways in which American Sign Language (ASL) and deaf culture intersect with issues of accessibility, inclusion, bias, and discrimination. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the history and cultural significance of ASL and its role in promoting interconnectedness in communities.

A look at how rent prices and real estate have become more and more challenging in the DC region, examining notions of affordability and advocacy, including a discussion of eviction and its implications.

Hear from the fellows of the Patty Abramson Social Venture Lab, the Social Venture Capitalists who are working on developing their own ventures to tackle real-life humanitarian issues. Learn more about how you can create change in your community by developing a venture to solve a problem you care about.

This workshop will teach you how to invest in impact-oriented companies. It will be an interactive experience. Students will look at companies, have opportunities to practice investing, and even have a chance to win a special reward at the end!

Jesse Owens, Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson, and other stories of activism in sports have been depicted through film. We will explore the role of film in telling the stories of inequality and activism in sports.

We are all interconnected, and practicing meditation reminds us of this. Meditation opens our awareness of what we face now, and understanding what we face helps us know how we exist in relation to everyone around us. In this workshop, we will learn how to meditate, starting with correct posture, breathing techniques, and respecting the body to take a close look at the mind.

This workshop will examine the lives of those living in the occupied Palestinian territories. We will utilize a combination of visuals, storytelling, and the analysis of factual/historical information to view the impact of oppression on those who identify within a marginalized population. The workshop format will consist of a presentation followed by an open, guided discussion.

We've all heard about gerrymandering and redistricting at the state level. But did you know it's also required at the state and local level even if many cities and counties don't? Fortunately, there are now ways that citizens can ensure that their local government is in compliance with state and local regulations so that we can be sure that everyone's vote counts equally. In this workshop, you'll learn what the most common rules are for redistricting, how to check to see if your city, school district, county etc are in compliance and how to draw new maps if necessary.

We will be looking at definitions and examples of cultural appropriation and the theft of Black Culture. We will be discussing the effects and harm that it can present to the Black community.

Join our keynote speaker, Shamil Idriss, to learn more about his work with the organization Searching for Common Ground. Searching for Common Ground is the world's largest peacebuilding organization with a mission that focuses on using innovative tools to end violent conflict around the world.

*Please note that this workshop will be held during lunch.

A documentary was made of " ArchBishop Tutu's meeting with the Dalai Lama, based on "The Book of Joy". Join this workshop to engage in a discussion about their ability to do so much while never losing their sense of joy

Join musician Sara Serpa as she talks bout the organization she co-founded, Mutual Mentorship for Musicians (M³). The mission of the organization is to empower and elevate women and non-binary musicians.

Books can be windows to new perspectives, mirrors to seeing aspects of yourself, and sliding doors inviting you to connect between yourself and others. (Author Rudine Sims Bishop wrote this in 1990.) Come spend this session simply reading -- specifically, reading realistic fiction and/or picture books about someone with different identities than yourself, but with whom you can also relate or identify

The Reproductive Justice subcommittee (Repro) of the Student Action Committee will be giving a crash course on reproductive rights in the District of Columbia. We'll be talking about how federal legislation impacts the District, what someone seeking an abortion here goes through, and more on how DC's lack of statehood can and will affect reproductive justice in a post-Roe world.

Learn about the diverse & distinct jobs/careers for you to pursue in the Social Justice Movement, your potential work responsibilities, and where you could fit in, apply your skills, make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, and enjoy your work. We will discuss these topics and answer your related questions in an interactive session. 

There is no American social movement of the 20th or 21st century more closely connected to music than the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Protesters, some in prison, sang freedom songs to keep their spirits up.

This workshop will aim to analyze, understand and appreciate many of the motivations and lyrics of these classic ballads.

According to the central tenets of critical race theory (CRT) penned by Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic, race is socially constructed. This workshop will give learners a brief introduction to how, when, and why whiteness and Blackness were constructed in the West. We will then explore the ways that whiteness, in particular, shows up in all aspects of our society, how it perpetuates bias and discrimination, and how its power structures might be dismantled.

This workshop will explore the representation of LGBTQ+ characters in television and film, both historically and currently. Our discussion will focus on the ways in which LGBTQ+ representation has grown and improved over the years, as well as the ways in which it can continue to develop.

This year, the Asian American Affinity Group will be hosting a workshop on Social Justice Day once again! In the light of the theme of Interconnectedness, the workshop will be a close examination of the overlaps and similarities between different Asian countries, while also understanding the differences between them. We will put the topics of food, music, and holidays under a magnifying glass and encompass “hands on” portions including eating food and karaoke. Join us!

A history of the development of the right to same-sex marriage in the US from the early 90s to the present. The discussion may include other aspects of the rights of LGBTQ persons.

Is prejudice innate?  Are we wired to discriminate? Are we racists by nature? Or is racism learned? Is it our environments that make us haters? In this session, we will explore the biological, psychological, and social roots of prejudice.  After a quick look at some brain basics, we will shift our focus to some of the evolutionary roots of human behavior.  Finally, we will examine the “us vs. them” binary, and brainstorm ways in which we can combat prejudice and racism.

Join the Environmental Justice Track of the Policy Institute and learn about the history of the movement, Environmental Injustices in the area, what YOU can do to help, and even more activities. 

In this interactive workshop, participants will look closely at the work of Edward Loper, Horace Pippin, and Jean-Michel Basquiat to examine and observe each artist's curated vision of his world. Students will look closely at several representative examples, share their perspectives and observations, and identify trends or patterns within or between each artist's work.

In this workshop, we will explore activism, effects, causes, and solutions to climate change.

Our session will consist of interactive activities, engaging dialog, and thought provoking questions.We will run activities that will enable participants to think deeply about the interconnectedness of their own identities and their relationships with the people they surround themselves with.

This session will cover Latine voter suppression in the United States and the different causes of it. We will encourage discussion surrounding potential solutions to the issue. All identities are welcome.

Exploring the life and contributions of an American treasure; the first Black American Rhode's Scholar, father of the Harlem Renaissance, multiculturalist, educator, and philosopher.

Have you ever watched a movie? Heard about gender? Been a person? Then this workshop is for you! We'll watch/discuss clips of classic animated media like Spirited Away, The Incredibles, Moana, and Mulan, and launch into a fascinating deep dive of their gender representations.

All of us are taking a second language, a second type of vocabulary, alphabets, and grammar. So what is the benefit? In our session, we will be interviewing multiple multi-lingual adults, and learning the benefits of knowing multiple languages in our society. We will interact with peers, learn the experiences of GDS teachers, and explore the scientific benefits of learning a second language.

This session is meant to educate about black owned businesses and how they run. We will describe how racial discrimination affects the successes of these businesses. We will focus on a business in DC and show how they faced discrimination and overcame it and run a successful businesses.

Our workshop is about Black girls and all the different types of hair we have. The evolution of Black hairstyles and different protective styles is really important, and we want to bring awareness to the diversity within the subject. For certain types of hair, it can be difficult to find products or a hair routine that matches your hair and we want to show what that process can look like.

This workshop will guide students in exploring how we can build bridges with others and connect at different levels with people who have identities that may differ from our own. We will learn the importance of embracing our own identity and setting boundaries that protect our peace.

Bayard Rustin was the genius behind The March on Washington and helped Dr. King embrace nonviolence as a way of bringing change during the Civil Rights Movement. He also lived his life as an openly gay man at a time when it was dangerous and illegal to do so in the US. In this session we will learn about the life and work of this lesser known hero of the Civil Rights Movement.

Students will learn about artists that have used art to fuel liberation movements around the world. Students will then engage in making buttons using collage techniques to bring awareness of the movements they support and stand for.

This session will be teaching students about the discrimination of Deaf people, and Deaf leaders in history.

When you watch shows like Forrest Gump, Daredevil, and Glee you aren’t thinking of harmful depictions of disabled characters, and you certainly aren’t thinking of ‘eternal innocence,’ or the stereotype of ‘disability superpower.’ Where do these ableist stereotypes come from? How can you recognize harmful disability representation in the media? Come and explore these questions and more with us in this workshop.

Toni Morrison once wrote, “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” But what if that book is out there, and you just haven’t found it yet? Reading books with a broad range of characters by a diverse group of writers can boost your creativity and transform your perspective. Join Erika, Laura, and your fellow hoppers in a journey of exploration through windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors.

The art of drag performance bloomed in popularity over the last decade thanks to the success of TV shows like "Drag Race" and "Dragula;" however, getting "into drag" has been a sociopolitical statement practiced for millennia. In this session, we will look at the transformation of drag over the years, its dismissal of critical voices, and the ongoing pushback across the U.S.

This workshop includes discussion about empowering black music artists. We will discuss various rappers, and talk about how they empower communities. We will also discuss how music interconnects communities.

In this session participants will be introduced to the origin and growth of the environmental justice movement. We will define what environmental justice (EJ) is, examine case studies of injustice in action, learn about the EJ movements leaders and organizations, and discuss actionable ways in which we can address injustice in the environment around us.

Students will be learning about environmental laws, racism, and justice, as well as some other facts about environmental pollution.

How many hours does a resident of DC have to work at minimum wage to earn enough to afford the rent of a one-bedroom apartment? Sign up for this workshop to explore media and data related to the affordable housing crisis, discuss the causes and consequences of eviction, and discover what systems contribute to the problem.

We will discuss the difference between colourism and racism and how intersectionality is perpetuated in society and media. We will also connect it back to mixed-race identities which can sometimes affect colourism and racism.

In this session, students will learn about food insecurity in their very own backyard. The workshop explores food apartheid and food justice through a presentation, discussion, and a game of Jenga. Sign up for this workshop if you want to learn about an important aspect of environmental justice in an interactive way, engage in meaningful dialogue, and have a fun time!

Come learn about the evolving state of protections for gender identity and expression in the American workplace. How are they protected (or not protected) at work under the law? How should they be protected? Join us for a lively discussion and activity.

This fun and informative workshop will focus on the large gender pay gap that exists in many sports. We will talk about how we as fans and players can make a change in the system. In the session, we will watch a couple of relevant clips, have an interesting discussion, and play a fun game at the end.

We will watch and discuss a short behind-the-scenes feature from Pixar about a script supervisor who discovered that she could use her unique role in film development and computer programming to shed light on the gender balance of characters. We will reflect on what skills enabled this person to make change at the company and what challenges might have gotten in her way.

Join the Jewish Student Coalition as we discuss the Jewish holiday, Purim, and discuss different celebrations. We will be making hamantashens while doing this! 

Join us for a transformative workshop on the intersections of ASL and social justice. This workshop will explore the ways in which American Sign Language (ASL) and deaf culture intersect with issues of accessibility, inclusion, bias, and discrimination. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the history and cultural significance of ASL and its role in promoting interconnectedness in communities.

During this session, you will learn about the steps I took to form my non-profit organization to help kids in the Dominican Republic follow their passions. As well as how you can help your community while doing something you love and helping others succeed in doing something they love.

In the session we will be talking about the various ways college football is impacting student athletes through NIL while looking at the pros and cons of NIL in college sports.

This workshop will teach you how to invest in impact-oriented companies. It will be an interactive experience. Students will look at companies, have opportunities to practice investing, and even have a chance to win a special reward at the end!

In this session, students will explore how to find connection with others through their interests, and also discuss how they can use them on their own to get through stressful times. Often we get so overwhelmed by aspects of life such as school that we lose sight of our passions, so this workshop will work towards maintaining those interests not only for fun but also as a protective measure against burnout.

We know race was invented by humans. People's racial identities are often based on a combination of appearance and ethnicity. But did you ever stop to think about how categories of "race" were created? In this workshop, we'll learn how the United States government invented (and then RE-invented!) the racial categories Americans can choose on the census.

The workshop will discuss the reasons European immigrated and the challenges they faced in the process.

This session would talk about the history and importance of pronouns (including neopronouns) and LGBTQIA+ identities while explaining the meanings of a variety of gender and sexual/romantic orientation labels such as lesbian, gay, queer, asexual and more! Candy or other treats may be provided; please let us know if you have any food allergies.

We will examine how antisemitism in the 21st century is like and unlike antisemitism from the past. We'll talk about acts and language of hatred used in modern antisemitism, what it really means, and how we can stand up against it.

Music, in many ways, has always been a place of healing. What does it look like when we use music to help heal the people and things that we love?

Join musician Sara Serpa as she talks bout the organization she co-founded, Mutual Mentorship for Musicians (M³). The mission of the organization is to empower and elevate women and non-binary musicians.

In this workshop, we will gain a greater understanding of neo-colonialism and how it impacts foreign countries. 

Come learn about the various sports and activities that have roots in Native American culture throughout North America. We will dive into the history of important Native athletes, organizers, and communities that have helped propel athletic competitions into mainstream society.

We will describe reproductive rights and how they impact our lives, and we will discuss things that we can do to help our communities and the communities around us.

The Reproductive Justice subcommittee (Repro) of the Student Action Committee will be giving a crash course on reproductive rights in the District of Columbia. We'll be talking about how federal legislation impacts the District, what someone seeking an abortion here goes through, and more on how DC's lack of statehood can and will affect reproductive justice in a post-Roe world.

Learn about the diverse & distinct jobs/careers for you to pursue in the Social Justice Movement, your potential work responsibilities, and where you could fit in, apply your skills, make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, and enjoy your work. We will discuss these topics and answer your related questions in an interactive session. 

There is no American social movement of the 20th or 21st century more closely connected to music than the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Protesters, some in prison, sang freedom songs to keep their spirits up.

This workshop will aim to analyze, understand and appreciate many of the motivations and lyrics of these classic ballads.

In our session, we will discuss the importance of supporting small businesses and include special treats from a local small business called Confetti.

This session will dive deep into the interesting history behind the language of the Deaf (ASL) and the discrimination and biases Deaf people have faced in the modern-day world. In addition, participants will learn some basic signs

Throughout this workshop, Zeze and Shanez will inform you about the experiences of immigration, varying depending on uniqueness, difficulty, setbacks, etc. They will be getting information from teachers and faculty at GDS that have immigrated to America, and a session ending with a surprise zoom call guest!

The session will feature a slide presentation of Confederate flags since pre-Civil War and also Confederate monuments. A discussion will take place about how over the past several years and as recently as a few weeks ago, some states have taken measures to remove them from public places.

Join the Environmental Justice Track of the Policy Institute and learn about the history of the movement, Environmental Injustices in the area, what YOU can do to help, and even more activities. 

In this interactive workshop, participants will look closely at the work of Edward Loper, Horace Pippin, and Jean-Michel Basquiat to examine and observe each artist's curated vision of his world. Students will look closely at several representative examples, share their perspectives and observations, and identify trends or patterns within or between each artist's work.