The Ginsburg Center for Inclusion and Community Engagement Office of Diversity Education and Training leads a professional development opportunity for faculty and staff entitled Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED).
SEED is an international project founded by Dr. Peggy McIntosh, formerly of Wellesley College Centers for Women, over 30 years ago. It promotes change through self-reflection and interpersonal dialogue and builds capacity for more equitable curriculum, campuses, workplaces, and communities. SEED’s unique methodology involves:
- facilitating ongoing, structured, group conversations in which all voices can be heard
- examining how our own stories relate to social systems
- learning from the lessons of our own lives as well as from texts
- turning oppression and privilege into agency and action

What makes SEED different?
- SEED starts with the assumption that we are each the authorities on our own experience, and can learn to facilitate effective conversation among our peers and colleagues about issues of equity and diversity.
- SEED asks participants to look inward at how we were schooled to deal with diversity and connection, as a necessary prelude to creating curricula and environments that more adequately equip young people, colleagues, community members, and others to do so.
- SEED acknowledges that diversity work is an ongoing process, professionally and personally, not a one-time training.
- SEED leaders do not lecture. Instead, they lead their own colleagues in experiential, interactive exercises and conversations often stimulated by videos and readings.
- SEED uses methods of intentionally structured group conversation, tested over more than a quarter century, to create effective learning environments and facilitate thinking in a way that includes input from all voices.
- SEED work is not about blame, shame, or guilt about one’s location in societal systems. It is about deepening awareness of the existence of societal systems.
- SEED engages allies from dominant groups in listening, learning, and taking thoughtful strategic action in order to help break down patterns of oppression.
- SEED doesn’t need a crisis (such as bullying, sexual harassment, or racially motivated violence) to address the very real power dynamics of race, class, gender, etc. that play out systemically in schools, communities, and workplaces to the detriment of fully realized democratic education/experience for all.
- SEED seminars put in place an ongoing constructive conversation about sometimes polarizing issues, making communities more competent to deal with crises when they do occur.
- SEED can work in conjunction with other kinds of diversity programs by preparing participants to be more aware of their own experiences with privilege and oppression and to listen more effectively to the experiences of others.
SEED 2022-2023
SEED is based on a cohort model, meeting once a month (virtually) for a 3-hour seminar. Because of the safe, explorative space that is created, it is imperative that participants commit to the entire program.
SEED 2022-2023 Applications are now open.
https://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aVkPA2sRpgyj5Iy
The program will be conducted in-person and applications are open through the end of September 2022.
Ginsburg Center for Inclusion and Community Engagement Office of Diversity Education and Training (formerly known as The Office of Diversity and Inclusion) leads a professional development opportunity for faculty and staff entitled Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED). SEED is an international project founded by Dr. Peggy McIntosh, formerly of Wellesley College Centers for Women, over 30 years ago. It promotes change through self-reflection and interpersonal dialogue and builds capacity for more equitable curriculum, campuses, workplaces, and communities. SEED’s unique methodology involves:
- facilitating ongoing, structured, group conversations in which all voices can be heard examining how our own stories relate to social systems learning from the lessons of our own lives as well as from texts
- SEED is based on a cohort model, meeting once a month for a 3-hour seminar. Because of the safe, explorative space that is created, it is imperative that participants commit to the entire program consisting of the following sessions:
- Wednesday, October 19, 2022
- Wednesday, November 16, 2022 **
- Wednesday, January 18, 2023
- Wednesday, February 15, 2023
- Wednesday, March 22, 2023
- Wednesday, April 19, 2023 **
The times for all the meetings will be 1:30pm to 4:30pm but on some of the days** we will eat lunch together and on those days we will start at noon. Please note that ATTENDANCE is REQUIRED for EVERY SEED Meeting/Session.
If you have any questions, please contact Kavita Sawh at kavita.sawh@ucf.edu for more information.