{"id":16569,"date":"2021-10-04T14:19:26","date_gmt":"2021-10-04T14:19:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/comm\/?page_id=16569"},"modified":"2024-07-23T13:56:26","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T13:56:26","slug":"diversity-and-inclusion-statement","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/comm\/about\/diversity-and-inclusion-statement\/","title":{"rendered":"Diversity and Inclusion Statement"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Diversity and Inclusion Statement<\/strong><\/h2>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_social_media_follow follow_button=”on” use_icon_font_size=”on” icon_font_size=”18px” disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#eae4da” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#ffffff” button_bg_color=”#592c88″ text_orientation=”center” width=”100%” max_width=”100%” max_height=”1033px” custom_padding=”14px||10px||false|false” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”facebook” url=”https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/wcucommdepartment” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#3b5998″ global_colors_info=”{}” follow_button=”on” url_new_window=”on”]facebook[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”instagram” url=”https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/wcucommdepartment\/” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#ea2c59″ global_colors_info=”{}” follow_button=”on” url_new_window=”on”]instagram[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”youtube” url=”https:\/\/youtube.com\/channel\/UCkZb0UMNmCKoPSIkPReRcZg” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#a82400″ global_colors_info=”{}” follow_button=”on” url_new_window=”on”]youtube[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”linkedin” url=”https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/western-carolina-university-communication-department” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#007bb6″ global_colors_info=”{}” follow_button=”on” url_new_window=”on”]linkedin[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][\/et_pb_social_media_follow][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

As a community of teachers and scholars dedicated to the practice of communication, we, the faculty and staff of the Department of Communication at Western Carolina University believe in the power and necessity of communication to address our society\u2019s most pressing concerns. <\/span><\/p>\n

Effective and productive communication is built on the fundamentals of diversity and the inclusion of historically marginalized voices and communities. We know that addressing matters of injustice and inequity depends on our willingness to have the difficult and uncomfortable conversations that will help us move forward. <\/span><\/p>\n

As such, we commit to using our knowledge and experience to educate ourselves and others on the role of communication in aiming to create a more equitable and just world for everyone, especially including communities and people marginalized and silenced on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, abilities, economic status, and any other trait used to oppress and exclude. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Specifically, our department engages our campus community in the following ways:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n