Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Campus Center
MC’s Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center will build cross-racial relationships that lead to racial healing and an exploration of ways to transform the College and community for greater inclusion and equity. Read the press releasenew window.
According to AAC&U, the TRHT Campus Center promotes inclusive and community-based healing activities and policy designs that seek to change community narratives and broaden the understanding of diverse experiences among people.
The TRHT Campus Center will engage campus and community stakeholders to uproot biases and to inspire the next generation of leaders and thinkers to advance justice and build more equitable communities.
Learn more about the TRHT Campus Centersnew window.
What is a Racial Healing Circle?
- Through racial healing circles, we intend to embrace the true reality of the human family, and the myth of a hierarchy of human value is a barrier to that intention.
- Circle processes are rooted in the spiritual and community-sustaining models of many Indigenous cultures.
- Rx Racial Healing helps participants move beyond that myth and immerse themselves in the commonalities of our shared human journey.
- The Rx Racial Healing approach makes story an action. The focus, attention, and deep listening generate powerful changes in perception that help break down biases.
What Healing Circles Are Not
- They are not anti-racism trainings or workshops on dismantling structural racism.
- Racial healing circles are not “conversations about race.
- They also are not the old twentieth-century race relations work, designed to promote “tolerance” of the other.
Our Message
A Racial Healing Circle brings our community together in equally shared space. We tell stories, give perspective, and stumble upon wisdom found in another’s truth. Racial Healing Circles promote vital self-discovery pertinent to Montgomery College’s mission: to empower our students to change their lives, enrich the life of our community, and be accountable for our results. Our highest gratitude to the Meyer Foundation, the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), and Dr. Gail C. Christopher for providing the necessary resources and framework to build a campus center dedicated to truth, racial healing, and transformation at Montgomery College. We hope you’ll be inspired to join us.
Dr. Irene Moshesh, TRHT Campus Center project director, 2022-2023
Events
Upcoming Racial Healing Circles
- Virtual Racial Healing Circle, April 18, 10:00 a.m. to noon, facilitated by Stacey Gustavson and Glenda Hernandez Tittle.
To enroll in an upcoming TRHT Racial Healing Circle, please complete the following form, and we will be in contact. All students, faculty, staff, and community members are welcome.
Request a TRHT Healing Circle
Racial healing circles provide a space to build and deepen relationships. Participants in racial healing circles listen and share stories that help us connect to our shared humanity. These are not teambuilding events, in the traditional sense, and it is important that the group leader understands that participation in a healing circle is voluntary. If you are in a position of leadership at MC, and you are interested in organizing a Racial Healing Circle for your group, please email Rose Garvin Aquilino.
This is for group leaders who have at least 12-20 individuals who want to request a TRHT circle.
TRHT Campus Center Ambassadors
- Rabbee Awan, Literacy GED Program Coordinator, Workforce Development and Continuing Education
- Eric Benjamin, Dean of Education and Social Sciences
- Demetra Crawford, Early College Coordinator
- Angela Dawson, Student Affairs Initiative Program Coordinator
- Lisa Evans, Human Resources Internal Consultant
- Richard Forrest, Training and Development Coordinator, ELITE
- Rose Garvin Aquilino, Associate Senior Vice President for Advancement and Community Engagement (Executive Sponsor)
- Fiona Glade, Dean, English Language for Academic Purposes (ELAP), Linguistics, and Communication Studies
- Stacey Gustavson, Acting Director of Collegewide Access and Enrollment
- Sue Haddad, Associate Dean, Rockville Student Affairs
- Antonette Jones, Men Empowering Network (M.E.N) Coordinator
- Donna Kinerney, Dean of Instruction, Adult ESOL & Basic Skills for College and Careers, Workforce Development & Continuing Education
- Irene Moshesh, Professor of Mathematics
- Milton Nash, Dean of Mathematics, Statistics and Data Science
- Kenneth Nelson, Director, Business and Community Outreach, Workforce Development and Continuing Education
- Sonia Pruneda-Hernandez, Acting Dean of Education and Social Sciences
- Clevette Ridguard, Governance Director and Manager of Presidential Projects
- Yanira Rodriguez, Community Engagement Manager
- Carolyn Schick, STEM Learning Assistant Program
- Karla Silvestre, Director of Community Engagement
- Hamrawit Tesfa, Community Engagement Specialist
- Glenda Hernández Tittle, Professor, School of Education
- Francene Walker, Development and Gift Planning
- Jacquelyn Williams, Job Opportunity and Development Specialist
This list is updated regularly.