Symposium Frequently Asked Questions | Social Justice Programs

When is the Social Justice Symposium?

The Social Justice Symposium will be held on Tuesday, February 24th from 9:00am-5:00pm In-Person in the University Student Union Ballroom.

What happens during the event? Do I have to go to every single discussion?

The event proceeds with 3-4 breakout sessions at the same time, in different rooms. Think of a Zoom breakout session. In an hour, participants can choose a presentation they want to see and will go to their designated room to attend.

What is this years theme?

Our Stories, Our Strengths, centers on the idea that students come to �� with deep cultural knowledge, lived experiences, and community-rooted skills that are powerful assets—not obstacles. Grounded in Tara Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth model, this theme invites students, staff, and faculty to explore and uplift the wisdom held in their identities, families, languages, histories, and communities. Through storytelling, reflection, dialogue, and creative expression, this theme creates space to honor the cultural wealth that drives student resilience, belonging, and leadership. It encourages our campus community to see students not through deficit lenses, but through the strengths and brilliance they already carry.

About Tara Yosso's Community Cultural Wealth model: The Cultural Wealth Model represents a framework to understand how students of color access and experience college from a strengths-based perspective. The model includes six types of capital that educational leaders may use to frame their interactions with students, such as aspirational, linguistic, familial, social, navigational, and resistance.

To view Yosso's Community Cultural Wealth model in detail, please use this link:

How do I register?

Registration link:

Who may attend?

The Social Justice Symposium is open for undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members.

Who can submit a proposal?

We encourage undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members to submit a variety of social justice perspectives and issues, especially in relation to the theme/topic of Our Stories, Our Strengths. These topics may align with one or more capitals of Yosso's Community Cultural Wealth model:

Aspirational:

Aspirational capital is defined by Yosso as the “hopes and dreams” students have. She explains that African American and Latina/o students and their families continue to have high educational aspirations despite persistent education inequities.

Linguistic:
- Linguistic capital refers to the various language and communication skills students bring with them to their college environment. Yosso further defines this form of capital by discussing the role of storytelling, particularly for students of color.

Familial:
- Familial capital refers to the social and personal human resources students have in their precollege environment, drawn from their extended familial and community networks. Yosso explains that students’ pre-college experiences within a communal environment come with knowledge that campuses can help students leverage in to positive experiences in college.

Social:
- Social capital is a form of capital that Yosso defines as students’ “peers and other social contacts” and emphasizes how students utilize these contacts to gain access to college and navigate other social institutions.

Navigational:
- Navigational capital refers to students’ skills and abilities to navigate “social institutions,” including educational spaces. Yosso further explains that students’ navigational capital empowers them to maneuver within unsupportive or hostile environments.

Resistance:
- Resistance capital has its foundations in the experiences of communities of color in securing equal rights and collective freedom. According to Yosso, the sources of this form of capital come from parents, community members and an historical legacy of engaging in social justice. This historical legacy of resistance leaves students of color particularly well-positioned to leverage their higher education training to enter society prepared to solve challenging problems regarding equitable health, educational and other social outcomes.

For more detailed guidelines for submitting a proposal, click the link here: /sjs/symposium/proposal.html

How can I present?

You can present by submitting a proposal through this form:

Deadline to submit a proposal: Monday, February 9th

Deadline to hear back from our team for approval: Friday, February 13th

Will presentors be able to practice beforehand?

Yes! To arrange a practice run, please contact Carlos Gonzalez (cgonzalez@csusm.edu) or Jasmine Devera (jdevera@csusm.edu)

What type of proposals will be accepted?

We are looking for a variety of different submissions. Below are the four we will consider.

Poster/Digital Presentation - A presentation consists of an exhibit of materials reporting research activities or informational resources in visual and summary form. Good platform for facilitating personal discussion of work with interested colleagues and allowing meeting attendees to browse current research at their own pace. Research on submissions of all topics will be considered.
Dialogue-Based/Roundtable Discussion - Informal roundtables offer opportunities for those who share conceptual, methodological, professional, or policy concerns to meet one another and to initiate and expand networks. These discussion sessions also are particularly valuable for those who are developing new ideas on formulating issues in new ways and who would like to explore these ideas or issues with colleagues who have similar interests.
Workshop/Interactive Sessions - Sessions engaging participants through hands-on activities, dialogue, or creative methods that invite active involvement covering issues pertaining to social justice. Facilitators must comply with accessibility requests. Workshop duration must be 40-50* mins long (*with buffer for travel, introductions, and evaluations)
Cultural Demonstration/Artistic Expression - Opportunities for those who share different forms of art to display or perform that explains a cultural tradition, and consists of practice such as paintings, poetry, spoken word, dance, music. accompanied with a presentation if desired.

What are the timeframes each proposal?

Proposals will be offered in 50 minute increments as followed:

Tuesday, February 24th, 2025

Session 1 10:30 AM – 11:20 AM
Session 2 1:00 PM - 1:50 PM
Session 3 10:30 AM – 11:20 AM
Session 4 1:00 PM - 1:50 PM

How much does it cost to attend?

The Social Justice Symposium is free!

What food will be provided?

Continental breakfast and lunch will be served.

Will there be ADA accommodations?

All ADA accomodations will be provided with advance notice and request. To request accomodations, email us.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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