The Curve with Christopher is a podcast series hosted by Dr. Christopher S. Taylor, associate vice-president of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-racism, which features discussions about sports and its intersections with race, history, culture, and society.
Dr. Taylor will be re-launching “The Curve,” as a resource for starting productive exchanges on topics related to equity, diversity, inclusion, race and identity, expanding beyond just sports.
Starting September, new episodes of the Curve will be posted monthly on the office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-racism Competency and Capacity Building webpage, as a learning resource.
Racism can take different forms and understanding this affect individuals, institutions, and systems is an important first step to dismantling racism and building a more inclusive community. The Curve aims to encourage conversation, educate and empower its listeners to act intentionally to eradicate systemic racism, bias and discrimination.
Dr. Taylor hopes to leverage the podcast as an informal, yet useful tool for increasing engagement and knowledge sharing and providing mentorship, skills training or professional development, while building community in an innovative format.
“Talking about racism is a necessary step towards addressing discrimination and inequities,” Dr. Taylor said. “For many individuals, particularly those who are just beginning to understand how institutional and systemic racism has affected the lives of others, these difficult conversations can be uncomfortable. The Curve acts as a learning resource for fostering meaningful and productive dialogue.”
The Curve also provides opportunities for members of the University community to access learning resources, without having to stare at a screen, or be confined to one space.
“For meaningful learning to occur, I believe all people must be challenged to think critically, to deconstruct their understandings of the world, and the people around them, he said. “I think The Curve is an excellent channel to assist in creating a learning space which encourages growth, while ensuring safety.”
Dr. Taylor is grateful to past guests of The Curve, who have shared stories, experiences and perspectives. He says that although he brings a wealth of expertise to these conversations, his role in this series will be more of a guide and facilitator.
Find recent episodes of The Curve here.
This article originally appeared in The Catalyst e-newsletter.