Compear selected as finalist for 'Championing Diversity' 2022!

Compear Global Education Network is excited to announce that we have been selected as a finalist in the category of 'Championing Diversity' for The PIEoneer Awards 2022! In addition of our consulting and training programming with educational institutions and businesses all over the globe, we started with a free three-part webinar series in 2021 on the following:

-Combating Global Anti-Blackness: The ‘Risk’ and Reward of Studying Abroad While Black with Arielle Gousse, Femi Higgins, and Savannah Botombia

-Black Male Reflections on Identity: Self Empowerment & Scholarship in Global Education with Andrew J. Gordon, Pernell Whitfield, Jr., M.Ed., Nyanatee Bailey and Berginald Rash.

-Building BIPOC Unity Against Asian Hate with Sumie Song, Ph.D., Melissa Lee and Anna Mei Gubbins.

The Respectful Disruption Webinar Series, hosted by Compear Global Education Network was not your ordinary series, starting with the format, which included an educational potion that was recorded and meant to give context to the topic discussed. The second half of the webinar was a community discussion, which was not recorded with just one rule: no censorship, say it how to feel.  This space broke down barriers or questions around safety when discussing topics that are, in many cases, enabled the start addressing trauma and healing. Professionals and student shared a space to take part and listen, learn and lead.  This was an emotional space, with tears and affirmation.  One student noted during the webinar, who asked to be unnamed as it was during the unrecorded portion said, “this one of the few times where I feel heard and seen concerning my experience abroad”  

There is more work to do, but we believe in celebrating the milestones along the way.  You might think, 100 isn’t a lot of people but consider the quote by  Margaret Mead, “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” 

Sumie Song (she/her) of The GREEN Program noted “COMPEAR has created a space and a sense of community that is rare. It invites a deep encounter with the material: in the case of our panel on BIPOC solidarity against Asian hatred, the legacy of racism and colonialism. It empowered my co-panelists and me to name and look at the gaps, the lacunae, in our own education, the holes in our histories and truths, individual and collective, while revealing how, together, BIPOC peoples can work together to decolonize education, mind, and state.”

Nyanatee Bailey (he/him) of the University of Michigan noted, “Working as a panelist provided me a great opportunity for reflection and refinement. Reflection due to the nature of the topic, which allowed me to examine my perspective as a black man in all phases of my educational experience. And refinement in the sense of meeting with the other panelists and the facilitator, hearing their perspectives and using that to help sharpen mine. I truly enjoyed it and would love to do it again!" 

This series lead to the inaugural Global Respectful Disruption Summit this year with GoAbroad.com! We can't thank everyone enough for supporting Compear, and look out for what's next! Please visit the Pioneer Awards website to see all of the finalists!