Program Overview
Established in 2011, the Multicultural Education Program (MEP) provides workshops, resources and consulting services to the campus community with the goal of fostering a more welcoming and inclusive environment.
Featured topics include identity, unconscious bias, cross-cultural communication, and creating inclusive classrooms and workplaces. The program uses a collaborative peer-leadership model, in which 20 trained campus staff members serve as workshop facilitators and a volunteer team of expert leaders is available to conduct additional needs assessments, consult with departments, and help with the design of new workshop modules.
More than 4,000 staff, students and faculty have participated in MEP.
Workshop Offerings
This workshop engages participants in exploring workplace diversity by reflecting on what makes individuals unique and how our identities and experiences affect our worldview. Through telling stories, participants learn more about themselves and others in their organization. This interactive workshop also provides opportunities to practice communication skills for understanding across difference.
The outcomes of the workshop are:
- To reflect on who we are
- To learn about others around us
- To explore the impact of identity, power and privilege in the workplace
- To practice skills for interaction across difference
- To share resources
All of the MEP workshops, including the Looking In / Looking Out workshop, use experiential learning techniques. The workshop features small and large group interactions and discussions. Further, the workshop uses activities that provide a common experience for the group, and that provide ideas for use in everyday work in a diverse environment like UC Berkeley. Resources are also discussed, so participants can connect with other offices and opportunities. The workshop is approximately 2 - 2.5 hours in length.
This workshop engages participants in discussions of unconscious bias. It includes exploring the unintentional ways our behaviors might be problematic for others, as well as what to do as a recipient or bystander of biased behavior.
The outcomes of the workshop are:
- To understand and practice identifying unconscious bias
- To recognize the impacts and consequences of unconscious bias in the workplace
- To explore strategies for responding to situations involving bias, insensitivity and microaggression
- To share campus resources
All of the MEP workshops, including the First Take/Second Look workshop, use experiential learning techniques. The workshop features small and large group interactions, discussions and scenarios. Further, the workshop uses activities that provide a common experience for the group, and that provide ideas for use in everyday work in a diverse environment like UC Berkeley. Resources are also discussed, so participants can connect with other offices and opportunities. The workshop is approximately 2-2.5 hours in length.
This workshop engages participants in conversations and activities regarding “what gets in the way” when communicating across difference. The session includes a review of interactive communication theory, and offers activities to examine the impact of culture and identity on our communication styles. Focus is primarily on communicating across differences in the U.S. context. Participants work with each other to discuss and apply this information in varied situations.
The outcomes of the workshop are:
- To increase awareness of personal communication styles
- To increase awareness of the diversity and complexity of communication styles
- To increase understanding of conflict born of miscommunication
- To explore the “Intent vs. Impact” model as it relates to communication dynamics
- To learn and practice skills that contribute to more effective cross-cultural communication
All of the MEP workshops, including this Let's Talk workshop, use experiential learning techniques. The workshop features small and large group interactions and discussions. Further, the workshop uses activities that provide a common experience for the group, and that provide ideas for use in everyday work in a diverse environment like UC Berkeley. Resources are also discussed, so participants can connect with other offices and opportunities. The workshop is approximately three hours in length.
Workshops are offered both campuswide and within specific divisions or departments. Staff members have the option to earn an MEP Certificate by participating in all three primary sessions, excluding our supervisor/manager training.
Departments can also request customized workshops on emerging diversity issues.
Department Consultations
MEP is also available to support campus units in addressing equity and inclusion challenges or climate concerns on a consulting basis – or in weaving issues of equity and inclusion into orientation and onboarding efforts.
