Equity Professional Development
Below are conferences and professional development opportunities for equity themed professional development opportunities happening off campus.
Interested in an off-campus PD opportunity and need support with funds?
(Listed in alphabetical order)
- When: March 5-6, 2026
- Where: Long Beach, CA
- Context: A²MEND brings together Black male college students and educators to encourage and find innovative ideas to increase the success of Black male students in California’s community college system. The summit is hosted by the African American Male Education Network & Development (A²MEND), a nonprofit comprising African American male educators, who voluntarily use their professional expertise to operate a statewide mentoring program for Black male college students.
- When: March 19-22, 2026
- Where: University of Utah
- Context: To nurture queer Latina/o, Chicana/o, and Indigenous individuals and communities through practices that recognize the importance of linking art, activism, and scholarship.
- When: April 12-14, 2026
- Where: Anaheim, CA
- Context: Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education is dedicated to enhancing the educational opportunities for Asian and Pacific American students; promoting and supporting the hiring, retention, and advancement of qualified Asian and Pacific American faculty, staff, and administrators; and creating a better understanding of issues in the public affecting Asian and Pacific Americans in higher education
- When: Date Coming, Usually First Week of November, 2026
- Where: Location TBD, CA
- Context: COLEGAS will develop, elevate, and increase leadership from our comunidad Latina throughout higher education using liberatory practices.
Empowering Womxn of Color Conference
- When: March 14, 2026
- Where: Berkeley, CA
- Context: EWOCC creates a space to celebrate the radical, unyielding, and deeply intentional love that womxn of color embody as we build, resist, heal, and transform. We will reflect on the importance of community building, solidarity, and collective power while embracing self-care and love. EWOCC will be featuring workshop presenters, a Q&A panelist session, as well as a catered lunch and light refreshments!
National Student Leadership Diversity Conference
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- When: April 17-19, 2026
- Where: Orlando, FL
- Context: This is a great general diversity conference that highlights activities you can bring back to campus. Although the focus is for students, there is an advisor track available for professionals.
National Conference on Race and Ethnicity / Southwest Center
- Higher Ed Hive Pacific Northwest Summit
- When: May 7-8, 2026
- Where: Portland Community College, Portland, OR
- Context: Although the NCORE national conference in not happening in 2026, this is held with the same intention and group for equity in higher education
Open Educational Resources and IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism)
- Open Education Week Webinar
- When: March 4, 2026
- Where: Virtual
- Context: Open Educational Resources created the IDEA Framework and has a number of equity webinars available.
- Elevate Your Open Educational Resources (OER): IDEA Framework Summer 2026 Assessment
Information Session
- When: February 25
- Where: Virtual
- Context: The OERI is expanding the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism (IDEA) Framework assessment process, our dedicated approach to reviewing new and revised OERI-supported materials to ensure they are inclusive, diverse, equity-minded, and anti-racist. This summer, we're offering two exciting assessment sessions designed to meet you where you are: you can either submit your authored or adopted OER materials for expert review by our specially trained IDEA Framework assessors, or you can participate in a four week guided IDEA Framework assessment alongside fellow OER adopters, learning collaboratively while evaluating your own materials. Join our upcoming information session where we'll cover qualifications, expectations, and answer all your questions.
- Register for the IDEA Framework Summer 2026 Assessment Information Session
Have you been to an equity conference and want to share what you learned or share the conference with others? Email Dr. Michiko Kealoha at kealoham@smccd.edu