Testimonials

Opening Doors is a transformational experience. Participants are able to explore personal curiosities and biases AND engage in thought provoking group discussions. I highly recommend the Opening Doors program.

Dawn Burton, Prairie View University A&M (TX), 2023

The Opening Doors workshop enhanced my personal growth and perception by providing a safe space for self-reflection.  It allowed a diverse community of strangers to engage in conversations about our biases, the constructs of our social systems, and our personal responsibility in creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive society.

Vivian Washington, Michigan State University Extension, 2023 

It gave me space not only to think about the goals and strategies of doing anti-racist work but to also feel into the personal challenges – the ‘cost’ of living inside oppressive forms. This reinforced my commitment to developing habits and practices of mindfulness and self-care as an absolutely essential foundation to the work of shifting dynamics of culture and working towards systemic change.

Dara, 2021

People who go through the experience tend to come out as agents for change within their sphere of influence. You see individuals go back to their workplaces and bring with them the lessons learned, strategies learned from Opening Doors and feel empowered to affect change where it might be needed. Whenever I have been at a table talking about the university and the role that diversity plays in; curriculum, student orientation, leadership, etc., what I have observed is that there is more than one voice speaking the same language about the role diversity should play.  I recognize the people as having attended Opening Doors.

Jose Picart, Vice Provost for Diversity
North Carolina State University
 

Bringing Partnership to our organization has made a dramatic difference in the level of communication, collaboration, trust and consideration among staff. It also gave me the language and the skills to effectively and genuinely support staff in resolving conflicts and problem-solving. Knowing that there is someone there that I can call and get support from when issues arise, which they always do, has been invaluable.

Margaret Gutierrez, Director
Mid Hudson Migrant Education Outreach Program

Opening Doors is a powerful resource and impetus for diversity initiatives within Cornell Cooperative Extension at the individual, team and organizational levels. Participants in Opening Doors routinely identify it as a profound growth experience… that certainly was the case for me.

Michael W. Duttweiler, Assistant Director
Program and Professional Development
Cornell University Cooperative Extension

Opening Doors changed the course of my life…I thought that I hadn’t learned the behaviors and prejudices — I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and I thought that I was immune. After Opening Doors, I became really sensitive to innuendo, insidious behaviors, racism — IT WAS LIKE PULLING A BLINDFOLD OFF.

Michelle Sutherland
Mid-Hudson Migrant Education Outreach Program

This workshop greatly expanded my understanding of how differences in race, gender, class, and age are reflected in personal, professional and institutional power relationships.

Jane Mt. Pleasant, Assistant Professor
Crop and Soil Science, Cornell University

I feel that everything, including the simplest phrase contributed something to my life. A great experience to have felt like a family, since based on our emotions, feelings, and experiences we discovered that we all are great human beings. Once more, thank you for making this dream, goal, and achievement possible for me, since I am convinced this is another step on the ladder of my life that I have reached. I leave happy for having received this gift, because I feel privileged.

Parent
(Translated from Spanish)

It is a personal journey. You learn a lot, and you get a lot out of it. The experience is worthwhile and everyone reacts differently. You will not be judged on how you feel or what you feel. It’s okay to be happy, it’s okay to be sad, angry; all of your feelings are okay. Whatever you say stays there. It is confidential and it is okay to be yourself.

Laura Ingalls
Parent Liaison

This was the most powerful and personally rewarding workshop I have ever attended.

Rochester Teacher