AU Connects
Building community through conversation
What is AU Connects?
AU Connects is a campus-wide inclusion initiative that provides trained facilitators who can help guide constructive conversations around issues of race and ethnicity.
Conversations about race and ethnicity are challenging and often uncomfortable. However, they can provide great opportunities for learning, community building, and increasing understanding across different identity groups.
Creating a constructive space for these conversations is a skill that not everyone has, and this often leads to a natural avoidance of these topics. Avoidance can easily result in misunderstandings, microaggressions, and a strengthening of stereotypes which breakdown our community.
AU Connects facilitators are here to help the campus engage in more regular conversations related to race and ethnicity to reduce this avoidance and build a stronger community. Read on for ideas about how AU Connects may be able to help you or your constituencies.
Request AU Connects Facilitators to:
- Promote open conversations about racial/ethnic diversity
- Debrief a race-related incident
- Create a space for people to share their stories and build community
- Develop skills in awareness-raising, self-exploration, and allyship
- Explore race-related topics including microaggressions, structural racism, and implicit bias
Meet the AU Connects Facilitators
Allegra Carson
Graduate Student
International Peace and Conflict Resolution
Allegra Hill
Graduate Student
Intercultural & International Communication
Anna Olsson
Staff
Center for Teaching, Research & Learning
Asha Coutrier
Graduate Student
Global Governance, Politics, and Security
Austin Pomianowski
Graduate Student
International Peace & Conflict Resolution
Bess Hagos
Staff
Office of Enrollment
Brandi Roach
Graduate Student
International Peace and Conflict Resolution
Caroline Figueiredo Hausmann
Staff
First Year Advisor, FYA/UEAS
Chelsey A. Anderson
Staff
Director of Special Events, CAS
Graduate Student
MFA Studio Art Student
Chris French
Graduate Student
Intercultural and International Communication
Danette Burgess
Staff
Financial Aid
Dawn McAvoy
Staff
Coaching Administrator
Erin Nixon
Staff
Director of Budget and Personnel, CAS
Gabriella Mills
Graduate Student
International Peace and Conflict Resolution
Gene Logan
Staff
AU Central
Giselle Kuri
AU Connects Program Assistant
Graduate Student
International Peace and Conflict Resolution
Heather Brumley
Graduate Student
Film and Media Arts
Jennifer Abella
Staff
Web Developer, WAMU 88.5
John Farah
Student
Ethics, Peace, and Human Rights
Karin Edwards
Staff
Office of Campus Life
Graduate Student
International Service
Kayo Beshir
Graduate Student
International Peace & Conflict Resolution
Kevin Mondragon
Staff
Office of Enrollment
Leah Rullman
Graduate Student
Ethics, Peace, and Human Rights
Lee France
Staff
SIS Graduate Admissions
Graduate Student
Intercultural & International Communications
Madaleine Laird
Staff
Editor/Writer for University Communications & Marketing
Matthew Forrester
Staff
Graduate Admissions Coordinator, SIS
Mauricio Alexander Tscherny
Student
International Peace and Conflict Resolution
Michael MacEwen
Staff
Office of Undergraduate Education
Nalani Love-Harris
Staff
Administrative Assistant, FYA
Natalie Yuravlivker
Staff
Audio Engineer, WAMU 88.5
Nathan Slusher
Staff
Career Center
Olasimbo Akinfeleye
Graduate Student
Ethics, Peace and Human Rights
Phillip Le’sean Bouknight
Graduate Student
Film and Media Arts
Philip Oke-Thomas
Graduate Student
Global Governance, Politics, and Security
Pooja Shankar
Graduate Student
Psychology
Rachel Sawyer
Staff
SIS Online Programs
Graduate Student
International Training & Education
Stephen Demarais
Student
International Peace and Conflict Resolution
Stephen Masson
Staff
Development and Alumni Relations Office
Tara Flakker
Staff
SOC Academic Advisor
Contact us:
Email: auconnects@american.edu Phone: 202-885-1599