Diversity & Identity Abroad

Diversity & Identity Abroad

The Education Abroad Office is committed to celebrating and supporting the many identities of our students with access to high-impact education abroad opportunities that enrich and expand their undergraduate education. It is vital to our mission to increase access to students who are traditionally underrepresented in study abroad and support students from diverse backgrounds and identities.  The resources on this page encourage you to reflect on some of the different aspects that make up our identities, learn about host country norms that may impact your experience, and access tools to engage critically with your own identity development.

These resources will help you as you consider and prepare for your study abroad program, regardless of background or identity. Education Abroad recognizes that these resources do not exemplify every identity. If you have questions or would like further information related to an aspect of your identity that is not included below, please reach out to Education Abroad at inclusionabroad@colorado.edu. 
       

Identity Resource Pages

 

Intersectionality 

Identities regularly intersect, overlap, and impact how you are treated by others. Thinking about these intersections can be helpful as students often go abroad with multiple identities, personal stories, and histories.

What Is Intersectionality Abroad? Per IES's Navigating Identity & Diversity Abroad page, "the Oxford Dictionary defines the concept of intersectionality as 'The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.'"

Consider all of the different aspects of your identity and imagine them as streets—simply put, intersectionality is the place where all of your identities meet. What are your identities? Take into account nationality, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, religious affiliation, etc.

To learn more, watch Kimberlé Crenshaw's TED Talk, The Urgency of Intersectionality. 

Privilege & Allyship

Allyship and privilege are connected at home and abroad. Recognizing your privilege empowers you to be an ally by advocating for greater justice, tolerance, and inclusion for peers who may feel marginalized in particular situations.

Educate yourself by reading up on these issues:

• Privilege, Power, and Difference by Allan G. Johnson
• Beyond Guilt Trips by Anu Taranath
• Being Mixed Race but Having White Privilege
• Traveling While Brown: Journeys in Privilege, Guilt, and Connection

If you are interested in additional country or regionally-specific information, explore the Diversity Abroad's Country Guides and CIEE City-Specific Resources for diversity & inclusion climate notes on many of the countries where we have programs.
 

 

 

Education Abroad places a high priority on serving a diverse student body. We welcome applications from members of various groups which have traditionally been under-represented in education abroad, including first-generation college students, LGBTQ+ students, student-athletes, students with disabilities, students of color, and older students who have followed non-traditional paths to higher education.