Words, Meanings and Feelings

Date:  Sunday, October 11, 2009
Speaker:  Hande Togrul, Director Inclusion Center for Community and Justice

 Hande Togrul has been the Adult Program Director at the Inclusion Center for Community and Justice since July 2009. She recently received her Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Utah where she taught multidisciplinary classes such as feminist economics, gender and development, poverty and inequality, and urban economics from 2004-2009. During 1999-2004, Hande worked for the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM, headquarters in NYC) as a research fellow and program officer. She was a professional team handball player in her native country Turkey from her teens until she moved to the USA in 1992. When not working, she plays team sports and enjoys all kinds of outdoor activities. She finds energy, peace, and justice in the outdoors. The outdoors is one of the reasons why she settled in Salt Lake City. Hande is married to Colin Thacker, a scientist and musician who keeps her grounded. They share their house with three cats.

“Current conversations on multiculturalism are often seen as little more than an attempt at Political Correctness or a quick fix to addressing cultural differences. Because of this, a deeper message that pertains to all of us is often missed. The goal is not to learn the buzz words of the day, or for one group to teach another. It is about building Human Relations—process not a result. Engagement that requires self reflection coupled with an authentic desire to understand others and relate to them as human beings in the complex content of social, economic, and political reality. Inclusion can materialize when allowing an individual to preserve their personal identity while being part of a larger whole—the community. We often appear to be vastly different in our opinions or traditions, or on two opposite “sides.” In the end however, we share our common humanity, and find we can work together to build respectful and safe communities, thus remaining on the same side. Inclusion is acknowledging and honoring our individuality, while moving towards unity. Due to the lack of opportunities for people to meaningfully interact with individuals from diverse backgrounds, the Inclusion Center for Community and Justice (ICCJ) begins by bringing ethnically, religiously, and culturally diverse groups together and provide a healthy environment to engage in frank dialogue, learn new perspectives, and develop skills that promote inclusion. With eighty years of experience, ICCJ assesses the needs of each client and create tailored solution. The ICCJ assists individuals with crucial leadership concepts such as cultural competency, understanding oppression, prejudice reduction, conflict resolution and strategic planning.”