“Tea & Talk” for Faculty and Staff – What’s the Tea?: Cultivating Community of Care

April 30, 2026

Dear Faculty and Staff,

You're invited to the May session of Tea & Talk, a monthly professional development space that connects, reflects, and builds community. This initiative is brought to you by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI), in collaboration with Human Resources, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Academic Personnel Services (APS), and Staff Council.

When: Thursday, May 7, 2026, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Where: Social Justice, Equity, and Inclusion Center (SJEIC), Vine Deloria Room, Balabanis House

This month’s conversation, “Cultivating Community of Care,” invites us to reflect on what it means to cultivate care in our everyday practices and relationships. Together, we will explore how dignity, cultural humility, mutuality, reciprocity, and nurturing can shape the way we engage one another across difference and in community. Rather than asking only how we support others, this conversation asks how we build relationships grounded in respect, accountability, and shared humanity 

We facilitate from experience, not from a place of final authority. This session is designed as a professional development space. Participants are welcome to reflect on lived and professional experience while honoring appropriate boundaries and recognizing the importance of additional support and campus resources when needed. This gathering aims to offer structured reflection, guided frameworks, and meaningful dialogue that help us stay grounded in our work and in our shared commitment to student success and inclusive excellence.

These sessions are intentionally scheduled during the workday to affirm our institution’s commitment to employee learning and well-being. Each gathering offers a supportive space to:

  • Deepen inclusive leadership practices.
  • Strengthen collaboration across roles and disciplines.
  • Reflect on the relational dynamics shaping our campus community.

Grounded in respect, confidentiality, and cultural humility, Tea & Talk fosters mutual learning through meaningful dialogue.

Coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and bagels will be provided.

We look forward to sharing “tea,” conversation, and community with you.

With respect,
Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI)
diversity@humboldt.edu | 707-826-4503

Fernando Paz

Campus & Community Development Coordinator and Equity Arcata Co-manager