A 2022 study found that more than half of Jewish respondents experienced discrimination at work. In the US, we are now facing record high levels of anti-Jewish bias and violence, but antisemitism is still widely misunderstood and frequently overlooked in conversations about inclusion and justice.

Often described as the canary in the coal mine, antisemitism is a danger for everyone because it tends to fuel other forms of hate including anti-Black racism, xenophobia, misogyny, and transphobia. Anti-Jewish bigotry is a viral form of racialized hate. As Black antiracist activist Eric Ward puts it, “Contemporary antisemitism, then, does not just enable racism, it also is racism, for in the White nationalist imaginary Jews are a race—the race—that presents an existential threat to Whiteness.”

The diversity trainer Maura Cullen points out that as soon as we become self-absorbed, we diminish the odds of making authentic connections with others. How is this relevant to inclusive and equity-focused teaching? When we believe we’ve made a significant misstep as teachers, often our first response is to focus on ourselves. In this essay, I’ll explain why inclusive teaching is life-saving and show how it offers us tools to affirm the humanity—and the very survival—of the students who are in our care. As educators, one of the best ways to undertake this work is to shift our thinking from the “me” to the “we.”

Colleges and universities around the country are making substantive changes to foster more inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments for all students; advancing the implementation of inclusive teaching is crucial to these educational equity efforts.

The challenge for higher education leaders is how to build momentum for inclusive curriculum design, empowering more faculty to become drivers of inclusion as part of a shared aspiration to engender just experiences and outcomes for diverse student bodies. Elisa Glick Consulting recommends using our Signature Five Keys to Inclusive and Equitable Teaching to build faculty capacity for inclusive and equity-focused pedagogies.