Mending fractures, strengthening our communities, repairing our world

Testimonials

I participated in a group facilitation with Jen, discussing the topic of racial inequality. As a facilitator, Jen offers original concepts, critical thinking, and challenges that stir critical reconsideration of held values. The impact of this facilitation on me as a young professional was invaluable & greatly influenced my work, both personally and professionally. (Meghan, Youth Development Director, Belfast)

“I am a member of the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s institutional climate working group and attended the retreat on Friday at Butler Snow. I had to email and say thank you for your presentation. My attention span is usually about 30 seconds, but your passionate, expert style kept me engrossed in what you were saying for nearly two hours! This is such important work for us here and your input was invaluable. I really enjoyed it very much.”

Thank you so much for coming to speak to our summer teachers school last week at MDAH. It was great to finally officially meet you. I have always enjoyed and appreciated your talks. My job at MDAH is developing educational materials for the museums and for teachers to use in their secondary education classrooms, so your words are always influential on my work in such a great way. (Mississippi Educator)

“Dear Dr. Stollman, I am most grateful to you for your participation and presentation at Delta State University’s recent third annual race relations conference, “Winning the Race.”  We have received terrific reviews about your role in the conference and I appreciate your contribution to an important discussion in the Mississippi Delta that is vital to our future as a region.” (Delta State University Administrator)

I was out of town earlier this week, but came home today to the good news that the University of Alabama will have a Chief Diversity Officer, and a strategic planning committee instructed to develop a new diversity plan!  What more could one ask?? 

I can’t thank you enough for what you did to make all this happen.  Your work with our group started “the work before the work”, and I think created a climate of support for what has now become reality.  Scott and others have been feeding information and keeping the fires burning as much as we could…but the best was the shot across the bow by Coach Saban when asked to comment on the Missouri event:  “We listen to our players when they talk to us.”  

When I have the time I’ll write a better note of thanks…but just want you to know that your missionary work has paid dividends.  Wish we could name the new diversity office “The Jennifer Stollman House of Reconciliation.”… (Faculty Emeritus at University of Alabama)

I hope this message finds you doing well. I am writing to thank you for your keynote at the Lifetime of Learning conference in Marion, Alabama last week. I felt completely disarmed and empowered all at once, which felt healthy and productive.

I particularly appreciated what felt like a call to action for us white folks in the room — you called us out for “looking away” from those [white] people in our community who are “uninitiated” to the conversations on justice. You asked us to lean into our discomfort, to “roll up our sleeves” and work alongside these fellow community members. You also hinted at the root of our discomfort = that we might have to face our complicit selves, that we might have to get closer to the violence enacted through and by us. Which is scary but so necessary! (Lifetime Learning Conference participant)

The week had such an impact on my staff and also on the teachers, as shown through their final presentations.  Staff and teachers continued to grow together each day, bonding with one another, making emotional connections, and sharing in rewarding stories of their week together in collaboration towards producing great lesson plans to benefit Mississippi’s school children. This was due, in no small part, to your participation in the school. How wonderful that we were able to capture most of the week via video. (Kellogg’s Summer Teaching School participant)

Today was our third day in Memphis, TN. We were extremely fortunate to speak with Jennifer Stollman, Academic Director for the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation. With the backdrop of the gorgeous, serene Mississippi River behind her, Jennifer talked to us about the Winter Institute’s efforts to educate the public and fight for racial reconciliation across America.

One thing that Jennifer said that stood out to us was the difference between racism and racial anxiety. More specifically, our inherent biases towards people different from ourselves. As she continued educating us on ways to remove racism, it became apparent that improving ourselves and those around us would be a difficult yet rewarding task. To remove bias from our psyche, we have to gradually immerse ourselves amongst people of all races and creeds. Yesterday, while we built a playground at Libertas School of Memphis, a public charter school, we found ourselves working alongside volunteers from a nearby church and from the school itself. Although many of them were different from us in religious identity and race, all apprehensions were put aside and we managed to finish a large part of the playground in record time. It is only through experience that we can remove the biases we have long held, and achieve a truly equal world.

As Jennifer spoke, she posed a very strange question. She asked us, “What is truth?” As we shuffled around uncomfortably in our chairs, she answered her question. Truth, according to Jennifer, can be divided into Truth and truth. Although some things may be labeled as Truths, such as long held stereotypes, we have to look for truths in those around us and in our experiences. 

If there was anything we took away from Jennifer’s speech, it’s that we have to actively improve ourselves and destroy the racial barrier that has been built by our history and society. As we continue on through this month, it is obvious now that this trip is an opportunity to meet new people and practice what Jennifer has told us to do. (AJSS participants)

“Tonight’s session on Implicit Bias and Microaggressions was THE BEST! Dr. Stollman explained that implicit bias is responsible for much of the racism we see today. She also shared strategies on how to address racial offenses….much was accomplished. I think we struck gold with this one.” (Training in Clarksdale, MS)

“On behalf of the faculty at UM, I want to thank you for a pair of thought provoking, motivating, and inspiring sessions at our Convocation on August 19th. We will all be more mindful of how our language and behaviors affect our students and our colleagues. Many of us are actively engaged in applying the strategies you suggested.” (University of Montevallo session participant)

“Dr. Stollman, I wanted to thank you for your powerful and integral discussion about micro-aggressions and implicit bias. You brought your experience and knowledge on such an important topic. We look forward to future collaborations.” (University of Mississippi Student Affairs employee)

“If I had to chooses just one word to describe Jennifer’s training session today at St. Andrew’s  and that is  awesome. There were more than 150 faculty and staff there.” (St. Andrew’s, Mississippi)