Bronx, N.Y. - Fordham University Athletics is excited to announce the formation of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Facilitator group that will work closely with all Fordham teams and administrators to serve as change agents in the department, while also serving as accountability partners in the continued equity work at Fordham University.
 
The group is comprised of the following coaches and administrators:
Jordan Bowles, Associate Athletic Director for Strategic Initiatives and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Ian Choi, Head Volleyball Coach
Brian Horowitz, Head Track & Field/Cross Country Coach
Melissa Inouye, Head Softball Coach
Joe DiBari, Sports Information Director
Alyssa Kaufman, Assistant Volleyball Coach

 
The group received training from Dr. Victoria Farris, an inclusive leader and truth-teller with over a decade of experience working in higher education, student affairs, and arts education. Her program is structured around the DISRUPT Model for effective allyship and includes education, resources, self-learning, and facilitated dialogues to support the group in working through scenarios and practicing these skills.
 
Dr. Farris provided the groups with tangible tools to empower them to identify and effectively disrupt racism and become allies and accomplices for racial justice.  
 
With the training complete, the Fordham DEI group is now ready to become the change agents they hope to be. The group will work closely with the Social Justice Task Force and use their training and allyship to assist and collaborate with teams/areas of the department to help bridge the experience gap between staff, administrators, coaches, and student-athletes.
 
What the DEI Facilitator Group is saying:
 
Ian Choi, Head Volleyball Coach
"Our job as coaches is to educate and empower our athletes in a similar direction that our societal framework progresses since we perpetually work with each new generation of young adults, which isn't to say that we should constantly change our values, rather skillfully apply, deconstruct and highlight our carefully reflected values to a different set of human experiences every year. It was extremely enriching to hear and discuss different experiences during our weekly DEI meetings. And I'm happy to see that as a department we're actively taking steps to grow with the world around us."
 
Joe DiBari, Sports Information Director
"I've been at Fordham for 24 years and this is the most worthwhile group I have worked with. I looked forward to the weekly meetings with Dr. Farris and learned so much about myself through the meetings. As I said when I joined the group, I feel you can either be part of the problem or part of the solution and it was time for me to become part of the solution."
 
Alyssa Kaufman, Assistant Volleyball Coach
"The facilitator training with Dr. Farris created an environment where I could learn, grow and develop skills to better empower myself, colleagues, and athletes to engage in difficult conversations and reflect on their self beliefs and actions. I am grateful for the opportunity and encouraged that Fordham Athletics is being active to make changes."