Overview

Tim Shriver, Chairman of the Special Olympics and Chairman of UNITE, drew on years of work with disabled children and adults to co-create The Dignity Index, a tool designed to help shift how we interact with people in all facets of life – from public, political, classroom, and workplace conversations to daily interactions – especially with those who are different from us or who hold views we don’t share.

Universal Dignity is one of the core pillars of a framework developed by HGSE’s EASEL Lab and the Special Olympics to define, teach, and foster inclusive mindsets – enhancing the ability to empathize, see things from another’s perspective, and foster a sense of courage to stand up for others.

Join Tim Shriver and an HGSE panel for an inspiring conversation about how we can use the lens of Dignity – the inherent worth we all have from birth – to become more effective educators and leaders; disagree better; and create a world where everyone can thrive.

Welcome: Nonie Lesaux, Interim Dean and Roy Edward Larsen Professor of Education and Human Development, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Host: Stephanie Jones, Lesser Professor in Early Childhood Development and Director, EASEL Lab, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Speaker: Timothy Shriver, Chairman, U.S. Special Olympics and Co-Founder, UNITE

Panelists:

• Shawn Ginwright, Jerome T. Murphy Professor of the Practice, Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Sam Catherine Johnston, Chief Postsecondary & Workforce Development Officer, CAST
• Richard Weissbourd, Senior Lecturer on Education and Faculty Director, Making Caring Common Project, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Event Attendance & Registration

Askwith Education Forums are accessible, free, and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Registration is required. On-site registration will be available.

Seating is first-come, first-seated. Once Askwith Hall reaches capacity, guests will be redirected to overflow seating. We recommend you arrive at least 15 minutes early for seating, to engage with the community, and to enjoy light refreshments before the Forum.

Note: This is an in-person event and will not be livestreamed. Please visit the Harvard Education YouTube channel for recordings of past forums and webinars.

An invitation to speak at the Harvard Graduate School of Education does not imply an endorsement of the speaker’s views or values by HGSE, Harvard University, or members of its community.