Episode #4
E4: DEI Training: “This Is Not For Me” with Dr. Tiffany Chambers
What happens when educational interventions designed to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion unintentionally cause harm? In this episode, the Backstory team is joined by Dr. Tiffany Chambers to discuss her paper, "This Is Not For Me": A Counterstory on BIPOC Experiences of DEI Trainings . Drawing from critical race theory and counterstorytelling, the paper challenges dominant assumptions about DEI programs by centering the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) participants. Together, the team explores how well-intentioned educational initiatives can inadvertently reproduce the very inequities they seek to address, and why elevating marginalized voices is essential to creating more equitable learning environments. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation on the unintended consequences of DEI training and what these findings mean for the future of medical education. Paper Citation: Chambers T, O'Brien B. "This Is Not For Me": A Counterstory on BIPOC Experiences of DEI Trainings. Teach Learn Med. 2025;37(4):468-479. doi:10.1080/10401334.2025.2471393 Visit our website for show notes, transcripts, and to become a subscriber! Keywords: Medical Education, MedEd, Health Professions Education, DEI, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Time stamps: 00:00 - Welcome 01:05 - Poem by Langston Hughes': I, Too 01:35 - Personal reflections on identity, shame, and learning 08:17 - Introducing the paper 10:00 - Study methods and key concepts explained 22:27 - Hot takes on DEI programs and program evaluation 25:45 - Interview with Dr. Tiffany Chambers 26:03 - Dr. Chambers' journey and lessons from designing educational spaces 28:50 - The backstory behind the research 31:36 - Whose responsibility is DEI education? 33:50 - Misconceptions about the paper 35:15 - Challenging traditional academic writing 36:08 - Academia, institutional change, and moving beyond DEI 38:20 - Book recommendations 38:52 - Closing remarks
