Taj Smith
Director Diversity Education
Taj Smith
Director Diversity Education
Bio
Dr. Taj Smith's role at RIT is to help train faculty and staff on their journey to cultural competency and humility. He also partners with staff and students across the university to facilitate high-impact workshops or high-level experiential learning opportunities for students.
He considers himself an educator, curriculum developer and facilitator specializing in intercultural engagement, intergroup dialogue and program assessment. Taj earned his doctorate in Social Justice Education from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, an M.A. in Africana Studies from Cornell University, and a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Media Studies from Rutgers University.
For fun, Taj enjoys trying out new restaurants, online shopping, fashion, sports and watching the Walking Dead.
Currently Teaching
In the News
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May 25, 2022
Proposals sought for inaugural Together RIT: A Day of Understanding, Solidarity, and Racial Reconciliation
RIT will host a new event for campus community members to engage in intentional and honest dialogue about race, ethnicity, and racism. The inaugural Together RIT: A Day of Understanding, Solidarity, and Racial Reconciliation will take place from noon to 4 p.m. on Oct. 21. All RIT students, faculty, staff, and alumni are invited to submit proposals for presentations by June 30.
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September 9, 2020
Connections: Addressing hate violence with civil rights expert Eric Ward
WXXI’s “Connections” program features Taj Smith, director of diversity education.
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August 10, 2020
#AntiracismatRIT urges RIT community members to pledge to take action
RIT is launching a social media campaign to urge members of the RIT community to take a stand against racism, demonstrate ways to be antiracist, or explain what steps they will take to become antiracist.