Fifteenth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

The Dual-Lens Framework for Equity-Centered Education is a conceptual model designed to support educators in teaching diversity with nuance and intentionality across two distinct contexts: (1) teaching to diverse audiences, and (2) teaching about diversity to predominantly non-POC (white) audiences. Recognizing that these groups enter learning spaces with differing lived experiences, emotional needs, and sociopolitical positioning, the model organizes educational strategies into three tiers: core pedagogical commitments, audience-specific pedagogical approaches, and systemic contextual factors. At its center, the framework promotes shared commitments—such as trust-building, critical reflection, dialogue-centered learning, intersectionality, and educator accountability—as foundational to any diversity-informed pedagogy. It then branches into identity-affirming strategies that center belonging, healing, and voice for marginalized students, and awareness-building strategies that support white students in developing racial consciousness, unlearning privilege, and engaging in systemic critique. These domains are grounded within a broader system shaped by historical inequities, institutional power, media narratives, and political climate. The Dual-Lens Framework emphasizes that equity-oriented education must be adaptive, contextually informed, and relationally grounded, enabling educators to hold space for both empowerment and discomfort while advancing social justice in diverse learning environments.