Sep 30, 2021
Eric Love is the Director of Staff Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Notre Dame, where he strives to create an environment in which people treat one another with dignity and respect, regardless of their views.
Coming from a biracial and bicultural family Eric always felt like he belonged both nowhere and everywhere but he found a way to make that work for him, literally. In fact, he says his work as a diversity educator started when he was a kid growing up in a place where people had often never met a black person before.
But just like many of us, there was a point when he felt like his job was an uphill battle and he was burnt out. And then Eric read a quote, “You can’t burn out if you’ve never been on fire.” And he realized he hadn’t actually given it his all, to hear about the different approaches he then took check out his full story.
In This Episode:
- [02:41] This/That with Eric
- [04:59] Growing up biracial and bicultural
- [08:45] Belonging everywhere and nowhere
- [13:05] Becoming a diversity educator
- [15:23] Advice for those struggling with feeling accepted
- [16:43] Those who have influenced and inspired Eric
- [19:42] Hiding depression and fighting to get out of it
- [23:52] The necessity of expressing emotions and feelings
- [28:05] The words that got Eric over his obstacles
- [32:30] The dangers of polarization and the importance of civility
- [35:11] Values that guide Eric
- [37:09] “Start from where you find yourself”
Quotes From This Episode:
- “God gives you everything you need for success. There’s always someone better looking, smarter, richer, stronger, but you have everything you need to accomplish what you want to accomplish.”
- “If you get an infection, if you don’t get help it’ll get worse. It’s the same with mental illness. If you’re not feeling well, go ask for help. It’s not a weakness, it's a strength to take care of yourself.”
- “We’re not all supposed to all agree on everything, but we have to disagree with dignity and respect.”
- “You have to start where you find yourself, if you’re inadequate you have to get stronger but you have to start where you are and build slowly and intentionally from there.”