November 2022 Heritage Celebrations

November 7, 2022

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion and the Provost’s Office would like to take this opportunity to remind you of several celebrations, commemorations, and moments of raising awareness for members of our community during the month of November:

Heritage Month Celebrations:

Native and Indigenous Heritage Month (November): November is Native American Heritage month (also known as “National American Indian Heritage Month” and “Native American and Alaskan Native Heritage Month”). First recognized by President George H.W. Bush in 1990 and commemorated by every president since, this month honors the cultures, histories, and legacies of America’s first inhabitants and the Tribal nations that continue to thrive here today. It celebrates the traditions, languages, and stories of hundreds of Native nations and works to ensure that their histories and contributions endure. This month also acknowledges the painful history Native and Indigenous Peoples in the United States have faced, one marked by unjust federal policies and state-sanctioned campaigns of violence, displacement, assimilation, and terror. It recognizes that the effects of this history are still felt today, as evidenced by the disproportionate effect the pandemic has had on Native and Indigenous communities and serves as a call to action to address persistent inequities.

UConn recognizes Native and Indigenous resilience and strength every day of the year. We acknowledge through the Land Acknowledgement Statement that our university sits on lands taken through violence, displacement, assimilation, and terror. We encourage reading this statement before any event held in UConn’s physical or digital spaces. UConn also serves as a vibrant hub for research, scholarship, and outreach among scholars, students, and Indigenous community members through the Native American and Indigenous Studies Initiative (NAISI). NAISI aims to become a center for the renewed presences of Indigenous Peoples in Connecticut, New England, and the entire Eastern region of the United States. We also honor the cultures, histories, and legacies of Native and Indigenous peoples through the Native American Cultural Programs (NACP), which provides programming, initiatives, resources, and trainings for the Native and Indigenous Peoples who make a home at UConn. Native and Indigenous students also find community at UConn through the Native American and Indigenous Student Association (NAISA).

We invite the entire UConn community to join us in commemorating Native American Heritage Month through the following events:

- Wednesday, November 9th: “Demystifying Thanksgiving” talk with author Chris Newell (Passamaquoddy) at 6:00 PM in the ODI Commons (SU 103)
- Tuesday, November 15th: “Chicken and Power: Life, Death, and Dismemberment in the Aftermath of American Genocide” talk with David S. Lowry (Lumbee) at 6:30 PM in the ODI Commons (SU 103)
- Thursday, November 17th: “Minoritized Languages of the North Atlantic” at 6:00 PM in the ODI Commons (SU 103)

Two more events will be announced soon on the NACP website and Instagram.

Cultural Holidays: November holds several significant cultural and federal holidays:

Día de los Muertos (“Day of the Dead”) (November 1-2): Día de los Muertos remembers lost loved ones, as well as ancestors, through food, music, and gatherings—it is a joyful celebration of their lives, rather than the mourning of their deaths. Originating in Mexico, it is celebrated worldwide by those with Mexican heritage. Traditions vary, but common traditions include una ofrenda (an altar) with flowers and food for the dead, individual offerings, and candles lit to help guide spirits back to their families. The students of the Mexican Student Association (MexSA) will put together una ofrenda in the PRLACC programming room, which will be on display the whole week. They will also hold several events during the week; follow the MexSA Instagram account for details.

National First-Generation Day (November 8): Since 2017, schools and universities across the country have dedicated this day to celebrating first-generation students, faculty, staff, and alumni. November 8th was selected to honor the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, which increased federal funding and resources to help level the playing field for communities underserved in higher education. Notably, HEA ushered in the federal TRIO programs that increase access, retention, and completion for low-income, first-generation, and underserved minority populations. UConn has two TRIO Programs: Student Support Services, which supports this mission, and McNair Programs, which prepares first-generation, low-income, and historically underrepresented students for M.S. and Ph.D. studies in STEM disciplines.

World Freedom Day (November 9): World Freedom Day is a federal holiday that commemorates the fall of the Berlin Wall. Established in 2001 by President George W. Bush, it celebrates freedom within democracy.

Veterans Day (November 11): Veterans Day pays tribute to all those who served in the United States Armed Forces. It is separate from Memorial Day (the last Monday of May), which commemorates those who died while serving in the US military, and Armed Forces Day (the third Saturday in May), which honors those currently serving in the US military. Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day, which celebrated the cessation of hostilities during World War I that went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. In 1954, this holiday was changed to “Veterans Day” to include veterans from all American wars.

UConn honors members of the US military and their families. The Office of Veterans Affairs and Military Programs (VAMP) will hold a ceremony honoring all those who served at 11:00 AM on November 11th. This event will be held at the Ultimate Sacrifice Memorial (at the University Flagpoles across from Wilbur Cross). If it rains, VAMP will hold the event in the Wilbur Cross Reading Room. All are invited to join.

VAMP also provides student support services specifically for veterans, active service members, and their families who are attending UConn. Their services include certifying VA educational benefits, assisting students in their transition to life at UConn, providing supplemental programs and activities to student veterans, and directing veterans to fully confidential mental and behavioral health assistance. VAMP works closely with the Center for Students for Disabilities, which has a wealth of resources for veterans regardless of ability status, and the Center for Career Development.

Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20): The Transgender Day of Remembrance memorializes those who lost their lives to acts of anti-transgender violence. It raises public awareness about hate crimes directed at transgender and gender-diverse people and ensures that their lives are not forgotten. This is a day for expressing love and respect in the face of hatred or indifference. This day also helps raise awareness about issues the transgender and gender-diverse communities continue to face. UConn supports the transgender communities through the Rainbow Center, which provides spaces of refuge and community-building, as well as resources to help members of the transgender communities navigate life at UConn. Check their website and Instagram account for more.

Thanksgiving (November 24): Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. It is a day for expressing gratitude that, for many, is marked by family traditions, seeing loved ones, and kicking off the holiday season.

Religious Holidays: November holds several significant religious holidays for members of the UConn Community:

All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (November 1st and 2nd): These Christian holidays memorializes those who have died. All Saints’ Day commemorates all those who have reached heaven. Traditions vary by location and denomination, but it is celebrated by both Catholics and Protestants. Dates also vary; Western Christians celebrate on November 1st while Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate on the first Sunday following Pentecost. All Saints’ Day is a holy day of obligation for Catholics. All Souls’ Day is celebrated by the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox churches, and some Anglican churches, though the three churches have doctrinal differences about this day.

Jain New Year (November 24th): Jains mark the New Year on the first day of the Hindu Month of Kartika, following the commencement of their Diwali celebration. This holiday marks the day that their founder, Mahavira, achieved moksha (salvation) in passing from his earthly life. On New Year’s Day, Jains gather in the temple and perform the Snatra Puja ritual to worship the 24 Tirthankaras who founded their religion (Tirthankara is Sanskrit for “Ford-Maker,” a figure who has succeeded in crossing over life’s streams of rebirths and has made a path for others to follow). Mahavira is the last of the Tirthankaras.

Martyrdom of Guru Bahadur (November 24th): This Sikh holiday commemorates the martyrdom of Guru Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, who sacrificed his life to protect people—including people from faiths other than his own—from religious persecution. Guru Bahadur’s martyrdom reflects two important principals of the Sikh faith: standing up for faith—including faiths one does not agree with—and standing up for others.

Advent (November 27th through December 24th): In Christianity, Advent is a period of preparation for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas, as well as for preparing for Christ’s second coming. In Western churches, Advent begins on the Sunday nearest to November 30th. Eastern Churches begin Advent 40 days before Christmas.

To see more information about resources and events happening this month and throughout the semester, please visit our events page at www.diversity.uconn.edu/events.

Sincerely,

Frank, Anne, and Jeff

Frank Tuitt
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer

Anne D’Alleva
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Jeffrey F. Hines, MD
Associate Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, UConn Health

Samara Joy Cabaret (11/18)

November 2, 2022

The H. Fred Simons African American Cultural Center (AACC) & the UConn Women's Center are excited to cohost the Samara Joy Cabaret!

Rising star Samara Joy’s velvety, smooth voice puts her own enchanting interpretation on jazz standards from the Great American Songbook. After winning the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition at the age of 19, she released her debut album Samara Joy. One of the most promising young vocalists, she has already performed in many of the great jazz venues in New York, including Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, The Blue Note and the Apollo. On her latest release, Linger Awhile (Verve Records), the 22-year-old makes her case to join the likes of Sarah, Ella and Billie as the next jazz singing sensation.

This in-person event will be held in the Jorgensen Center on Friday, 11/18, at 8:00 PM. Tickets are available through the Jorgensen Center.

First Generation Week Events and Breakfast (11/7-11/11)

Join First Generation UConn for a week of events celebrating and supporting first-generation college students.

On Friday, the Puerto Rican / Latin American Cultural Center (PRLACC) will host the First Gen Breakfast. Come hear stories of inspiration form first-generation graduate students while grabbing a coffee and eating a delicious breakfast

This in-person event is open to all first-generation undergrads, grad students, staff, and faculty. It will be held on Friday, 11/11, from 9:30 to 11:30 in SU 331. Please RSVP in advance.

VAMP Veterans Day Ceremony (11/11)

October 31, 2022

What’s Happening in Iran? (11/2)

AACC Meet the Faculty: Dr. Blackman Carr of the RENEW Lab (11/11)

October 26, 2022

Come to the AACC on Friday, 11/11, from 2:00 - 3:30 to meet Dr. Blackman Carr from Department of Nutritional Resources!

Dr. Blackman Carr leads the Reaching Equity in Nutrition, Exercise & Weight (R.E.N.E.W.) Lab, which develops weight control interventions to treat high weight and improve health, especially for Black women.

She welcomes undergrad students enrolled at UConn who are interested in gaining research experience in obesity and intervention research. Her expertise is in behavioral weight control and involves developing more effective interventions for Black women.

This in-person event will be held on Friday, 11/11, from 2:00 - 3:30 PM in the AACC Community Room (SU 407). Refreshments will be served!

Women’s Center 50th: Melissa Harris-Perry (11/4)

October 24, 2022

The Women’s Center 50th invites you to come celebrate its 50th Anniversary with Melissa Harris Perry.

Professor Melissa Harris-Perry is the Maya Angelou Presidential Chair at Wake Forest University where she teaches courses on American politics and elections at the intersections of race, place, and gender. She is the founder and President of the Anna Julia Cooper Center, an independent organization with a mission to advance justice and alleviate harm for women and girls of color in American higher education. Along with Dorian Warren, she is co-host of the podcast System Check, with The Nation.

For nearly two decades, Harris-Perry has contributed to American public life through her distinct combination of scholarly analysis and grounded wisdom applied to analysis of race, gender, politics, and power. She hosted the award winning television show “Melissa Harris-Perry” from 2012-2016 on weekend mornings on MSNBC and in 2016, won the Hillman Prize for broadcast journalism.

This hybrid event will be held on Friday, 11/4, at 7:00 PM at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, immediately followed by a reception at the Alumni Center. Guests can watch the keynote virtually via livestream or in-person.These and other anniversary events are free, but RSVP is required.

Malka Penn Award for Human Rights in Children’s Literature (11/5)

The 2022 Malka Penn Award will be presented to author Wade Hudson on November 1, 2022 in the Dodd Center for Human Rights. Hudson will speak about his career, the inspiration behind his memoir Defiant: Growing Up in the Jim Crow South, and the founding of his and wife Cheryl Hudson's publishing outlet Just Us Books. Following the ceremony will be a reception with light refreshments, copies of the winning book available for purchase, and time reserved for book signings by the author.

The Malka Penn Award is given annually to the author of an outstanding children’s book addressing human rights issues or themes such as discrimination, equity, poverty, justice, war, peace, slavery or freedom. Named in honor of author Michele Palmer, who writes under the pseudonym Malka Penn, the award recognizes works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, memoir, or biography which are written for children from preschool to high school. Within these larger themes, the award committee is particularly eager to recognize stories about individuals – real or fictional, children or adults – who have been affected by social injustices, and who, by confronting them, have made a difference in their lives or the lives of others.

This in-person event will be held on in the Dodd Center's Konover Auditorium on Tuesday, November 1, from 5:00 to 6:00 PM with a book signing and reception to follow. Click here to register.

Equity Now: The Midterm Election’s Impact on DEI (11/14)

The University of Connecticut School of Business is proud to present the EQUITY NOW Speaker Series, featuring expert insights on how law and policy can promote diversity, equity, and fairness in organizations and society.

We invite you to join us on Monday, November 14, at 6 p.m. ET, for "Legislative Momentum and Disparities by State: The Midterm Election’s Impact on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion," a talk by Jehan El-Jourbagy (Associate Professor of Business Law & Ethics, Georgia College) and Joanna Schwartz (Professor of Marketing, Georgia College).

With recent United States Supreme Court decisions increasingly deferential to state’s rights, driving across state lines can result in being treated very differently in regard to a number of important personal rights. From access to abortion and marijuana to the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, those living in the United States may be subject to a different reality depending on their zip code. Using maps, recent court cases, and results from the November election, the speakers will address the impact of states taking the lead on defining the rights of individuals, resulting in a scattershot approach to employment laws, discrimination in the workplace, and legal treatment of personal rights.

You can register for this online event here. For more information about the series, please contact Robert Bird, Professor of Business Law and Eversource Energy Chair in Business Ethics, at robert.bird@uconn.edu.

representASIAN in Sports & Games- Boston (11/5)

The UConn Asian American Alumni Association (UConn4A) and the UConn Asian American Cultural Center (AsACC) are so excited to announce that they will be hosting an in-person event in Boston, MA!

Come meet the Boston Hurricanes, a 9-man volleyball team, enjoy refreshments from local Asian restaurants, and play games of Asian origin with the alumni community!

This event is open to families and guests as well!

When: Saturday Nov. 5th at 5pm
Where: Pao Arts Center - 99 Albany Ave. Boston, MA
Cost: $5

See the Alumni webpage for more information and to buy tickets.