#ThisIsAmerica: The Disenfranchised Voter (10/12/22)

September 28, 2022

#ThisIsAmerica is a series that brings together UConn faculty, alumni, and students to discuss and unpack systematic racism, social justice, and human rights issues. It spotlights the individuals, organizations and movements fighting for justice and equity, and against oppression and white supremacy.

In 2016, 6.1 million individuals were disenfranchised on account of a conviction, 2.47% of voting-age citizens. As of October 2020, it was estimated that 5.1 million voting-age US citizens were disenfranchised for the 2020 presidential election on account of a felony conviction, 1 in 44 citizens.

Join us for a bipartisan discussion on the history of the Voter’s Rights Act, the structural and engagement barriers that the disenfranchised voter faces while highlighting the tools and resources working to fight against voter suppression.

This online event will be held on Wednesday, October 12th, at 6:30 PM. For more information and to register, please visit the UConn Foundation's This is America page.

PRLACC 50th Anniversary Celebration: Illuminating the Path

The Puerto Rican / Latin American Cultural Center (PRLACC) invites you to its 50th anniversary event!

We have commissioned a musical piece by composer Paola Marquez to be premiered at UConn, featuring our own alumna Angie Durrell ’11 (violin). The musicians will also include two other UConn Alumni: Jonathan Garcia ’12 (trumpet) and Joseph Bush ’15 (piano). The event is comprised of two parts:

A concert to celebrate Latinx culture in music and world premiere of a PRLACC commissioned piece by composer Paola Marquez-Smith, featuring an alumni ensemble reunion: Angélica Durrell ’11, violin; Jonathan García ’12, trumpet; and Joseph Bush ’15, piano. The concert will highlight a musical soundscape throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, inspired by PRLACC student demographics and identities.

A conversation with the composer and musicians following the concert about the process, inspiration and cultural context of musical composition, being Latina artists in the male-dominated music industry, and being amongst the few musicians of color in the western classical music field.

This in-person event will be held at the Jorgensen Center for Performing Arts on Thursday, October 6 at 7:00 PM. Admission is free but tickets are required. See the Jorgensen's page for more.

Helen Zia: 40th Commemoration of Vincent Chin Case

2022 marks the 40th Anniversary of the Vincent Chin case. Chin, an American of Chinese descent, was beat to death by two autoworkers who attacked him over their frustrations about the Japanese automotive industry's success in the US. The two autoworkers misidentified Chin as Japanese and used anti-Asian slurs when attacking him.

Chin's murder is a pivotal moment in the fight for Asian American civil rights in the United States. Unfortunately, the murder was met with little legislative or judicial action; his two attackers pled to manslaughter and paid a $3,000 fine. They did not serve jail time and eventually had their convictions vacated. The killing, and lack of justice for Chin, galvanized Asian Americans across the country. His story -- and the story of this fight for civil rights -- remains important today in the face of increased incidents of anti-Asian violence and harassment connected to the pandemic.

To commemorate this fight for justice, the Asian American Cultural Center (AsACC) and The Asian and Asian American Studies Institute have invited Helen Zia to speak.

This in-person event will be on Tuesday, October 4th, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Hartford Campus's Infinity Hall. No RSVP required

AACC Hosts: Black Wellness Week (9/26 – 9/30)

September 26, 2022

The African American Cultural Center invites you to participate in Black Wellness Week!

We are hosting a series of events this week where we aim to focus and cultivate Black Health, Black Wealth, Black Joy, and Black Love.

Events include:

Meditation Workshop
Movement & Mindfulness Workshop
Black Health Workshop
Happy Hydration (Smoothie Day)
Black Love Matters Forum/Discussion
Show up Show Out (Dress your Best)
Sole Trek (Daily Walking)
Reducing your Toxic Footprint
Open Mic Night

Spread the word, Bring a friend, We hope to see you!

For more information or for accessibility requests, please email the AACC at aacc@uconn.edu.

African American Cultural Center Welcome Back Dinner 2022

September 15, 2022

The H. Fred Simons African American Cultural Center invites you to the annual Welcome Back dinner! This year's theme is "Transcending Hope to Greatness," and will feature moments of celebration, reflection, affirmation, and action.

Come learn about the exciting programming and initiatives planned for the 2022-2023 academic year and meet the AACC's Leadership Transition Support team: Faculty Fellow Dr. Evelyn Simien; Interim Assistant Director for Student Programs, Carl Dean, Jr.; and Interim Director for Operations, Velda Alfred-Abney. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for the fall semester!

This in-person event will be held in the Student Union ballroom (SU 330) on Thursday, September 22, at 6:00 PM. To register, please visit the AACC's registration page. For more information or for accommodations, email aacc@uconn.edu.

Hispanic and Latina/o/x Heritage Month

September 15th through October 15th is Hispanic and Latina/o/x Heritage Month in the United States! ODI, PRLACC, El Instituto, and the Hartford Campus invite you to join us in celebrating Hispanic and Latina/o/x history, culture, and heritage through the following events:

Celebrating Hispanic/Latino/a/x Heritage Month: "Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation.
Thursday, September 15, 12:00 PM
Hartford Public Library

UConn Hartford, UConn School of Law, and UConn School of Social Work will be sponsoring a Hispanic and Latino/a/x Heritage Month event at the Hartford Public Library. Enjoy networking, live music, light refreshments, and hearing from our featured speaker. This year's featured speaker is Jacquelyn Santiago, Chief Executive Officer of COMPASS Youth Collaborative and City of Hartford's Human Relations Commissioner. See her bio here.

Puerto Rican / Latin American Cultural Center Open House
Thursday, September 15, 3:00 PM
PRLACC Student Union RM 438

Learn about the exciting programs PRLACC is having for this academic year, meet our Latinx/a/o undergraduate and graduate students, savor a delicious Latinx appetizers while admiring our historical timeline to keep celebrating our 50th Anniversary.

Amistad: Facts and Fictions of Slavery in Film
Thursday, September 20, 7:00 PM
CT's Old State House or Online. Register here.

Join El Instituto's panel of experts: Dr. Dexter Gabriel (UConn History), expert on the subject of slavery in film and popular culture, Dr. dann j. Broyld (UMass Lowell African American History), authority on the history of slave resistance and abolition in the US, and Dr. Jorge Felipe-González (U Texas San Antonio History), who will speak about the significance of the Amistad case in the history of Cuban slavery, as well as a critical view of the strengths and shortcoming of the award-winning 1997 film as a representation of the story.

LXSLC: The History of PRLACC
Friday, September 21, 5:00 PM
PRLACC Program Room, SU 438

The LxSLC Council will be hosting an event to share the history behind and showcase videos about the Center.

Que Bonita Bandera
Thursday, September 29, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
PRLACC Program Room, SU 438

Come show some pride, paint your flag, and de-stress!

Illuminating the Path.
Thursday, October 6, 7:00 PM
Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts

As part of our 50^th anniversary, we have commissioned a musical piece by composer Paola Marquez to be premiered at UConn, featuring our own alumna Angie Durrell ’11 (violin). The musicians will also include two other UConn Alumni: Jonathan Garcia ’12 (trumpet) and Joseph Bush ’15 (piano). This event will include a concert to highlight a musical soundscape through Latin America and the Caribbean, and a conversation with the composer. See more at PRLACC's website.

Landfall Documentary Screening and Q&A with Director Cecilia Aldarondo & Associate Producer Lale Namerrow Pastor
Thursday, October 13, 2:00 PM
Homer Babbidge Library, UCHI Conference Room. Find more info here.

Through shard-like glimpses of everyday life in post-Hurricane María Puerto Rico, LANDFALL is a cautionary tale for our times.

2022 Luis B. Eyzaguirre Lecture with Professor Guillermina de Ferrari
Tuesday, October 11, 4:00 PM
Konover Auditorium

Guillermina De Ferrari is Halls-Bascom Professor of Caribbean Literatures and Visual Cultures. She is the author of Vulnerable States: Bodies of Memory in Contemporary Caribbean Fiction (Virginia 2007), and Community and Culture in Post-Soviet Cuba (Routledge 2014). She has published many articles on Cuban and Caribbean literature, visual culture, photography, and world literature.

2022 Robert G. Mead Memorial Lecture with Professor Ada Ferrer
Monday, October 24, 4:00 PM
JRB RM 240

Reflect on research in the history of Cubans’ justice and liberation struggles and the country’s relationships with its Antillean neighbors and the United States. More information soon. Visit adaferrer.net.

At UConn, we celebrate Hispanic and Latina/o/x heritage EVERY month. We invite you to attend these events and to join us in events all through the year!

ODI Statement on Budget Concerns

September 14, 2022

To the UConn Community:

In the last few weeks, we have received a few concerned emails about rumored budget cuts for the ODI Cultural Centers. We appreciate your concern and want to provide some information about the funding that has been allocated to support our Cultural Centers for the 2022-2023 academic year.

First, the cultural centers are NOT being “defunded” and their budgets have NOT been reduced. The cultural center budgets are part of the ODI budget, and decisions about funding allocations are dependent on that overall amount and determined by existing programs and new initiatives.

In past years, ODI was able to support the programming and staffing for PRLACC, NACP and MECP by utilizing unspent funds from our operating budget. This gave us additional resources to work with in 2021-2022, which we used to open and staff the ODI Commons, the new home to the Middle Eastern Cultural Programs and Native American Cultural Programs. Considering the funding needed to renovate and furnish the ODI Commons all but 2.5% of our unused funding from the ’21-’22 fiscal year was set aside by the university to cover the projected costs.

This year, to sustain our commitment to support the Native American Cultural Programs (NACP) and Middle Eastern Cultural Programs (MECP), ODI made the decision to redistribute some of the funding earmarked for the Cultural Centers to support this priority. As a result of this decision each of the Cultural Centers will have a slightly smaller operating budget for this academic year than they did last year.

We want to assure you that the University and its leadership remain committed to supporting our cultural centers and programs. Please feel free to contact ODI at diversity@uconn.edu if you have any additional questions or concerns.

Dr. Frank Tuitt

Office for Diversity and Inclusion

VP | Chief Diversity Officer

Professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs

Deaf, DeafBlind, & Hard-of-Hearing Education & Research (10/21)

September 9, 2022

The ASL Studies Program, the Department of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages, and the Department of Linguistics invite you to "Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard-of-Hearing Education and Research at UConn."

This event will feature keynote speakers Dr. Carrie Lou Bloom, co-director of the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes and Dr. Joseph Hill of Rochester Institute of Technology's National Technical Institute for the Deaf. It will also feature a panel with:

Jeff Bravin — Executive Director of the American School for the Deaf; current Neag School doctoral student; Pronouns: he/him/his
Luisa Gasco-Soboleski — Former principal at the American School for the Deaf; President of the Connecticut Association of the Deaf; proud parent of a Deaf UConn alum; Pronouns: She/her/hers
Franklin Jones Jr. — Faculty, Boston University; Pronouns: he/him/his
Anna Lim Franck — Ph.D. Student, Boston University; Pronouns: siya/she
Christopher Hayes — Ph.D. '22, UConn; Pronouns: he/him/his

In addition to our Deaf keynote speakers and panelists, we will showcase our diverse community of ASL scholars here at UConn and the many accomplishments and contributions made to field of Deaf studies, cognitive and linguistic research, interpreting and the teaching and research of ASL.

The community is invited to engage in a series of conversations as we capitalize on current strengths at UConn, promote and expand our recently introduced ASL Studies major, and address critical needs in a distinctive and uniquely collaborative way. This event will address ways in which we can foster greater inclusion and accessibility in higher education for people who are Deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind, as well as discuss the many challenges regarding recruitment and retention of highly talented faculty, graduate students including a diverse pool of Deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind undergraduates.

Entertainment will be provided by Patrick Fischer.

This in-person event will be held on Friday, October 21st, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. It will be held at Konover Auditorium. No RSVP required. See the ASL Department Events page for more info.

Book Chat, Evelyn M. Simien, “Historic Firsts in US Elections

The Department of Political Science, along with Intersectional Indigeneity, Race, Ethnicity, and Politics invite you to PoliSci Book Chat with Evelyn M. Simien about her book Historic Firsts in US Elections: Trailblazing Candidates in Gubernatorial, Congressional, and Mayoral Campaigns.

This book examines barrier-breaking figures across various types of elective offices and constituent groups. The moment in which historic firsts enter the electoral arena, and the unique campaigns that ensure, are shown to be symbolically empowering.

These change agents on the campaign trail become lightning rods for more liberal policies, and their candidacies are tied to questions of representation, electability, and performance. The distinctive combinations of race, ethnicity, and gender identities represented here translate into voter excitement to go to the polls and participate in other ways.

This book expands the theoretical capacity of intersectionality research and links it to voter mobilization and electoral success.

This hybrid event will be held on Wednesday, September 28, from 12:15 PM to 1:30 PM. The in-person talk will be held in Oak 408; audiences can also access the event via WebEx.