Women in Making Forum — Applications Open until 2/21

February 1, 2022

Women in Making Forum

Applications are open for the annual Women in Making Forum! 

UConn’s Women in Making Forum seeks to highlight how women find success within the maker movement. We will identify barriers to entry and discuss best practices to navigate these obstacles through interactive discussion. There will be speakers on inclusivity, gender bias, and the history of women in making. Additionally, we will host skill-building workshops which celebrate crafting, mending, and repurposing as universal, feminist, self-reliant practices.

We are inviting applications to host 1-hour skills workshops on 3/26. Applications close on Monday, February 21 at 11:59 PM. Apply today!

 

Celebrating Black History Month and Lunar New Year

January 31, 2022

To the UConn Community:

February is a special month for the UConn community, as it provides several opportunities to celebrate the history, legacy, culture, contributions, and successes of the Black and African American and Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities. We invite you to celebrate two cultural heritage events with us:

Black History Month: Every February, we participate in the annual tradition of Black History Month. Inaugurated in 1926 by “The Father of Black History,” Dr. Carter G. Woodson, and made into a month-long celebration 50 years later, we use this month to raise awareness about Black and African American contributions to history. We recognize and celebrate the tremendous value these cultures have brought to the world, to our country, and to UConn. Though we believe that these contributions should be celebrated every day of the year, Black History Month provides an opportunity to reflect on our commitments to anti-racism and to renew our efforts.

Lunar New Year: February 1 marks the start of Lunar New Year 2022, the Year of the Tiger. Lunar New Year has been observed for thousands of years and symbolizes the welcoming of a new beginning and a time of reunion with family and friends.  For the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander community at UConn, it marks an occasion to celebrate cultural backgrounds, experiences, and identities. On Lunar New Year, we recognize and honor the rich culture, history, and experiences of the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander community, which make up such a significant portion of the UConn community.

We recognize that the last two years have been especially difficult for these two communities as they have borne the brunt of increases in racially based harassment and violence. We believe that these communities make UConn stronger. We are thrilled to celebrate them and encourage all in our community to participate in this month of festivities.

The African American Cultural Center (AACC) will be hosting a Black History Month Opening Ceremony featuring renowned Civil Rights attorney Benjamin Crump and Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd. The program is this Thursday, February 3, at 6 p.m. Register HERE.  The UConn Foundation will also be hosting a guest speaker, Crystal Emery, to discuss racism as an inhibitor to freedom.

The Chinese Undergraduate Student Association (CUSA), Vietnamese Student Association (VSA), and Asian American Cultural Center (AsACC) will host a week-long event for Lunar New Year 2022 (February 13-18). This event will include celebratory social media posts about the origins, associated cultures, folktales and legends of Lunar New Year, and how students at UConn celebrate the event with their friends and family. AsACC will be distributing red envelopes to students throughout the week, and CUSA and VSA will host two watch parties (February 16 and 17) featuring a special video of all the performances and festivities for this year. Be sure to check their Instagram accounts @uconnvsa, @uconn_cusa, and @uconn_asacc for updates.

All are welcome to attend these events. Come help us celebrate these communities!

 

Carl Lejuez
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Frank Tuitt
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer

No Papers, No Fear: Educator Accomplice Training

CT Students for a Dream

No Papers, No Fear

The No Papers, No Fear: Educator Accomplice Training is a two-hour virtual interactive program facilitated by currently and formerly undocumented students that focuses on increasing educators and administrators’ knowledge and skills for supporting undocumented students and families. In partnership with Connecticut Students for a Dream, this professional development opportunity is open to UConn faculty, staff, and graduate students. 

Please note: These are stand-alone trainings and participants are encouraged to register for only one workshop. Workshops are capped at 40 participants and registration is first-come, first-serve.

Co-sponsored by the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, and the Division of Enrollment Planning & Management

Training Schedule:

For Advisors: Tuesday, 2/15, 3:00 PM
For Faculty and Teaching Assistants: 2/24, 9:00 - 11:00 AM and 4/5, 3:00 - 5:00 PM
For Pre-K - 12 Professionals: 3/8, 5:00 - 7:00 PM and 3/3, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
For Student Life Professionals: 4/21, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM and 5/17, 9:00 - 11:00 AM
For Health and Wellness Professionals, 3/23, 9:00 - 11:00 AM.

Please visit ODI's web resources for Undocumented Students for more information and to register.

For more information, email undocumented@uconn.edu.

 

 

Accepting Proposals: UConn Women’s Advance Conference 2022

January 28, 2022

UConn Women's Advance Conference 2022

The UConn Women’s Advance Conference is a professional development opportunity for women staff, faculty and graduate students at all levels of the University that is designed to expand skills, increase knowledge, and enhance networks to promote a more inclusive and supportive working and learning environment.

UConn staff, faculty, graduate students and community professionals are invited to submit proposals that cover a wide range of topics including, but not limited to communication skills, cultural competency, negotiation skills, organizational time-savers, professional networking, leadership development, workplace climate, navigating the tenure process, global engagement and work/life flexibility.

We are accepting applications from faculty, students, and staff through February 25th. To see more, please visit the Women's Center webpage.

Real Talk: The Deadliest Disease in America with Crystal Emery

January 25, 2022

Real Talk: Racism as the Deadliest Disease in America

Tuesday, February 15, 2022, 6:00 PM via Zoom (Register HERE)

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion is pleased to announce special speaker Crystal Emery as part of the UConn Foundation and UConn African American Alumni Council's "Real Talk" mini-series on life-changing topics. Please join us for "Real Talk: The Deadliest Disease in America with Crystal Emery."

We all wear identification tags. Some of mine are daughter, wife, sister, filmmaker, Black, woman, chef, differently abled, etcetera.

At the start of the day and at the end of the day, my greatest desire is just to be a human being. I just want to be free – free to use my brilliance and my talents. There is something impeding our right to freedom. There is something that is killing us, that is killing the very foundation of America, and the spirit of humanity in our world. The deadliest disease in America isn’t COVID-19. It is Racism.

The Deadliest Disease in America permeates every aspect of our lives to the point where the most sacred spaces within the Black, Brown and Indigenous communities are violated. What is needed now more than ever is for each of us to make an unequivocable commitment to healing; to our own path of healing that will really move us towards equity. Because if we continue to polarize, to combat one another, we will never get there. The work to heal is serious. You must cut deep into the infection to get to the root of the disease called racism. It starts with individuals because individuals create policies and policies create institutions. I don’t want to call you out. I want to call you in, and in calling you in, you have to understand the truth and reality of the oppression people of color face, and how it affects you and how you perpetuate it – even unconsciously.

This event is free and will be held via Zoom. Please visit the UConn Foundation's Website to register.

When Trolls Threaten Faculty of Color

January 20, 2022

Strategies for Protecting Faculty of Color Panel

Wednesday, January 26th 2022

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion is pleased to host a panel event, "When Trolls Threaten Faculty of Color: Strategies for Universities to Proactively Protect their Faculty."

The panel will be moderated by UConn Africana Studies and History professor Dr. Melina Pappademos.

  • Mohamad Alkadry - Chair of the Department of Public Policy at UConn
  • Dorothy Kim - Professor of English at Brandeis University
  • Johnny Eric Williams - Chair of the Department Sociology at Trinity College
  • Lewis Gordon - Chair of the Department of Philosophy at UConn

 

It is free and open to the public and will be livestreamed at

https://uconnvtc.webex.com/uconnvtc/j.php?MTID=m3beef6a288ba30cab9a818801e9f4a32

Meeting number: 2620 921 1937

Password: pwBmhiUX274

 

2022 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Living Legacy Convocation

Thursday, January 20th

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion and Alumni Relations are happy to announce that the 2022 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Living Legacy Convocation will take the TED Talk format. Our speakers represent faculty, staff, students, and alumni from across all UConn locations.

Speakers:

  • Michael Bradford – Vice Provost for Faculty, Staff, and Student Development
  • Amayia Cordova – Undergraduate Student in Mathematics & Healthcare Analysis
  • Wiley Dawson – Assistant Director, Center for Career Development, Hartford
  • Dr. Sandy Grande – Professor of Political Science and Native American & Indigenous Studies
  • Dr. Oscar Guerra – Assistant Professor of Film & Video, Stamford
  • Rhys Hall '18 (CLAS)– Graduate Student in Sociology
  • Khamani Harrison '17 (ENGR) – owner of The Key Bookstore, Hartford
  • Dr. Khalilah Hunter-Anderson '08 (MED) - Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
  • Tony Omega '10 (CLAS) – Academic Advisor, Waterbury

The Recording:

https://kaltura.uconn.edu/media/2022+MLK+Living+Legacy+Convocation/1_2uwbzupi

 

National Day of Racial Healing: Feminista Jones Talk

January 17, 2022

Feminista Jones Flyer: Racial Healing, the Need for Radial Actions in Institutions

Racial Healing: The Need for Radical Action in Institutions

Tuesday, January 18th 

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion is hosting a virtual event in honor of the National Day of Racial Healing:

Guest Speaker: Feminista Jones

Feminista Jones is a Philadelphia-based feminist writer, public speaker, community activist and social worker. She is an award-winning writer and the author of the critically acclaimed Reclaiming Our Space: How Black Feminists Are Changing the World From the Tweets to the Streets (Beacon). Her work centers around queer identity, critical race theory, intersectionality, mental health and social work. She also teaches a course on the African American Queers Experience at Temple University. Jones’ passion and talent for writing have led to her being published in the New York Times, Washington Post, Time, Essence, Out, Complex, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Salon, and EBONY magazine to name a few publications. She currently operates her own subscription-based platform, and contributes to various publications as a freelancer and commissioned writer. She’s also been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Because of her work, Jones has been extensively featured in publications around the world, including The Boston Globe, Detroit Free Press, Huffpost, Jet magazine, Ms., The New York Times, NBC News, Newsweek, NPR, The Washington Post, USA Today and The Intercept. Jones is also a mom, an organizational leadership, management, culture and diversity consultant, a mentor to young girls and women, a Ph.D. student at Temple University and an outspoken advocate for the homeless, people living in poverty and those living with psychiatric disabilities.

Recording link [needs netid to access]

https://kaltura.uconn.edu/media/Racial+HealingA+An+Institutional+Call+to+Action/1_xziwzmkh

In Honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2022

The University of Connecticut will observe the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday, January 17. Observing this holiday provides an opportunity for all of us at UConn to reflect on Dr. King’s life and legacy. In particular, we invite you to reflect on the importance of standing up for racial, social, and economic justice for all. From Dr. King, we learned that we can only reach our potential for justice when we address the needs of those who have been excluded from it historically, especially racially oppressed peoples. We recognize that we cannot truly have justice as long as there are groups for whom justice is denied.

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion has been proud to work alongside faculty, staff, students, and alumni to promote racial, social, and economic justice at UConn. Together, we advocated for education about Anti-Black and Anti-Asian racism. Together, we worked to declare racism a public health crisis. Together, we worked to extend support to historically excluded and racially oppressed groups including Latinx, LGBTQIA+, Middle Eastern, Native and Indigenous, and Undocumented students. Together, we worked to strengthen supports for the victims of sexual violence and harassment. Together, we strengthened our commitment to justice.

We cannot fully realize our commitment to justice, however, until we have eliminated injustices faced by every member of our community, including the Asian, Asian American, Black, Jewish, LGBTQIA+, and Muslim members targeted by acts of harassment and violence. As Dr. King reminds us from a Birmingham jail cell, there is an inherent interrelatedness to all communities; as he could not sit idly by in Atlanta unconcerned about injustices in Birmingham, we cannot sit idly by in the comfort of what we have achieved together and remain unconcerned about injustices faced by these members of our community. In Dr. King’s words:

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught up in an escapable network of mutuality…Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.

As you reflect on Dr. King’s legacy, we ask you to remember that justice for one group, while important, should not remain disconnected from justice for all historically oppressed groups. ODI is committed to supporting your efforts to promote justice for all; we have several resources to help in this endeavor. We are proud to host the 2022 Martin Luther King Living Legacy Convocation, which includes TEDx-style talks from faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Information for that event, as well as our other MLK-related events can be found on our new university-wide website for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice. We also invite you to events sponsored by our Cultural Centers and Programs, including celebrations of the 50th anniversaries of the Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center and the Women’s Center. Please visit our new DEIJ website for more information about upcoming events and opportunities for engagement, as well as for more resources for promoting justice.

We are thankful to each of you who has chosen to get involved in making UConn more justice-oriented university. As we reflect on Dr. King’s legacy, we remember that no one group or unit can achieve justice alone; it takes effort from all of us.

The Office for Diversity & Inclusion

A message from the AACC on MLK Day 2022

Dear UConn Students, Faculty, Staff, Alums and Friends:

On Monday, January 17, 2022, we will join with our brothers and sisters across the globe to honor and commemorate the life and legacy of the beloved Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Dr. King’s work continues to inspire us to become our better selves and to “refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality”. Dr. King believed, as I believe, that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.  We must never give up the struggle for peace, justice and equality in all things.

On August 28, 1963, 250,000 people participated in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom which came to be known as The Great March on Washington.  The march was one of the largest political rallies for human rights in the United States. Dr. King was the final speaker at the march.  Standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial, he delivered his historic “I Have a Dream speech”. In this speech, Dr. King encouraged us with these words:

…Let is not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you my friends.  So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.  It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.  I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed:

WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT, THAT ALL ARE CREATED EQUAL.   

My friends, we are in a struggle for equal opportunity, righteousness, peace, justice and love.  Would you join me in pledging that we can have a collective dream that better days are coming and that 2022 will be a year of bountiful blessings and favor beyond measure?  Let us commit to the restoration of kindness, respect, gratitude, empathy and consideration for others in every aspect of our lives.

Be safe and stay healthy and know that you are loved.

May love fulfill you, may peace enfold you and may hope envelop you forever and ever.

Dr. Willena Kimpson Price

Director-H. Fred Simons African American Cultural Center

Affiliate Faculty Africana Studies Institute

University of Connecticut