Black History Month Closing Event (2/27)

February 21, 2023

The African American Cultural Center (AACC) and UConn Library invite you to the 2023 Black History Month Closing Ceremony.

This year’s ceremony features a talk, “Overboard: Black Resistance and the Middle Passage,” given by Dr. Rik Stevenson, Professor of African American Studies at the University of Florida. Dr Stevenson’s research explores Black resistance in the Middle Passage, connecting West African cosmologies and spiritual systems to revolutionary acts of resistance.

This in-person event will be held on Monday, February 27, at 6:00 PM in the Student Union Theater and Ballroom. This event is open to all members of the UConn Community.

President’s Statement on Turkey and Syria

February 13, 2023

To the UConn Community:

Over the past week, we have all seen with great concern and sorrow the devastating impact of the Feb. 6 earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, and on behalf of the UConn community, we would like to express our sympathy for those affected by this major natural disaster.

The University of Connecticut has close and highly valued ties with both countries, and we are contacting our students, alumni, faculty, and staff who have personal and family connections to this unfolding tragedy, letting them know they are in our thoughts. The UConn community is also committed to providing what assistance we can to help during this distressing and heartbreaking time.

The earthquakes have compounded the suffering of many individuals in the region, but we are hopeful that the incredible resilience of the Turkish and Syrian people, much on display in recent years, will help them through this dreadful time. It is also encouraging to see the international community responding with such speed and bringing all possible resources to bear.

The UConn Turkish Student Association has started a fundraiser to support the Turkish Philanthropy Funds’ Gaziantep Earthquake Relief Fund, which will be used to provide food, emergency supplies, and temporary relief to displaced families.

If you’re interested in supporting other organizations, our human rights faculty have identified additional non-profits which are assisting with rescue and recovery efforts, including:

Syrian American Medical Society Foundation
AKUT Search and Rescue Association
Bridge to Türkiye Fund
Disasters Emergency Committee

This is a difficult time for the University as we navigate the many emotions people have after experiencing natural disasters. Please remember that resources are available for any students, faculty, or staff needing support.

Students can stop by the Dean of Students office in Wilbur Cross Building Room 203 without appointment during drop-in hours (Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.), or they may call 860-486-3426 to request a meeting with an Assistant Dean.

Student Health & Wellness – Mental Health Services, located on the 4th floor of the Arjona Building, is available to provide support to students who may be struggling.

To make an appointment with SHAW-Mental Health, call 860-486-4705 or schedule an appointment online. In addition, information about managing grief can be found on the SHAW-Mental Health website. If you need help more immediately, resources can be accessed here.

UConn International Student and Scholar Services staff are also available to support international students and visiting scholars who may need help to navigate resources and options during this difficult time. Information about drop-in services or scheduling an advisor appointment can be found here. Also, check the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Humanitarian webpage for updates on any U.S. government programs and benefits extended to citizens of specific countries in times of hardship.

Staff and faculty are encouraged to reach out to UConn’s Employee Assistance Program if they need support.

Leading with joy and love for all,

Radenka Maric
President

Anne D’Alleva
Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Daniel Weiner
Vice President for Global Affairs

Michael Gilbert
Vice President for Student Affairs

ODI Statement on Earthquake in Turkey and Syria

February 7, 2023

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion would like to express our concern and support for the people of Turkey and Syria who are experiencing the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. We stand in solidarity with members of the UConn community and their families who have been adversely impacted by this recent tragedy.

Please know that you are not alone, the destruction of life and property is not unobserved, and that your pleas for assistance are not unheard. To the rest of the UConn Community, we encourage you to get involved by learning more about the humanitarian crises facing people in the region, if able, to get involved in relief efforts.

Black History Month Events 2023

February 6, 2023

Black History Month

Throughout the year the Center prides itself on sponsoring programming that celebrates African American heritage and history. For the entire month of February, which has been nationally designated Black History Month, the Center works especially hard to celebrate African American legacy and culture through various lectures, workshops, exhibits, and artistic symposiums.

This year's events include:

  • Wednesday, 2/1: Destination Disco – Student Union Ballroom
  • Thursday, 2/2 | 7:00 PM BHM Opening Ceremony: An Evening with Cornel West – McHugh Hall 102
  • Saturday, 2/4 | 6:00 PM ASA Annual Fashion Show - SANKOFA, The Year of Return – Jorgensen
    https://events.uconn.edu/event/97666/2023-02-04
  • Monday, 2/6 | 5:00 PM Academic Achievement Center (AAC) FAFSA Pizza Party – AACC community Room (SU 407) https://events.uconn.edu/event/97670/2023-02-06
  • Tuesday, 2/7 | 6:00 PM Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba Workshop w/ Movimiento Cultural – SU Ballroom https://events.uconn.edu/event/97803/2023-02-07
  • Wednesday, 2/8 | 5:00 PM How to be a Straight A Student, Part 1 – AACC Community Room (SU 407) https://events.uconn.edu/event/97795/2023-02-08
  • Thursday, 2/9 |6:00 PM AACC Soul Food Cinema, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – AACC Community Room (SU 407) https://events.uconn.edu/event/97674/2023-02-09
  • Friday, 2/10 | 7:00 PM AACC Soulful-Vibes Open mic -- AACC Community Room (SU 407)
  • Monday, 2/13 | 4:00 PM Journey to the Motherland: Winter in Ghana Returnee Panel – AACC Community Room (SU 407) https://events.uconn.edu/event/97798/2023-02-13
  • Tuesday, 2/14 | All Day Black Love Campaign / Program – Social Media
  • Wednesday, 2/15 | 6:00 PM How to be a Straight A Student, Part 1 – AACC Community Room (SU 407) https://events.uconn.edu/event/97796/2023-02-15
  • Thursday, 2/16 | 6:00 PM “C.R.O.W.N. Act” (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) – AACC Community Room (SU 407) https://events.uconn.edu/event/97681/2023-02-26
  • Saturday, 2/18: | 10:00 AM NSBE Black Women in Stem Brunch [$5 Admission] – Alumni Center
  • Monday, 2/20 | 4:00 PM Black History Month Read-In – UConn Bookstore Community Room
  • Tuesday, 2/21 | 12:30 PM Meet the Faculty with Professor Amy Egbert, Department of Psychology – AACC Community Room (SU 407)
  • Wednesday, 2/22 | 4:00 PM Queer BIPOC Professional Staff and Student Socials – AACC Community Room (SU 407)
  • Wednesday, 2/22 | 6:00 PM Rosewood Discussion with Lizzie Robinson Jenkins – Virtual https://events.uconn.edu/event/97642/2023-02-21
  • Thursday, 2/23 | 5:00 PM UConn Reads, Light from Uncommon Stars with Professor Shawn Salvant, English Department and Africana Studies – AACC Community Room (SU 407) https://events.uconn.edu/event/97720/2023-02-23
  • Thursday, 2/23 | 6:00 PM Mr. and Ms. Black UConn Pageant – Student Union Ballroom
  • Friday, 2/24 | 2:00 PM Celebrating Black Excellence: A Guided Dance Experience – AACC Community Room (SU 407)
  • Friday, 2/24 | 5:00 PM Faculty and Staff Happy Hour at The Russell (Hartford)
  • Sunday, 2/26 | 11:00 AM Crown Day: “Curating a Space to Service and Celebrate Natural Hair” – Werth Towers Forum
  • Monday, 2/27 | 6:00 PM Black History Month Closing Ceremony: “Overboard, Black Resistance and the Middle Passage with Dr. Rik Stevenson, University of Florida African American Studies Program – Student Union Theater & Ballroom https://events.uconn.edu/event/97721/2023-02-27
  • Tuesday, 2/28 | 10:00 AM Black Excellence in the Academy: A UConn Exhibit Diagram, SU 104 https://events.uconn.edu/event/97723/2023-02-28

 

February 2023 Heritage Celebrations

February 1, 2023

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

Heritage Month Celebrations:

Black History Month (February): Black History month celebrates Black and African American history, culture, achievements, and excellence. It also draws attention to the lived experiences of Black and African Americans within the United States, including by celebrating Black and African American communities and creating awareness about issues these communities face. This celebration began in the United States in 1926, when Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) head Dr. Carter G. Woodson recommended that schools use the second week of February—which holds the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass—to ensure students are exposed to Black history. Fifty years later, this week was expanded into a month-long celebration. Every president since 1976 has proclaimed February to be Black History Month.

The theme for this year’s Black History Month is “Black Resistance.” According to ASALH, this theme educates the community about the fact that “African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms, and police killings since our arrival upon these shores. [Black Resistance] efforts have been to advocate for a dignified self-determined life in a just democratic society in the United States and beyond.” At heart of this theme is the recognition that Black and African American people have had to consistently push the United States to live up to its ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all.

Black History Month is a time to celebrate the fullness of Black and African American history and culture, though such celebrations cannot—and should not—be limited to a single month. At UConn, we believe that Black history, culture, and excellence should be celebrated every day. The University aims to provide opportunities for celebration, community building, and education through the African American Cultural Center (AACC) and Africana Studies Institute, as well as through a course on Anti-Black Racism.

We invite the entire UConn community to join in celebrating this year’s Black History Month. The UConn Foundation and UConn School of Social Work will be hosting an event, Giving Voice to the Black Experience: How She Resisted, featuring guest speaker Miles Wilson-Toliver. This event will be held on Wednesday, February 1, from 11:45 to 1:15 in Hartford. The AACC and USG are partnering to host a Black History Month Opening Ceremony featuring Dr. Cornel West. This program is Thursday, February 2, at 7:30 PM in McHugh Hall. All are invited; no RSVP is required. Global Café at Avery Point will also hold two events in honor of Black History Month, a discussion with Manju Soni on Student Activism and “Creating a Path that Matters: Entrepreneurship, Community Engagement, and Social Justice” a talk by Curtis Goodwin. Check out the Diversity website for more events.

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

National Freedom Day (February 1): National Freedom Day celebrates the end of slavery in the United States and recognizes the United States as a symbol of liberty. National Freedom Day was proposed in 1941 by Richard Robert Wright, Sr. to commemorate the day President Lincoln signed a Congressional resolution stating that “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” This resolution would become the Thirteenth Amendment on December 18, 1865. National Freedom Day became a national holiday in 1948.

World Hijab Day (February 1): World Hijab Day was started in 2013 by Nazma Khan, who wanted to foster religious tolerance and understanding by inviting all women to wear a hijab for one day each year. In the decade since, World Hijab Day has grown to promote awareness, education, and empowerment in order to dismantle bigotry, discrimination, and prejudice against Muslim women. World Hijab Day celebrates religious tolerance and women’s rights around the world.

Valentine’s Day (February 14): Valentine’s Day is celebrated annually on February 14. The origins of the holiday are disputed; some accounts point to pagan fertility festivals while others point to St. Valentine, an early Christian saint martyred for performing weddings in defiance of a ban on marriage for military-aged men. Today, Valentine’s Day is typically regarded as a celebration of romantic love.

Presidents Day (February 20): President’s Day, also known as Washington’s Birthday on the federal level and for the State of Connecticut, is celebrated in the United States on the third Monday of February. Established in 1879 to honor Washington’s February 22 birthday, Presidents Day was moved to the third Monday of February in 1970 as part of the Uniform Monday Holidays Act to create more three-day weekends for workers. The holiday now celebrates all US presidents, past and present.

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

Candlemas (February 2nd): Candlemas is a Christian holiday that occurs 40 days after Christmas. Also known as Presentation of the Lord, Candlemas commemorates Jesus’ presentation at the Temple. For Catholics, in particular, Candlemas honors the purification of the Virgin Mary. Many Orthodox Christians celebrate by having beeswax candles blessed at church or at home. Candlemas is celebrated as Día de la Candelaria in many Spanish speaking countries. Whoever finds the baby figures hidden inside the Rosca de Reyes cake from El Día de Reyes / Three Kings Day is obliged to host the Candelaria gathering. Candlemas is halfway between the December Solstice and the March and March Equinox, marking the halfway point for winter.

Mardi Gras (February 21st): Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is a Christian holiday and global pop cultural event. Mardi Gras occurs the day before the start of the Christian Lenten season on Ash Wednesday. Fat Tuesday gets its name from the custom of using all the remaining eggs, milk, and fats in a household before beginning a Lenten fast. Mardi Gras is also the end of Carnival season that starts on Twelfth Night. It is usually celebrated with elaborate parades and the eating of king cake. Some of the most well-known Mardi Gras celebrations are held in New Orleans, Rio (Brazil), and Venice (Italy).

Ash Wednesday (February 22nd): Ash Wednesday is a Christian holiday of fasting, sacrifice, and prayer. Celebrated by Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and many Protestant denominations, Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, a 40-day period of repentance, fasting, and reflection leading up to the celebration of Easter. For Christians, Lent represents the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness, where he fasted and resisted temptation. Though celebrations vary by place and denomination, Lent is typically seen as a season for intentionally focusing on Jesus’s life, ministry, sacrifice, and resurrection.

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
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

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

ODI Statement on Tyre Nichols

January 31, 2023

We are angered and distraught by the killing of Tyre Nichols at the hands of officers from the Memphis Police Department (MPD) on January 7, 2023, the brutality of which was made apparent by the body camera footage MPD released this weekend. There are few words that can describe our outrage and sorrow. As President Biden pointed out this weekend, Tyre’s death is “yet another painful reminder of the profound fear and trauma, the pain, and the exhaustion that Black and brown Americans experience every day.”

We want members of the UConn community who are aching as we witness another senseless fatal act of violence against a person of color to know that we see you, we mourn alongside you, and we support you. Please remember the importance of self-care in this extremely difficult moment. We especially recommend taking advantage of these UConn resources for self-care:

We also want to remind you of the importance of community for mourning and healing from such violence. We will be hosting a TRHT Community Hour in the coming weeks for Faculty and Staff of Color and for Graduate Students of Color. We plan on making this a monthly event to be held in our TRHT hubs at Storrs, Hartford, and UConn Health.

We are deeply saddened by this violence. We stand with you and are dedicated to promoting a climate of racial healing at UConn.

ODI Message on California Shootings

January 24, 2023

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion mourns alongside members of the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities in the wake of this weekend’s mass shootings in California, the deadliest since the Uvalde and Buffalo shootings in May 2022. These acts of mass violence remind us that gun violence in the United States disproportionately impacts people of color.

We at ODI are heartbroken over yet another act of senseless violence against people of color, one that not only adds to the increased violence, harassment, and discrimination faced by Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that also disrupted a space of community building and celebration. We stand with you. We believe that everyone should be able to live without the fear of violence. We believe that anti-racism is anti-violence. To that end, we encourage everyone who is able to attend a candlelight vigil for the California victims on Tuesday, January 24th, at the Capitol Building in Hartford.

For members of the UConn community impacted by violence, know that the University has resources dedicated to supporting you. As President Maric reminded us in May, we must persist in the face of despair, and UConn’s researchers are contributing to the work to end gun violence in the United States. The University also provides access to mental health resources at Student Health and Wellness (SHaW). ODI has also compiled a list of resources for dealing with gun violence in our lives, as well as a list of mental health resources on-campus, off-campus, and at UConn Health. Visit the Cultural Centers and Programs, as well as UConn’s Faculty, Staff, Student, & Alumni resources pages for more information.

We are saddened by this violence. We stand with you and are dedicated to building safe and inclusive communities alongside you.

MLK Day Statement 2023

January 17, 2023

The University of Connecticut will observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 16. Observing this holiday provides an opportunity to reflect on Dr. King’s life and legacy, as well as on the importance of standing up for racial, social, and economic justice for all. From Dr. King, we learned that we can only attain 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 to whom justice is denied.

This year, ODI invites you to reflect on the importance of promoting greater equity, especially through efforts to identify and eliminate forms of systemic racism that lead to health inequities. ODI has been proud to work alongside faculty, staff, students, and alumni to promote racial, social, and economic justice at UConn. We are especially proud of the undergraduate student body’s call for the University to identify the impacts of systemic racism by declaring racism a public health crisis; we laud the University’s, Student Health and Wellness’s (SHaW), and UConn Health’s efforts to promote health equity at UConn and in the communities we serve by identifying biases, belief systems, and processes that contribute to systemic racism.

ODI believes that we can only address injustice if we first identify the historic and contemporary effects of racism. To that end, we are proud to participate in the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center Initiative, a comprehensive national and community-based process to bring about transformational and sustainable change by replacing deeply held belief systems that fuel systemic racism with ones that see the inherent value of all people. A core tenet of the TRHT framework is that racial healing is at the heart of racial equity. To that end, we are excited to participate in the TRHT’s National Day of Racial Healing, part of a nationwide effort to help drive more equitable systems.

We invite all members of the UConn community to participate in events celebrating Dr. King’s life and legacy and continuing the work of dismantling systemic racism:

  • The MLK Day of Service (Monday, 1/16, 8:00 AM to 3:45 PM, Student Union ballroom)
  • UConn’s National Day of Racial Healing event (Tuesday, 1/17, 12:00 – 1:30 PM in the Class of ’47 room of UConn Library). This event, titled “Counternarratives on the Racial Realities of Working in Predominantly White Spaces” will feature UConn faculty and staff sharing their lived experiences related to race in higher education. t
  • The MLK Living Legacy Convocation (Thursday, 1/19, 6:30 to 8:30 PM, Jorgensen Center). This event will feature a keynote speech by Dr. Eddie Glaude, Jr., performances by Shayy Winn, Isaac Barber, Bloomfield High School’s Voices of Inspiration, Voices of Freedom, and more. This event is free and open to all, but a ticket is required.

Please visit UConn’s DEIJ website for more information about upcoming events and opportunities for engagement, as well as for more resources for promoting justice and equity. 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. We are thankful to each of you who has chosen to get involved in making UConn a more justice-oriented and equitable university.

Graduate Students of Color Meet & Greet

January 9, 2023

Join Graduate Students of Color in a Meet and Greet at ODI Commons! Come meet fellow graduate students of color to build community while sharing space and food. The ODI Commons is located on the first floor of the student union next to the student union theater. Registration is required so please utilize the link below to RSVP. See you there!

This in-person event will be held on Wednesday, January 18th, from 3:30 to 5:30 PM in the ODI Commons. Registration is required so please RSVP here. See you there!