John Carroll University Division of
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
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Volume 2, Issue 6: October 8, 2020 |
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R.I.S.E.* Up Newsletter
*Reinforcing Inclusion through Skill-building and Education
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LGBTQ+ History Month and National Coming Out Day
Did you know that October is LGBTQ+ History Month? The first March on Washington for Gay Rights was held in October of 1979. To commemorate that event, October is now set aside as a time to honor those whose labor, lives, loves and losses have built the foundation for the many strides our nation - and globe - have taken towards equity in civil and human rights for all LGBTQIA+ people.
This Sunday, October 11, is also National Coming Out Day, a day when we celebrate the important witness of those who “come out of the closet” to live openly and publicly as LGBTQ+ people. Coming out is still an act of courage in the face of discrimination, bigotry and hatred, and we are grateful for those who bring their whole selves to work, to class, and to life every day in our JCU community.
In honor of our history and our community, we want to take this moment to reassert our commitment to promoting a culture of equity, dignity, and respect for all of our LGBTQIA+ students, faculty members, staff, and community partners here at JCU. As President Johnson said in his message to the community in June:
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"Particularly in these current times, we are being called as an institution to ensure the just treatment of all members of our campus community. We are actively and collectively working to end all systemic injustices that have functioned to marginalize or to oppress people because of their identities.
"While there is no question that hate or discrimination will not be tolerated, we know that there are also systems at work beyond the obvious. We must actively interrogate the ways in which our policies and practices help or harm those who experience marginalization on a daily basis."
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For more about our commitments, initiatives, and goals for interrogating our own systems and achieving a culture of greater inclusion at JCU, please see the full report and recommendations from the LGBTQIA+ Working Group, which now guides our work in this area. In addition, watch this newsletter in the next few weeks for announcements of upcoming training opportunities, dialogues, film screenings and more -- coming soon!
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Indigenous Peoples' Day?
Or Columbus Day?
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What will you be doing to honor our communities' Native peoples on Monday?
Reply to this email and let us know!
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On Monday, October 12th, many communities (including Cleveland) will recognize an old tradition by celebrating Columbus Day.
Many communities, however (including Columbus, Ohio) will instead celebrate the day as Indigenous Peoples' Day, established to honor the Native communities of the Americas and to oppose Columbus Day, with its associations with colonialism and violence towards Native peoples.
Follow the links below to read more:
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Diversity Training Under Fire
Both Inside Higher Ed and the Chronicle of Higher Education report this week that some universities are now canceling or reviewing all of their diversity, equity and inclusion programs in light of the order, while others have already declared their intention to refuse to comply. Most are adopting a "wait and see" response.
Our university remains committed to reinforcing equity and inclusion awareness and education as stipulated in Goal 2 of our Strategic Plan for Inclusive Excellence, recognizing that this work represents a fundamental element of our university's mission commitment to "faith that does justice."
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The Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion will host a series of fall community hangouts each week on Zoom. The next hangout will be Wednesday, October 14th at 2:00 pm. Grab a snack and drink and come say hello!
Passcode: 992027
The same link and passcode will work for each weekly hangout. All are welcome and no RSVP is necessary. Come join the hangout and check in with your community! For more information, visit CSDI on Instagram.
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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. |
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Other JCU events of interest: |
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Alumni Continuing Education Series with Dr. Dan Kilbride: Confederate Monuments & a Reckoning with Our Nation’s History |
Following the Civil War, numerous monuments were erected and buildings were named in honor of those who fought for the Confederacy and against the Union. This webinar will explore the reasons these monuments were erected, how they have served as flash-points in our Nation's history, and why there has been an increased call for the removal of these monuments.
Wednesday, October 21, 2020 • 7:30 p.m. (Eastern)
featuring Daniel Kilbride, Ph.D., Professor of History, JCU
Open to all members of the JCU community.
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R.I.S.E. Higher: Featured Resource of the Week |
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Anti-Racism and Allyship 7 Day Journey
(A Self-Paced Resource Guide)*
Margaret Neale, Sarah Soule, and Hannah Yanow
Stanford Graduate School of Business
After the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery in 2020 (and countless other Black Americans before these), and the massive protests against anti-Black racism that filled several of our cities’ streets, many people felt called to action. They felt called to learn more about how racial inequality and racial injustice are rooted in systemic racism and white supremacy....
We also felt called to action. As educators, we watched as many of our Black colleagues were asked to write about, and teach about, systemic racism and racial injustice. We were humbled to see so many of them answer this call. But the burden should not rest solely on their shoulders. As allies, we felt the need to act as accomplices in the fight against racism and to take a small step in helping in this educational endeavor.
What you have here is the product of our act of allyship. It isn’t perfect, and it is not everything you need to know or to do. It is meant to help you on your journey of Anti-Racism and Allyship, so that together, we can craft a future free of systemic racism and racial injustice.
.... (click below to read more)
*Look for our article, "Encountering Resistance to Racial Justice? - Try A S.P.R.O.U.T. Approach" featured in the "Day 3" activities!
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Announcements from our network: |
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Ohio Immigrants and Refugees: Lived Experiences and Mobilizing for Change |
The Ohio State University Office of Diversity and Inclusion will host a four-part virtual conference over four Wednesdays in October, featuring a keynote by Daniela Pierre Bravo, TV producer for MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
This virtual conference will run: October 9, 16, 23, and 30,
10 am - 12 pm
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Religion and Race:
The Future of Anti-Racism and the Catholic Church
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Tuesday, October 13, 2020
7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. EDT
This Salt and Light Gathering for young adults under 40 brings together a panel of young Black Catholic leaders to engage challenging questions about the spiritual and practical actions needed to work towards a culture of anti-racism, which values the equal dignity of every human life. The panel will discuss the history with racism within the U.S. Catholic Church, how racial injustice exists in our communities today, the role of white privilege, and practical ways that Church leaders and young Catholics can work towards a more anti-racist and racially just Church.
Hosted by the Georgetown Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, with sponsorship from the Archdiocese of Washington DC's Catholic Young Adult Ministry Theology on Tap program.
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Black History, Injustice and Reparations & Police Militarization |
Cleveland Peace Action will offer an "at home" version of their popular Peace@ThePub program on Tuesday, October 13th at 8:00 pm on Zoom.
Speakers:
Dave Patterson, author of The First 400: The Color of Profit, Persecution, and Perseverance"
and Gary Daniels, chief lobbyist, ACLU of Ohio
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"Connecting for Kids" virtual program:
Healing from the Trauma of Institutional Racism
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Anna Jones, LISW, of Cleveland State University hosts a six-week online course for Black parents of children ages 12 and under on how to identify and interrupt patterns of trauma survival that can affect parents and children. Participants will receive a self-care kit with course materials.
Open to residents of Northeast Ohio. This program is presented by Connecting for Kids in partnership with Cuyahoga County Public Library.
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Other articles we're reading this week:
Hiring, Recruitment and Retention
Jesuit and Catholic News
Socioeconomic Diversity
Race
Podcasts:
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