Volume 5, Issue 7: November 18, 2021
R.I.S.E.* Up Newsletter
*Reinforcing Inclusion through Skill-building and Education
Photo of Camille Seaman with quotation - I was troubled when the textbooks we read spoke about Natives in the past tense - almost implying that we no longer existed. We are still here.
Dear friends, 

During November, we honor and commemorate Native American Heritage Month, a moment when we encourage members of our community to take the time to learn more about the history, culture, and contributions of Indigenous scholars, writers, artists, and social and political leaders.

The history of America's Indigenous communities is particularly on our minds today as we approach the 400th anniversary of the First Thanksgiving in 1621, a day which is traditionally marked by the Wampanoag community as a day of mourning, rather than celebration. "For us, Thanksgiving kicked off colonization," says Mashpee Wampanoag cultural outreach coordinator Darius Coombs, quoted in a recent article by Dana Hedgepeth. "Our lives changed dramatically. It brought disease, servitude and so many things that weren’t good for Wampanoags and other Indigenous cultures.” As many of us gather with friends and family next week around tables laden with traditional foods, how can we remain mindful of the ongoing suffering, oppression, and violence that also trace their beginnings back to this day 400 years ago?

One mindfulness practice that has recently grown in popularity is that of including a land acknowledgment before events and gatherings. This practice recognizes the land in an expression of gratitude and appreciation of those on whose territory we reside and is a way of honoring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial.

However, some Indigenous scholars are now calling for a pause on this practice. As Elisa Sobo, Michael Lambert, and Valerie Lambert write in a recent article in The Conversation, "many contemporary land acknowledgments unintentionally communicate false ideas about the history of dispossession and the current realities of American Indians and Alaska Natives. And those ideas can have detrimental consequences for Indigenous peoples and nations."

Land acknowledgments too often speak for and about Native communities. But, as Camille Seaman points out, Native communities still exist, and they already speak with their own voices. Moving forward, we commit to building relationships and dialogue with our local indigenous organizations to hear and respect their voices more clearly. Until we can participate in authentic dialogue with local tribal communities to ensure a comprehensive process for constructing a land acknowledgement, our division will honor -- and we ask our partners across campus to honor, as well -- the request to pause the use of land acknowledgments. 

Land acknowledgments -- and the history they represent -- do not exist in the past tense; colonialism is a current, ongoing process, and we need to establish consciousness of our present participation in it. Land acknowledgments alone are not enough. We also have to ask ourselves these questions: How do we behave as good relatives to the land we occupy? How can non-Natives acknowledge the Native people and groups in our own communities? What are we doing to resist violence, racism and oppression today? Here are a few suggestions:


This Native American Heritage Month, we remember - as Twitter user @chakenbake says - "Native people are not extinct! We are people recovering from genocide and are still fighting for recognition, rights, our lands, and for the well-being of Earth. Do not talk about us as past people. We are still here."

Wishing you and your family a peaceful, mindful, and justice-centered Thanksgiving.
Selen Zarrelli
Sincerely,

Selen Zarrelli, MBA
Director of the Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion
Megan Wilson-Reitz
and

Megan Wilson-Reitz, MA
Administrative Coordinator for Diversity & Equity
Division Announcements
Movies with a Mission: GATHER
Friday, Nov. 19, 10:30-11:30 am | CSDI Lounge
promotional image for Movies with a Mission presentation of GATHER
Join CSDI for the final film in the Movies with a Mission series for the semester on Friday, November 19th at 10:30-11:30 AM in the CSDI lounge!

GATHER follows the stories of Natives on the front lines of a growing movement to reconnect with spiritual and cultural identities that were devastated by genocide.

The movie is also available on Kanopy and Netflix!
Diversity & Inclusion in Healthcare: A Networking Event
Friday, Nov. 19, 6:00-8:00 pm | Dolan Atrium
silhouette image of a group of 7 people in a line with multicolored speech bubbles above their heads
Are you interested in a career in healthcare?

Join HEAL, LASA, and Pre-Medicine Society for a networking event focused on diversity and inclusion.

Over dinner and dessert (catered by Boaz!) JCU students will have the opportunity to connect in small groups with physicians from the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, OU-HCOM medical school, Case Western Reserve medical school, and Ursuline College’s nursing school.

The dress code is business casual. Contact premedicineclub@jcu.edu for any questions.
Trans Day of Remembrance
November 22 | 5-7 pm | Marinello Little Theatre
promotional image for Trans Day of Remembrance 2021
Transgender Day of Remembrance is marked every year on November 20. It honors the memory of transgender and gender-nonconforming people whose lives were lost in acts of violence over the previous year.

2021 has been the deadliest year on record for trans and gender non-conforming people around the world, and Cleveland has been named as an epicenter in the transgender murder crisis. Here at JCU we are committed to the work of making our campus -- and Cleveland -- a safe and supportive community for our trans and gender non-conforming siblings.

Join CSDI and Campus Ministry for a vigil on Monday, Nov. 22 in the Marinello Little Theatre, honoring the dignity and value of each and every life lost to anti-transgender violence this year. For more information contact the Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion.

Promo image for Trans 101 program December 3
Trans 101
December 3, 2:00-3:00 pm
Virtual via Zoom
Join the DEI Division for our upcoming virtual SafeZone training, facilitated by OutSupport Medina. (This program is worth 15 DEI Champion points for faculty and staff!)
Thanks to all who participated in our
Disability Employment Awareness Month activities!
a group of people gathered in the Reading Room watching Kendra Cundiff of CSDI present as part of the Disability Employment Awareness lunch and learn
Student Accessibility Services and the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion partnered in recognition of Disability Employment Awareness month in October. The showing of Crip Camp, a film about how a summer camp for teenagers with disabilities transformed lives and ignited a landmark movement in disability rights, was open to all students, faculty, and staff on October 20th, 2021. The afternoon matinee in the Marinello Little Theatre included a popcorn bar, refreshments, and a ticket for the raffle basket drawing.

At the end of the month, a Lunch & Learn provided about 20 attendees a tasty meal from Boaz Fresh Lebanese, and an opportunity to learn from Career Services, SAS, and CSDI’s Wayfinders Program about disability employment challenges, opportunities, and what JCU resources were available and where to find them.

Thanks to all the students, staff, and faculty who participated in these events and congratulations to our many raffle prize winners!

Faculty and staff - don't forget to log your participation on the DEI Champions Canvas page to earn points if you attended these events!
Shannen Dee Williams, "Un-Silencing the Black Catholic Past"
close up photo of Shannen Dee Williams speaking at JCU
Earlier this week, 70+ students, staff, faculty members, and friends from around the country joined us (some in person, many more on Zoom) for our second annual Black Catholic History Month lecture, "Un-Silencing the Black Catholic Past: The Political Struggles of Black Catholic Nuns in the United States," by Dr. Shannen Dee Williams.

Many thanks to all who attended this program and to our many co-sponsors across the university who helped make it possible!
photo of the group gathered in Rodman A to hear Shannen Dee Williams speak at JCU
If you were unable to attend Tuesday's event, here are some other ways you can celebrate Black Catholic History Month:


Faculty and staff - don't forget to log your participation on the DEI Champions Canvas page to earn points if you attended this event.
resource guide
Navigating Difficult Holiday Conversations
six_pie_slices.jpg
Struggling with hard conversations about (or during) the holiday gatherings this year? Last holiday season, we published Dr. Green's helpful tip sheets on "Navigating Difficult Conversations" for the holidays and are bringing them back this year due to popular demand. Click below to view.
Image of tip card on Navigating Difficult Conversations about Holiday Plans
resource guide
"Coping with the Holidays and a Pandemic"
The Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County has issued a public informational booklet entitled "Coping with the Holidays and a Pandemic" to help individuals and their families get through a challenging holiday season.

Topics include "overcoming holiday stress," "grieving during the holidays," and "tips for individuals in recovery," including many others. Click the image to download the full brochure, and take good care of yourself this holiday season!
R.I.S.E. Higher: Featured Article of the Week
Black and Brown Students Want Black and Brown Mentors. What’s a Primarily White Institution to Do?
Three ways mentoring efforts can support students of color.
S. Brooke Vick, Inside Higher Ed, November 10, 2021

The recent Student Voice survey on mentors from Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse confirmed what we already suspected: students of color often prefer a mentor with the same racial identity.

Fifty-six percent of the Black undergraduates surveyed stated a preference for a mentor with the same racial identity, as did 21 percent of Asian students and 20 percent of Latinx students, according to the survey of 2,000 sophomores, juniors and seniors, which is presented with support from Kaplan.

This preference can present a profound challenge for primarily white institutions striving for a powerful mentorship program for students of color.
Announcements from our network...
YWCA of Greater Cleveland ReFRESHed Personal Growth Series
presents "You Belong Right Where You Are: How To Stop Imposter Syndrome Before It Stops You."
Friday, January 21, 2021 8:30-10:30 am | coHATCH Ohio City
Business transformation coach Cheryl C. Perez joins the YWCA's reFRESHed Personal Growth series for a presentation on imposter syndrome, loosely defined as doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud. It disproportionately affects high-achieving people, who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments. In this session, you will learn tips and strategies on how to stop anxiety and self-doubt from limiting your ability to be successful. After all, imposter syndrome is a part of building a career, so getting over that self-limiting belief is essential.
The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage presents:
Becoming American: A Panel Discussion on the History of Jewish Cleveland
November 30, 7:00 pm | Virtual via Zoom
From the Alsbacher Document to Die Yiddishe Velt to the Cleveland Council on Anti-Semitism, Cleveland is a city with a long history of Jewish life and culture. In this panel on the history of Jewish Cleveland moderated by Oberlin College’s Professor Shari Rabin, learn from scholars Kathryn Hellerstein, Kenneth J. Levine, and Sean Martin about the rich history of immigration, cultural formation, and activism from 1850 to the present day that have made Cleveland’s Jewish community so vibrant. This panel discussion will be hosted over Zoom, and will feature a live Q&A.
Project Noir Findings Highlight Black Women's Experiences in Cleveland
In early 2020, Bloomberg City Lab publicized a ranking of American cities based on livability metrics for Black Women. Cleveland ranked dead last. 
In response, Enlightened Solutions created Project Noir, a survey that interviewed over 450 Black Women in Cleveland. Each woman shared their lived experience attempting to gain education, seek quality healthcare, and gain workplace equity in Cleveland - and the responses are stark.
Other articles we're reading this week ...