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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Events

  1. Queer Students Abroad

    March 16, 2018 - 3:00pm to 4:30pm

    The International Center, in collaboration with the Spectrum Center, CGIS, and MESA, are putting on this student panel highlighting the experiences of queer students abroad.

  2. SSW #SocialJusticeMatter presents Duane Breijak and Allan Wachendorfer

    March 7, 2018 - 12:00pm to 2:00pm

    Creating Change In and Out of the Profession: Tactics for Social Work Advocacy 

    Duane Breijak, LMSW-Macro (MSW '12)
    Director of Member Services, NASW Michigan Chapter

    Allan Wachendorfer, LMSW-Macro (MSW '14)
    Director of Public Policy, NASW Michigan Chapter 

    Wondering how to best advocate in the current political climate? How do we as social workers make change within our own field? There are countless ways social workers can and should leverage their skills, expertise, and voices to make lasting change on policy and legislative levels. In this workshop, Allan and Duane will provide an overview of current Michigan legislation that has potential implications for social workers and social justice, discuss ways to make change within the profession, and learn strategies to utilize NASW as your professional ally. Ethical considerations and obligations will also be covered.

    Lunch will be served, please RSVP.

    RSVP here »

    Sponsored by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office and the Office of Student Services.

  3. DEI Lunch and Learn- LGBTQ Policy

    March 6, 2018 - 12:00pm to 1:30pm

    Join the DEI Office for a “Lunch and Learn” session focused on LGBTQ policy in America. Learn about the state of protections for LGBTQ folks both past and present, and where we might be headed under the Trump administration and beyond. We invite you to learn not only for yourself, but also to be better prepared to serve your LGBTQ clients and constituents, and to talk about ways that you can better protect and advocate for yourself and your clients.

    RSVP here »

  4. SSW #SocialJusticeMatter presents Prof. Katie Doyle

    February 19, 2018 - 12:00pm to 2:00pm

    As we continue to highlight the thought provoking social justice work being done by community leaders. We bring you Prof. Katie Doyle. Prof. Doyle brings us the insight regarding youth and homelessness.

    Walk In Their Shoes: Last year alone, there were (at least) 1250+ children and youth in Washtenaw County who experienced homelessness. This simulation sheds light on the daily challenges of our promising young neighbors who happen to be homeless. In this session, participants will “walk in the shoes” of a youth or family experiencing homelessness and learn how individuals and organizations help. We will also explore the ethical implications of running "simulations" like this one.

    **We are scheduled for noon - 2:00. Participants should be ready to start the simulation by 12:15, and stay at least until 1:30 to get the most out of the experience.

    Lunch will be served.

    RSVP here »

  5. Film Viewing: "Flint"

    February 13, 2018 - 5:30pm to 8:00pm

    In honor of Black History Month join the New Leaders in African-Centered Social Work Scholars & the Learning Community on Poverty and Inequality (LCPI) for the film viewing and discussion of "Flint", the retelling of the Flint water crisis staring Queen Latifah.

    Dinner will be provided.

    RSVP here »

  6. 4th Annual W.M. Trotter Lecture My Life. My Story! Centering the Voices of Trans Lives.

    February 8, 2018 - 6:00pm to 9:00pm

    The W.M. Trotter Multicultural Center is honored to be centering the voices of transgender and non-binary individuals at our 4th Annual W.M. Trotter Lecture, with a particular focus on the intersecting identities of gender and race. We are beyond thrilled to welcome to the University of Michigan, speakers Janet Mock, author of Redefining Realness, Surpassing Certainty, and King Amiyah Scott of Fox Network’s STAR. Current and former students and staff from the University of Michigan will also contribute to this phenomenal event! We aim to hold a space in which the personal narratives and lives of trans folks can be shared, celebrated, and honored.

    Previous lectures include The Black Male Athlete; Who is He and What is He to You in 2016, which was held in the Ross Auditorium, celebrating Student Leaders in 2015; as well as, the 2014 Inaugural W.M. Trotter Lecture that featured activist, poet, and educator Cheryl Clarke.

  7. SSW #SocialJusticeMatter presents Dr. Matthew Smith

    February 7, 2018 - 12:00pm to 2:00pm

    The School of Social Work invites you to the Social Justice Matter Series. The event surrounds meaningful dialogue and discussion about how we as social work professionals can become better involved and continue to advocate for change in this ever-changing climate.  Faculty and/or community advocates will share their expertise and approach in addressing social justice and advocacy that may include but are not limited to; best practice, interventions, and strategic skills across an array of areas.

    Join us as we welcome Dr. Matthew Smith.

    The title of the talk will be: "Bringing a Social Justice Lens to Virtual Reality Job Interview Training to Meet the Grand Challenges of Social Work".

    Professor Smith will present his work developing and evaluating his "Virtual Reality Job Interview Training" tools among several marginalized groups that face an uphill battle to find employment. He will also provide a brief demonstration of the intervention and discuss the vision for how this work can move forward to help additional groups enhance their access to employment.

    Lunch will be served.

    RSVP here »

  8. Youth Voice: Our Queer Stories-Neutral Zone

    February 6, 2018 - 4:00pm to 5:30pm

    In this panel session, we will hear from LGBTQIA+ teens in our community. They will bravely share their stories and talk about what they need from us.

  9. "The Crisis of Multiculturalism in Europe: A History" by Rita Chin

    February 6, 2018 - 3:00pm to 4:30pm

    Discussants

    Rita Chin, Professor of History

    Kristin Dickinson, Assistant Professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures

    Damani Partridge, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Afroamerican and African Studies


    In 2010, the leaders of Germany, Britain, and France each declared that multiculturalism had failed in their countries. Over the past decade, a growing consensus in Europe has voiced similar decrees. But what do these ominous proclamations, from across the political spectrum, mean? From the influx of immigrants in the 1950s to contemporary worries about refugees and terrorism, "The Crisis of Multiculturalism in Europe" examines the historical development of multiculturalism on the Continent. Rita Chin argues that there were few efforts to institute state-sponsored policies of multiculturalism, and those that emerged were pronounced failures virtually from their inception. She shows that today's crisis of support for cultural pluralism isn't new but actually has its roots in the 1980s.

    Chin looks at the touchstones of European multiculturalism, from the urgent need for laborers after World War II to the public furor over the publication of "The Satanic Verses" and the question of French girls wearing headscarves to school. While many Muslim immigrants had lived in Europe for decades, in the 1980s they came to be defined by their religion and the public's preoccupation with gender relations. Acceptance of sexual equality became the critical gauge of Muslims' compatibility with Western values. The convergence of left and right around the defense of such personal freedoms against a putatively illiberal Islam has threatened to undermine commitment to pluralism as a core ideal. Chin contends that renouncing the principles of diversity brings social costs, particularly for the left, and she considers how Europe might construct an effective political engagement with its varied population.

    Challenging the mounting opposition to a diverse society, "The Crisis of Multiculturalism in Europe" presents a historical investigation into one continent's troubled relationship with cultural difference.

    Event Accessibility: Ramp and elevator access at the E. Washington Street entrance (by the loading dock). There are accessible restrooms on the south end of Lane Hall, on each floor of the building. A gender neutral restroom is available on the first floor.

  10. Stories of the Black West-Douglas Lewis

    February 5, 2018 - 7:30pm to 9:00pm

    Join us as historian Douglas Lewis (Attorney/Director, University of Michigan Student Legal Services) shares stories about the courageous contributions of Blacks in shaping the West. His interactive presentation and larger than life stories will enlighten and inspire us all.

  11. LGBTQ Health and Wellness Week Keynote Speech: Pidgeon Pagonis LGBTQ Health and Wellness Week Keynote Speech: Pidgeon Pagonis

    February 5, 2018 - 6:30pm to 8:00pm

    Please join us in welcoming Pidgeon Pagonis (pronouns: they/them) to campus. Pidgeon will be opening the 3rd Annual LGBTQ Health and Wellness Week on Monday, February 5th in the Educational Conference Center in the School of Social Work Building.

    Pidgeon (Chicago, IL) is an intersex activist, educator, and filmmaker. They are a leader in the intersex movement’s fight for bodily autonomy and justice. Their goal is to deconstruct the dangerous myths that lead to violations of intersex people’s human rights, including common, irreversible medical procedures performed without consent to make bodies conform to binary sex stereotypes.

    Pidgeon has a decade’s worth of experience giving talks and facilitating intersex workshops around the globe. In 2015, they received the LGBT Champion of Change Award from the White House. They can be seen on the cover of National Geographic’s January 2017 issue titled, "Gender Revolution". This past fall, they co-led the #LurieEndSurgery protest outside of Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago on Intersex Awareness Day.

    This event is free and open to the public.

  12. Decompress

    February 3, 2018 - 9:30pm to February 4, 2018 1:00am

    A closing night celebration of No Safety Net

    Having important, often tough, and constructive conversations is worth celebrating. And after three weeks of No Safety Net, with over 20 performances and many community dialogues and workshops, we all deserve a little self-care. Join us for a relaxed closing night celebration featuring DJs from Detroit’s Seraphine Collective, appearances by No Safety Net artists, mixing and mingling, snacks, and a cash bar. Ages 18+. Free entry with a No Safety Net ticket stub, or $5 cover; cash bar.

  13. Gender Identity 101 and Being Transgender in Our Community

    February 3, 2018 - 6:00pm to 7:30pm

    In the last five years, the visibility of transgender people has increased dramatically. From Laverne Cox's meteoric rise to fame portraying a transgender inmate on "Orange is the New Black" to the high profile gender transition of athlete and television personality Caitlyn Jenner, we've entered into a moment where gender identity is at the forefront of our cultural conversation. This combined lecture and panel will provide a basic primer on preferred language around gender identity, and explore the lived experiences of transgender people in our community.

    In collaboration with the U-M Spectrum Center's "My Voice" program, which provides panels of trained LGBTQ+ speakers to share their personal stories with audiences. My Voice panels provide information about LGBTQ+ from personal experiences and facilitate vibrant discussions about topics of attractionality, sexuality, and gender.

    Saturday Night Community Dialogues

    Post-Performance

    UMS will invite a panel of community leaders, thinkers, and activists to engage with audience members around the themes of each performance. The floor will be open to panelists and audience members alike to reflect on, discuss, analyze, and respond to the performance they've just experienced. Panelists to be announced.

  14. Entering, Engaging and Exiting Communities

    February 2, 2018 - 9:00am to 12:00pm

    This workshop introduces principles and practices for thoughtfully engaging with communities, including motivations, impact of social identities, and strategies for engaging in reciprocal, ethical, and respectful ways. This interactive session engages participants through small and large group activities and discussion, applying principles for effective community engagement to the practice of social work. Offered by Edward Ginsberg Center staff, in partnership with the SSW Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

    RSVP here »

  15. They, Themself, and Schmerm

    January 31, 2018 - 7:30pm to 8:30pm

    Written and performed by Becca Blackwell
    Directed by and developed with Ellie Heyman

    "The audience emerged from the theater with a greater awareness of a sociocultural transformation underway… from confusion to denial, to reconciliation to who-the-****-cares-let-the- love-in…" (Bomb Magazine)

    Part classic standup comedy special, part confessional memoir, and part performance art, They, Themself and Schmerm is Becca Blackwell's disturbingly hilarious personal tale detailing the tragicomic transitions in life, family, sex, and gender while asking what it means to be truly authentic. A New York-based trans actor, performer, and writer, Becca exists between genders and works collaboratively with playwrights and directors to expand our sense of personhood and the body through performance.

    Contains adult language and frank discussion of gender and sexuality.

    This performance is part of UMS's No Safety Net theater festival - a three-week look at works of theater that embrace contemporary social issues. Details available at ums.org/NoSafetyNet.

    Additional Dates:

    Wednesday, January 31 // 7:30 pm

    Thursday, February 1 // 7:30 pm

    Friday, February 2 // 8 pm

    Saturday, February 3 // 8 pm

    Watch Excerpts from They, Themself and Schmerm.
     

  16. Navigating LGBTQ Identities in the Academy

    January 30, 2018 - 12:00pm to 1:00pm

    Panel of experts will discuss their experiences in navigating their LGBTQ identities in the academia. Participants will also be given strategies. 

    Registration is required: https://secure.rackham.umich.edu/wsEvents/wsreg.php?ws_id=472

  17. DEI Movie Event: I Am Not Your Negro

    January 29, 2018 - 12:00pm to 2:00pm

    The SSW DEI Office will be hosting a movie showing to celebrate MLK Day and the upcoming Black History Month. We will be showing the documentary I am Not Your Negro which explores the history of racism in the United States through James Baldwin's recollections of civil rights leaders and his personal observations of American history. Food will be provided.

    RSVP here »

  18. Entering, Engaging and Exiting Communities

    January 27, 2018 - 9:00am to 12:00pm

    This workshop introduces principles and practices for thoughtfully engaging with communities, including motivations, impact of social identities, and strategies for engaging in reciprocal, ethical, and respectful ways. This interactive session engages participants through small and large group activities and discussion, applying principles for effective community engagement to the practice of social work. Offered by Edward Ginsberg Center staff, in partnership with the SSW Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

    RSVP here »

  19. Trans Health Activism in Detroit: Moving Forward Together

    January 26, 2018 - 2:00pm to 4:00pm

    Detroit transgender and gender nonconforming communities are leading a movement to demand safety, opportunity, and access to health and wellness services. This panel will discuss the work being done as part of that movement at the Ruth Ellis Center, a youth social services agency that serves LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness and residential instability. Speakers will include leaders from the Ruth Ellis community, as well as members of the medical and behavioral health teams. This event is part of the University's annual MLK Symposium.

    Panelists

    Amara Marley

    Brandi Smith

    Lance Hicks, MSW 

    Tyffanie Walton, EIS

    Moderator

    ​Maureen Connolly, MD
    Department of Pediatrics
    Henry Ford Health System

    Venue Accessibility

    Accessible entrance with power doors at South side, near the circle drive. Take elevator to 2nd floor. A gender neutral restroom is located on the 3rd floor, room #343T.

    Questions? Contact irwg@umich.edu

  20. White Fragility-The New Racism, and More Effective Steps to Undoing Racism

    January 25, 2018 - 12:00pm to 2:00pm

    Andy Horning will be speaking about White Fragility, and how a focus on our own process can lead to better more effective steps to undoing racism. A 1997 graduate of the School of Social Work, Andy Horning is a therapist in private practice in Boulder, Colorado. He is on the faculty of the Hoffman Institute, a personal growth retreat site in California and is also the founder and host of Elephant Talk, a podcast on courageous conversation in relationships. Lunch will be provided.

    RSVP Here »

  21. High Stakes Culture: What Does It Mean to Take a Knee?

    January 23, 2018 - 5:30pm to 7:00pm

    In the last few months a series of “culture wars” have been ignited across the country. Activists from all points of the political spectrum, even the President of the United States himself, are turning to beloved cultural objects to stake a claim for their differing beliefs in a politically fraught moment. Black athletes are taking a knee. Anti-immigration voters are rallying for a wall. Long-standing Confederate monuments are coming down.

    What is at stake in the ways we understand culture and cultural conflict? High Stakes Culture is a new series, presented by the Institute for the Humanities and the Humanities Collaboratory, that brings humanities perspectives to bear on current debates. Join us as we ask: How and why does culture matter so much now?

    Join the conversation as humanities scholars Angela Dillard (Afroamerican and African studies and Residential College), Matthew Countryman (history and American culture), Mark Clague (music), and Kristin Hass (American culture) tackle these questions and others you might have about high stakesculture now.

    When did sports and patriotism become so deeply linked?
    Has the flag always been viewed as sacred and purely a symbol of the armed forces?
    Where did the national anthem come from, and have people always stood when it is played?
    Who gets to decide what symbols deserve respect and what counts as a gesture of respect?

  22. Raised Right: Fatherhood in Modern American Conservatism

    January 23, 2018 - 3:00pm to 4:30pm

    How has the modern conservative movement thrived in spite of the lack of harmony among its constituent members? What, and who, holds together its large corporate interests, small-government libertarians, social and racial traditionalists, and evangelical Christians?

    In his new book, Raised Right: Fatherhood in Modern American Conservatism (Stanford University Press, 2017), Jeffrey R. Dudas, pursues these questions through a cultural study of three iconic conservative figures: National Review editor William F. Buckley, Jr., President Ronald Reagan, and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Examining their papers, writings, and rhetoric, Dudas identifies what he terms a "paternal rights discourse"—the arguments about fatherhood and rights that permeate their personal lives and political visions.

    For each, paternal discipline was crucial to producing autonomous citizens worthy and capable of self-governance. This paternalist logic is the cohesive agent for an entire conservative movement, uniting its celebration of "founding fathers," past and present, constitutional and biological. Yet this discourse produces a paradox: When do authoritative fathers transfer their rights to these well-raised citizens? This duality propels conservative politics forward with unruly results. The mythology of these American fathers gives conservatives something, and someone, to believe in—and therein lies its timeless appeal.

    Jeffrey R. Dudas is Associate Professor of Political Science and Affiliate Faculty of American Studies at the University of Connecticut. He specializes in the areas of American law, politics, and culture and focuses, in particular, on the many facets of the American politics of rights.

    Cosponsored by the Department of Sociology, Department of Women's Studies, and History Department

    Event Accessibility: Ramp and elevator access at the E. Washington Street entrance (by the loading dock). Power doors are at every accessible entrance. Gender neutral restroom on 1st floor. Questions? Contact irwg@umich.edu

    Book sales provided by Common Language Bookstore

  23. Celebrate People's History

    January 19, 2018 - 11:00am to 5:00pm

    Celebrate People’s History
    Curated by Josh MacPhee
    Exhibition Dates: January 19 - February 25, 2018

    The Celebrate People’s History (CPH) posters are rooted in the do-it-yourself tradition of mass-produced and distributed political propaganda. They are detourned to embody principles of democracy, inclusion, and group participation in the writing and interpretation of history. In dark times, it’s rare that a political poster is celebratory, and when it is, it almost always focuses on a small canon of male individuals: MLK, Ghandi, Che, or Mandela. Rather than create another exclusive set of heroes, curator Josh MacPhee decided to generate a diverse set of posters that bring to life successful moments in the history of social justice struggles. To that end, MacPhee asked artists and designers to find events, groups, and people who have moved the collective struggle of humanity forward in order to create a more equitable and just world. The resulting posters tell stories from the subjective position of the artists, and are often the stories of underdogs, those written out of history. The goal of the project is not to tell a definitive history, but to suggest a new relationship to the past.

    Today the CPH posters grace the walls of dorm rooms, apartments, community centers, classrooms, and city streets. 115 different designs have been printed in the past 20 years, adding up to over 300,000 total posters. Although MacPhee has organized and funded the posters himself, they have always been a collective project. Over one hundred artists and writers have created posters, multiple printshops have done the printing, dozens of people have run around at night pasting them on the street, and thousands have helped distribute them around the world.

    The Celebrate People’s History Poster Series has been organized and curated by Josh MacPhee since 1998.

  24. The Other America: Still Separate. Still Unequal

    January 19, 2018 - 8:00am to 5:00pm

    This interdisciplinary mini-conference will focus on racial inequality as it manifests in relation to the lived experiences of black Americans. Throughout the day, panelists will discuss the criminal justice system and state violence against black people, economic inequality and immobility, inequities in healthcare and education, and issues pertaining to race and the environment. Registration is required. The event is free and open to the public.

    RSVP here »

  25. Invisible No More: Police Violence Against Black Women and Women of Color

    January 18, 2018 - 6:00pm to 7:00pm

    Drawing from her recent book, Andrea Ritchie examines how Black women, Indigenous women, and women of color experience racial profiling, police brutality, and immigration enforcement. Placing stories of individual women—such as Sandra Bland, Rekia Boyd, Dajerria Becton, Monica Jones, and Mya Hall—in the broader context of the twin epidemics of police violence and mass incarceration, Ritchie documents the evolution of movements centering women’s experiences of policing and demands a radical rethinking of our visions of safety and the means we devote to achieving it.

    Andrea Ritchie, J.D., is a Black lesbian immigrant whose writing, litigation, and advocacy has focused on policing of women and LGBT people of color for the past two decades. She is currently Researcher in Residence on Race, Gender Sexuality and Criminal Justice at the Barnard Center for Research on Women’s Social Justice Institute, and was a 2014 Senior Soros Justice Fellow. She is the author of Invisible No More: Police Violence Against Black Women and Women of Color (Beacon Press, 2017), co-author of Say Her Name: Resisting Police Brutality Against Black Women (African American Policy Forum, July 2015), and Queer (In)Justice: The Criminalization of LGBT People in the United States (Beacon Press, 2011). Andrea is also an experienced litigator, policy analyst and advocate. Follow her on Twitter: @dreanyc12

    Presented with the Departments of Political Science and Women's Studies

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