Diversity and Inclusion

Sharing Circles are a process we are using to further understand the ways various groups on campus experience Lawrence. They are one of several activities being implemented in response to 2018 campus climate survey results and as part of our Truth and Reconciliation at Lawrence campaign. Sharing Circles provide an opportunity for a particular group of people (students, faculty, and staff) to discuss personal experiences, challenges, insights and strategies they have developed to thrive at Lawrence. This process is grounded in the concept of talking circles used by many Indigenous Peoples.

If you come from a background that you consider low income or are a student who is eligible for a Pell Grant, we invite you to join us and share your experiences on April 10, 2019 from 4:30pm to 6pm in the Nathan Marsh Pusey Room (325). Contact the Office of Diversity and Inclusion with any questions.

Please let us know you are coming, click here: go.lawrence.edu/13276

Friday, April 13 from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, April 14 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at St. Norbert College

Lawrence University is a sponsor of the White Privilege Symposium, hosted by The Privilege Institute and St. Norbert College. The Diversity and Intercultural Center has offered to pay the registration fee for a limited number of students who would like to attend. Lawrence faculty, staff and students are being offered a discounted registration fee of $40. Lawrence fleet van(s) will be available on both days to provide transportation to and from the symposium.

Symposium participants will learn about the history of privilege in this country and explore ways to advance equity. With the help of keynote speakers and workshops, they will explore issues such as income inequality, disparities in the justice system, and barriers to education and employment as impediments to progress. This is not about blame; this is about listening deeply, talking with each other and increasing awareness that leads to the understanding we all desire. All are invited! Your attendance is an investment in the future of our communities, which are enriched by diverse experiences.

Registration for Students: To register, contact Dr. Brittany Bell at brittany.m.bell@lawrence.edu.

Registration for Faculty and Staff: To register and receive the discounted price, please follow these steps:
1) Click here > https://web.cvent.com/event/541828db-561c-4153-b8f7-5fb6c4d31251/summary
2) Click: Register Now
3) Select: SNC Student
4) Enter your LU ID Number to receive the discounted pricing of $40 (regular price $110)

**Important note to faculty and staff: If you plan to meet on campus and ride in the LU fleet vehicles please email emily.r.wilson@lawrence.edu to ensure we reserve an appropriate number of vehicles. The deadline to reserve your spot in an LU vehicle is Monday, April 8. Thank you for your help!

Join us on Friday, April 12, 2019 from 1-5pm in Hurvis Room 225!

Upstander/Bystander Training prepares participants to intervene safely and appropriately when witnessing incidents of discrimination, harassment or harm. Participants engage with real-life scenarios to enable them to effectively identify and challenge negative narratives and behaviors. Become an agent for change and foster a positive of culture of safety and respect in your places of influence!
Let us know you are coming, click here >http://go.lawrence.edu/13276

April 16, 2019, 7:00 – 8:30pm | Warch Campus Center Cinema (204)

Join us for a panel examining the origins and lasting impact of the practice of blackface in America. The recent controversy regarding the Governor of Virginia’s 1984 medical school yearbook page that contained photographs of a person in blackface with others dressed as members of the Ku Klux Klan has caused many college communities to investigate the history of this practice at their institutions and its implications for campus climate today. The panel will examine the history of minstrelsy, archival information regarding this practice at universities across the country including Lawrence, and current student reaction to these recent events. Brief opening remarks by each panelist will be followed by Q & A from the audience. This panel is an opportunity to better understand a practice that ensconced many of the stereotypes we know today regarding African Americans in our national collective consciousness.     

Please let us know you are coming >  go.lawrence.edu/13276

Environmental Justice – Global Movement, Local Actions

April 9, 2019, 11:15am in Hurvis Room 225

The environmental justice movement, briefly, is built on the idea that negative environmental consequences are disproportionately felt by vulnerable, marginalized communities. To understand key environmental issues like climate change, deforestation and freshwater scarcity, therefore, we need to understand intersections with race, gender, and class. This discussion will explore the origins of the global environmental justice movement and connect it to local projects from students in the ENST 300 Environmental Justice symposium.

Please let us know you are coming – click here >  go.lawrence.edu/13276

“The Power of Inclusion” 2019 Multicultural Calendar is still available for download!

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is providing an electronic multicultural calendar to all faculty, staff and students. You can add the multicultural calendar to your personal Outlook calendar. This calendar includes:

• Dates with explanations for each of the world’s twelve major religions and the cultural festivals of most ethnic groups in North America.
• Religions of Aboriginal Peoples, Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islam, Jain, Jewish, Shinto, Sikh, Wicca and Zoroastrian.
• Cultural Festivals of over 140 countries including Afro-Canadian/American, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Caribbean, China, Denmark, United Kingdom, Egypt and many more.
• Heritage Months for USA, Canada and UK

Click here to get your 2019 Multicultural Calendar “The Power of Inclusion.”

Presented by Professional Development subcommittee for the President’s Committee on Diversity Affairs

Creating a Safe Space

90 percent of transgender people experience harassment or discrimination in the workplace. Everyone has the right to a workplace that is free from emotional harassment, physical harassment, and/or discrimination. Likewise, we all have a responsibility to help create safe spaces at work for our transgender colleagues.

http://www.vault.com/blog/workplace-issues/how-to-create-a-safe-space-for-transgender-coworkers/

This month, we are featuring a link to a self-guided training to increase your knowledge of, and broaden your perspective on, LGBTQ+ issues. The training will introduce foundational LGBTQ+ concepts, as well as provide you with the tools and vocabulary to continue to grow in your ability to help create a safe and collegial workspace.Continue reading

Environmental Justice – Global Movement, Local Actions

April 9, 2019, 11:15am in Hurvis Room 225

The environmental justice movement, briefly, is built on the idea that negative environmental consequences are disproportionately felt by vulnerable, marginalized communities. To understand key environmental issues like climate change, deforestation and freshwater scarcity, therefore, we need to understand intersections with race, gender, and class. This discussion will explore the origins of the global environmental justice movement and connect it to local projects from students in the ENST 300 Environmental Justice symposium.

Please let us know you are coming – click here >  go.lawrence.edu/13276

April 16, 2019, 7:00 – 8:30pm | Warch Campus Center Cinema (204)

Join us for a panel examining the origins and lasting impact of the practice of blackface in America. The recent controversy regarding the Governor of Virginia’s 1984 medical school yearbook page that contained photographs of a person in blackface with others dressed as members of the Ku Klux Klan has caused many college communities to investigate the history of this practice at their institutions and its implications for campus climate today. The panel will examine the history of minstrelsy, archival information regarding this practice at universities across the country including Lawrence, and current student reaction to these recent events. Brief opening remarks by each panelist will be followed by Q & A from the audience. This panel is an opportunity to better understand a practice that ensconced many of the stereotypes we know today regarding African Americans in our national collective consciousness.     

Please let us know you are coming >  go.lawrence.edu/13276

Join us on Friday, April 12, 2019 from 1-5pm in Hurvis Room 225!

Upstander/Bystander Training prepares participants to intervene safely and appropriately when witnessing incidents of discrimination, harassment or harm. Participants engage with real-life scenarios to enable them to effectively identify and challenge negative narratives and behaviors. Become an agent for change and foster a positive of culture of safety and respect in your places of influence! 
Let us know you are coming, click here >http://go.lawrence.edu/13276