Diversity & Inclusion

FGLI Graduation Celebration – 5/25

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To the first generation and/or low-income students in the class of 2021:

We celebrate and honor your legacy!

We are proud of how much you have accomplished for yourselves, for your families, and us all. You are invited to the inaugural Honoring the Legacy event (RSVP link) to celebrate graduating FGLI seniors on Tuesday, May 25th from 12noon-1:30pm in the Hogwarts Tent (next to the parking lot at 301 High Street – Facebook event).  The Socioeconomic Status and Disability interns in The RC created this event to celebrate the graduating FGLI community at Wesleyan.  During the event the FGLI seniors will receive a free lunch, customized graduation swag, and well wishes from each other and the Wesleya n community.

DATE OF THE EVENT: May 25th, 2021
TIME: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
LOCATION: Hogwarts Tent (next to the parking lot at 301 High Street
Please RSVP (link) because seats are limited as we need to adhere to COVID-19 capacity restrictions.

To everyone who have friends and connections to the FGLI students in the class of 2021, please help us celebrate them by submitting your best Wesleyan memories with the graduates and/or video recording a few words of congratulations (submission link), be it pictures or videos. The videos and pictures will be compiled together to form a post collage and video montage that will be displayed throughout the event.  The submission deadline is May 18th at 5PM.

Thanks,

Griselda, Shakira, Briana, and Alice

FGLI Grad Celebration Flyer

Muslim Studies Open House on 4/7: “Queer in Translation: Sexual Politics under Neoliberal Islam”

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Wednesday 7 April 2021

4pm: Come to the open house for the Muslim studies minor;

4:30pm: Stay on for this year’s Muslim Studies talk by Prof. Evren Savci on:

“QUEER IN TRANSLATION: SEXUAL POLITICS UNDER NEOLIBERAL ISLAM.”

Join us here: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/95228139620

Contact Typhaine Leservot tleservot@wesleyan.edu for any questions.

 

Shu Tokita Prize – Submissions due by 4/5

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Shu Tokita Prize

Deadline: Monday, April 5, 2021

For Students of Color Studying Literature:

The Shu Tokita ’84 Prize is awarded to a student of color majoring in literature, in area studies, or a language major with a focus on literature that demonstrates the need for substantial financial assistance. The friends and family of Shu Tokita established the prize in memory of his passing from leukemia, five years after graduating from Wesleyan. For him, literature was a pursuit that spoke to his life, one from which he drew both insight and strength. The award focuses on supporting students of color, for whom the study of literature is often considered a luxury. Awarded to one or two sophomores and/or juniors who demonstrate a clear commitment to literature, the prize is usually $1,500 per year for the remainder of their time at Wesleyan. The recipient(s) of the Shu Tokita Prize will receive the annual award at the start of the following fall semester, that is, for their junior and/or senior year(s), with the hope to encourage the recipients to share their insights and wisdom with their communities. Current Wesleyan student winners of the Shu Tokita Prize are Irmina Benson ’21, Ericka Ekhator ’21, Jake Kwon ’21, and Jade Tate ’22.

ELIGIBILITY:

  1. Any domestic student of color (U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or undocumented student) who is a full-time Wesleyan sophomore or junior and is African American, Asian/Pacific American, Latino/a American, or Native American, is eligible to apply. The applicant must be in need of substantial financial aid.
  2. The applicant’s major or focus of study must be in literature. Applicants may be affiliated with the following departments: English, College of Letters, other language/literature departments, or area studies, e. g., East Asian Studies concentrating on Chinese or Japanese literature.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

The selection is based on the submitted 750-word essay on one of two topics, and on financial need, and not on academic standing.

Shu Tokita Prize–Submission Instructions

Understanding, Validating & Healing From Trauma – 3/3 & 3/10

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You are invited to participate in a two-part series we will be offering to students in the Wes community regarding personal trauma and substance use on campus.

In the first part, Understanding, Validating & Healing From Trauma, Demetrius Colvin (SRC), Jami Carlacio (ORSL), and September Johnson (WesWell) will speak about various forms of trauma they have encountered and the coping mechanisms- both healthy and unhealthy- that they have used to deal with it. In the second part, Coping and Connecting in Crisis: Substance Use and Self-Care During College, the speakers will share their experience as it relates to substance use (in the family and personally) and again, how they found hope by using effective coping skills and seeking help.

The presentation blends storytelling with professional knowledge and aims to reach students through presenters personal accounts of trauma and substance use. The focus ultimately centers on coping, recovery, and resilience, with the message being that life is messy but/and that we can emerge from it whole when we have the right support and resources.  We ask that you promote these two events with students, staff, and/or faculty you know who may benefit from it, whether as a trauma sufferer/survivor or as a resource for anyone who might need help. To be clear, we hope to start a campus-wide conversation about the increased intensity of challenges facing college students today as they navigate illness, death, isolation, fear, and insecurity due to the pandemic and to the effects of structural racism.

The presentations will be held on:

Wednesday March 3 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

Zoom Link: https://tinyurl.com/validatingtrauma

Facebook Link

Wednesday March 10 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

Zoom Link: https://tinyurl.com/copingincrisis

Facebook Link

Please reach out to us if you have questions or comments, and thank you in advance for spreading the message.

Sincerely,

Demetrius Colvin, Jami Carlacio, and September Johnson

Resource Center Reopens Today – 2/22

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The Resource Center will reopen after the Wesleyan quarantine period ends on Monday, February 22nd at 12noon.  Our operational hours for the rest of the semester will be Sunday-Friday from 12pm-8pm.  If you need to check out a book from the RC, you can see what books are available in the library by checking out our catalogue.  You can also check out books from the RC or request a book to be purchased through the FGLI Textbook Fund (even if you are studying remotely- we will ship the book to you).  Visit our website (https://www.wesleyan.edu/resourcecenter/programs.html) for more details.

Also starting this semester, students can reserve a room in the RC (the spare office which contains a large desk, a comfortable office chair, and a clear view of the street outside) for studying, working, and relaxing by using The RC Calendly. If you do not show up within the first 10 minutes of your reservation, the space will be free for anyone’s use.  To claim your time slot, simply check in with an RC employee in the front room before using the space!

Beyond providing academic supplies, The RC staff is eager to continue engaging with the Wesleyan student body on creating meaningful virtual community spaces for underrepresented and marginalized students.  Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay in the loop about our programs, initiatives, and opportunities that can benefit you and our community.  Also check out the Black History Month 2021 calendar on Ujamaa’s Instagram for other great programs to attend this month.  If you have an idea for a program or initiative that would help support underrepresented student populations on campus,  please reach out to us therc@wesleyan.edu with your suggestions.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

Resource Center Reopening Spring 2021

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Hello Everyone,

The Resource Center is now closed and will reopen after the Wesleyan quarantine period ends on February 22nd.  Our operational hours at that time will be Sunday-Friday from 12pm-8pm.  Although students are not able to physically check out books from the RC during quarantine, they can virtually reserve and check out books by filling out this form.  You can see what books are available in the library by checking out our catalogue.  You can also check out books from the RC or request a book to be purchased through the FGLI Textbook Fund even if you are studying remotely- we will ship the book to you.  Visit our website (https://www.wesleyan.edu/resourcecenter/programs.html) for more details.

Beyond providing academic supplies, The RC staff is eager to continue engaging with the Wesleyan student body on creating meaningful virtual community spaces for underrepresented and marginalized students.  Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay in the loop about our programs, initiatives, and opportunities that can benefit you and our community.  Also check out the Black History Month 2021 calendar on Ujamaa’s Instagram for other great programs to attend this month.  If you have an idea for a program or initiative that would help support underrepresented and marginalized student populations on campus,  please reach out to us therc@wesleyan.edu with your suggestions.  I hope you and your families are doing okay and safe travels to everyone returning to campus!

Sincerely,

-Demetrius

DEMETRIUS COLVIN

Director, The Resource Center

Wesleyan University
167 High Street | Middletown, CT 06459
P. (860) 685-3979 | E. dcolvin@wesleyan.edu

Website: https://www.wesleyan.edu/resourcecenter/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/wesresourcecenter/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wesresourcecenter/

Wesleyan’s First Annual Diversity Summit – 2/8

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The Office for Equity & Inclusion is hosting the 1st Annual Diversity Summit on Monday, February 8, 2021. Click on this Zoom link all day for an exciting lineup of short presentations, interactive workshops, sharing & community brainstorming.

Schedule:

9:30 am – 11:15 am     Community Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Updates

Hear your friends, coworkers and members from all over Wesleyan share what they have done in their departments to further their understanding of how to promote social justice, equity and antiracism.  This will be an opportunity to share ideas and actions and take some to share with others. 

11:15am – 12:15 pm   What is Diversity, Equity & Inclusion?  Video and reflection:

A pre-recorded conversation of the Office for Equity & Inclusion team reflecting on equity & inclusion and what it means globally, at Wesleyan, and personally

12:15 pm – 1:50 pm    Keynote:  Decision Making from an Anti-Oppressive Lens: a conversation and interactive workshop with Dr. Liza A. Talusan  

Commitment to diversity, inclusion and action are a community wide effort, and the work of the administrators, faculty, staff, students, advisors, counselors, and leaders can serve as both a springboard and a barrier to this work. In this interactive session, we will be engaging with definitions of diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice as a way to root our actions and utilize an anti-oppression decision making framework for you to implement in your practice.

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm      All-Campus Dialogue and Plenary Session

What are we taking away from today, how do we as a community move forward, what steps do you want to take? This is Wesleyan’s time to talk while we listen!

Join us on Monday for an exciting day of presentations and workshops by accessing the Zoom conference and using the password inclusion. The schedule is also available on the Equity and Inclusion website. We look forward to your participation!

 

Pride in STEM Conference – 11/18

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This is a repost of an email sent by VP for Equity and Inclusion, Dr. Alison Williams on Nov. 6th.

Pride in STEM Virtual Conference

“Join Pride in STEM to celebrate the third annual LGBTQ+ STEM Day at the LGBTQ+ STEM Day Virtual Conference on 18th November, 2020!

To commemorate American Astronomer and gay activist Frank Kameny’s US Supreme Court fight against workplace discrimination, the conference is about what motivates and challenges us – in our professional lives, in our personal lives, in our practice as researchers, in our lived experiences as members of plural, intersecting, communities, in our pasts and in our futures.”

Learn more at

https://prideinstem.org/lgbtstemday/lgbtq-stem-day-virtual-conference/