Welcome back from the Labor Day weekend (honoring the 19th century labor movements and the strides made for workers’ rights) and onto the official start of fall! As we move into the energy of the season, the DEI newsletter will be taking on a more streamlined approach with a continued focus on Tippie and UI DEI-related events.
The fall semester DEI themes for the college focus on building and growing our community and fostering belonging. We hope the events and opportunities included in this newsletter help stimulate discussion and reflection as together we build a nurturing and supportive environment for students, staff, and faculty in our community.
Pam Bourjaily, on behalf of the Tippie DEI Committee (Julie Alexander, Kris Arens, Pam Bourjaily, Larry Cook, Amy McDonald, Gabriela Rivera, Michele Williams, Ying Yang, Armando Zavaleta and student liaison Mina Song)
Tippie and UI Events relating to DEI and belonging
Black Excellence Week Kickoff Sept. 9
Hawks of Color: Uplifting Our Excellence with Jesus “Chuy” Renteria
Sept. 9 from 4pm – 6pm @ UCC 2766-Training
Jesus “Chuy” Renteria is an artist, writer, dancer, and teacher, but above all, he is a storyteller. Born in Iowa City and raised in West Liberty IA, both sides of his family are from border towns in Mexico that transplanted to meatpacking towns in the Midwest.
Growing up in West Liberty, he oscillated between the Mexican, Laotian, and small-town cultures that made up Iowa’s first majority-Hispanic town. Chuy tells stories celebrating the spaces between cultures, of mangled Spanglish and generational clashes, of the messiness of people finding themselves. He was the host of The Englert's Writers of Color Reading Series podcast. His first full length publication, a memoir titled “We Heard it When We Were Young,” released in November 2021 with The University of Iowa Press.
Hawks of Color is a place of welcome and community building while celebrating excellence! Formerly Faculty and Staff of Color, Hawks of Color is a re-envisioned community space to support and promote conversations among historically underrepresented, global majority and/or marginalized faculty, staff, postdocs, and students at the UI.
Study Abroad Fair: Sept. 13 from 10am – 3pm @ IMU 2nd floor ballroom and Sept. 14 (virtual component)
Students can kick start their global experience at the Fall Study Abroad Fair.
Day One (Sept. 13): Explore study abroad programs and global internships, learn about scholarships and grants, and connect with study abroad advisors and students who have returned from abroad.
Day Two (Sept. 14): This year’s fair also includes a virtual component, featuring webinars that focus on major-specific international opportunities. See the full schedule here.
All fair attendees who register their attendance at the fair will be entered to win a $500 scholarship to study abroad.
Latinx Heritage Month takes place every year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. The Latinx community includes any person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin.
Latinx heritage month begins on Sept. 15 because the date signifies the anniversary of independence for several Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua (all on Sept. 15th), Mexico (Sept. 16th), and Chile (Sept.18).
For a 2-minute video on What is Latinx Heritage Month? : view LGBTQ+ Students Celebrate Latinx Heritage: https://www.teachforamerica.org/events/latinx-heritage-month-resources
Latinx Youth Summit: Fri, Sept. 23, 8:30am to 3:30pm
Iowa Memorial Union (IMU)
The 23rd annual Latinx Youth Summit hosts participants from Iowa High Schools (grades 9–12), educational advisors, community members, and community organizations at the University of Iowa on Sept. 23, 2022, from 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m. This year, the summit will focus on wellness, health, and wisdom and new this year, an inaugural art competition. Register Here
Tippie Monday Memoir: Mon. Sept. 26, 12:30 – 1:00 pm (Zoom)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://uiowa.zoom.us/j/5349208362
We kickoff the 1st Monday Memoir of the 2022-23 year by featuring creative and social media specialist Hannah Hilgenkamp. Hannah joined the Tippie family in April and manages the social media accounts and helps to find and create media content. She helps us tell out Tippie stories— now we get to hear hers!
Throughout the Fall term: 55 Years of International Writers in Iowa City
Main Library Gallery: 9am – 6pm weekdays; Tues until 8pm; 1-5pm weekends
The International Writing Program (IWP) has brought close to 1,600 writers from more than 150 countries to the University of Iowa since 1967. In celebration of the program’s 55th anniversary, the exhibition A Hub, a Network, an Archive: 55 Years of International Writers in Iowa City tells the story of IWP’s genesis, its role in cultural diplomacy, Iowa City as a site of literary praxis and global networking, and the images of Iowa that writers have carried home with them as represented in their work.
Ongoing UI workshops and trainings relating to DEI and belonging
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion-Related Workshops for faculty, staff, and grad students (incl. Sparkshops!):
Sessions for 2022-23 are available for registration through the Employee Self-Service My Trainings portal. Multiple sections will be offered in the series listed below:
- Building University of Iowa Leadership for Diversity (BUILD) Certificate Program: This initiative is an opportunity to gain strategic knowledge and skills to contribute to a welcoming and inclusive environment.
- LGBTQ Safe Zone Project: This campus-wide program offers a visible message of inclusion, affirmation, and support to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people in the university community.
- National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI): This campus-wide program works through a coalition-building model to provide leadership training for inclusion and equity with the goal of eliminating all forms of prejudice and discrimination.
To learn more about these UI DEI workshops and additional initiatives** visit training and workshop options.
** Check out Sparkshops: In partnership with Faculty Senate and Center for Teaching, Inclusive Education and Strategic Initiatives host 20-minute sessions focused on one specific skill or practice.
Our goals are that individuals who participate in these sessions will:
- Explore quick skills and tips around relevant DEI-related topics
- Increase connection and exposure to larger initiatives across campus
- Build confidence around inclusive and equitable practices
Each session is framed around thinking about what, so what, and now what.
Cultivating Inclusive Communities: New, online, and voluntary, DEI simulation-based professional development program available for faculty and staff this fall.
Using Kognito’s learning methodology, game design, and simulation sciences, the program will enhance conversational skills in a practice-based scenario. These communication strategies will improve confidence and preparedness to have conversations across differences while supporting faculty and staff’s role in cultivating inclusive communities.
Sept 2022 Religious Festivals Calendar
9/10 to 9/25 – Pitru Paksha: A time when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors.
9/11 – Coptic New Year: Also known as Nayrouz, this is a feast day that commemorates both martyrs and confessors in the Coptic Orthodox Christian Church.
9/17* – Arbaeen: A day of observance for Muslims that concludes the 40-day mourning period after the Day of Ashura.
9/23 – Mabon: This day marks the autumnal equinox in the Pagan and Wiccan religions.
9/23 to 9/31 – Paryushana: A Jain festival about forgiveness considered the faith’s most important religious observance
9/25(sundown) to 9/27 – Rosh Hashanah: The Jewish New Year begins this year at sundown on Sept. 25th, marking the start of the High Holidays culminating 10 days later with Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the universe, the day Adam and Eve were created and is celebrated with reflection, prayers, and hope for a sweet new year.
9/26 to 10/4 – Navaratri: A Hindu festival that celebrates the Mother Goddess Durga. The festival is celebrated in the bright half of the Hindu calendar month, Ashvin, typically in the months of Sept/Oct. It takes place at the same time as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, a 9-day Taoist celebration beginning on the eve of the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar.