Our April Tippie DEI newsletter includes a record number of Tippie and UI events, starting with our Tippie Monday Memoir on this coming Monday, April 4, at 12:00 PM, featuring Matsalyn Brown.
We also have an exciting DEI guest speaker visiting the BCaP course on April 11, Malaika Marable Serrano, Vice President for DEI at Guild Education , as well as an Inclusive Teaching Circle on April 22 on inclusive culture checklist for teams lead by Professor Michele Williams.
We are extremely pleased to announce that Iris Espana and Nikole Molina are the two UI business student recipients of the Alliant Energy/Erroll B. Davis, Jr., Achievement Award. Please join us in congratulating them during the Diversity Catalyst Award ceremony.
Please see below for details on our Tippie events, on numerous UI campus events, as well as DEI award ceremonies, resources, and monthly events and observances.
Tippie Events
Tippie Monday Memoir – Monday, April 4, at 12:00 PM CDT
In this month’s Monday Memoir, we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. At Tippie and the University of Iowa, we celebrate this Heritage Month in April, instead of the actual May observance, in order to ensure a full month of faculty, staff and student participation and engagement.
Our storyteller is Matsalyn Brown, Assistant to Dean Amy Kristof–Brown, Co-Chair of the UI Staff Council DEI Committee, and one of five Co-Chairs for the UI Pan Asian Council. Matsalyn received a BA from the University of Iowa in Anthropology and Asian Studies. She has been working with the Tai Studies Center to preserve the Tai history, language, and culture, a heritage that is not well known, even in the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Without a nation and a state, the Tai culture is slowly eroding and in danger of disappearing. Matsalyn endeavors to prevent that every chance she has through her work with the Tai Studies Center, which includes spreading awareness about the Tai peoples and their needs, helping to create English-Tai language lessons, and recording legends and histories of the Tai peoples.
Please mark your calendars and join us on Zoom on Monday, April 4, at 12:00 PM CST.
Business Communication and Protocol Guest Lecture – Monday, April 11, at 11:00 AM
Malaika Marable Serrano, Vice President for DEI at Guild Education is a guest lecturer in the BCaP course on April 11th at 11:00 AM. Mailaka recounts her personal and professional journey in navigating DEI and pioneering numerous DEI initiatives at WorldStrides and Guild Education.
All Tippie faculty and staff are invited to join on Zoom.
Inclusive Culture Checklist for Teams – Friday, April 22, at 12:00 PM CST
Professor Michele Williams will lead a discussion about the inclusive culture checklist for teams. Michele will share the current version of this checklist, which is intended to help student teams create an inclusive culture for all members, and will ask for feedback from the group. We will meet on Zoom.
UI Events
LNACC in Action Celebration Week – March 27 – April 2
The Latino Native American Cultural Center (LNACC) holds its 15th in Action Celebration week at the end of March and beginning of April. This is when the LNACC also celebrates its 50th Anniversary with a “Celebration of our Story” event on April 1st, 2022, both in person at Peterson Residence Hall from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and virtually. The schedule of events can be found here and the RSVP form for the 50th Anniversary event here.
Looking For Belonging – Mei Lam So MFA Exhibition – March 28 – April 2
The Looking for Belonging MFA Exhibition by Mei Lam So is displayed in the Visual Arts Building, E260 Ana Mendieta Gallery. A reception also takes place on April 1st at 6:00 PM CDT.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month – April 1 - 30
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated nationally during the month of May to commemorate the first immigrants who came from Japan on May 7, 1843. This month is celebrated in April at the University of Iowa through a series of events and pays tribute to the contributions generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders have made to American history, society, and culture. The theme for this year's celebration month is Chasing Waves: Creating Watershed Moments. This month is centered around learning something new and potentially creating radical change.
26th Annual University of Iowa Powwow – April 2, starting at 1:00 PM CDT
The 26th Annual UI Powwow is celebrating and honoring indigenous culture and tradition with the Iowa community. The powwow will be in person at the Field House and livestreaming from the UI Powwow website.
Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week – April 4 – 8
The Graduate College has joined with the Graduate Student Senate and the Graduate & Professional Student Government to encourage a week-long celebration of our graduate students during April 4-8, 2022. Learn more about the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students.
We encourage all faculty, staff, and students to come up with their own ideas and events focused on celebrating the contributions of graduate and professional students to celebrate and recognize the contributions of graduate students year-round. Some ideas include:
- Social media campaign highlighting student successes and contributions
- Virtual coffee break
- Netflix/YouTube party
- Virtual mind/wellness webinar
Please use the appreciation posters for virtual events announcements and post them on social media! Keep an eye out on @UIGradCollege, @UIowaISSE, @UIowaGPSG, @UIowaStudentGov, and @UIowaUCS.
Invisible Neighbors: Latinx Immigrants in Eastern Iowa – April 5, 7:00 PM CDT
Every week, new arrivals come to our area from Mexico and Central America. Many arrive with few possessions and only the thinnest personal network. These largely invisible newcomers to our community have immediate needs, some of which are being addressed by organizations like Open Heartland and UI-sponsored legal and medical clinics. We’ll hear more about our Latinx immigrant neighbors, their needs, and the work currently happening to assist them.
Speakers:
- Deb Dunkhase, founder of Open Heartland, a recently formed nonprofit that serves Latino immigrant families in Johnson County; adjunct in the UI College of Business; leader of annual medical mission to Guatemala
- Morgan Kennedy, third-year student in the UI Carver College of Medicine and organizer of a vaccination program in conjunction with the UI Mobile Clinic
- Laura Pico, third-year student in the UI College of Law, where she works in the Immigration Clinic
This virtual event is free and open to all, but registration is required.
Mental Health Speaker Series – Thursday, April 7, at 1:00 PM CDT
The UI Mental Health Postvention Task Force invites you to their next First Thursdays - Mental Health Speaker Series presentation. Join us on Thursday, April 7, as campus experts share their insights, and provide resources and strategies for coping.
Learn more and watch previous sessions on the Mental Health at Iowa website.
Celebration of Excellence and Achievement Among Women – April 6 at 4:00 PM CDT
The Celebration of Excellence and Achievement Among Women Award Reception is held on April 6th starting at 4:00 PM CDT. A link to this event will be provided on the event website.
Hawks of Color Event – April 8 at 11:30 AM CDT
“Uplifting Our Excellence” with Molly E. Hall-Martin
Molly E. Hall-Martin (Kul Wicasa Oyate/Lower Brule Lakota) is a Ph.D. candidate in the Higher Education and Student Affairs program at the University of Iowa. She has formerly served as the Director of Student Preparation & Success for the South Dakota Board of Regents, as a staff member at Lower Brule Community College, and as an intern at the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) and the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO). Her research focuses on equity in the implementation and impact of higher education policy, especially as it pertains to Indigenous students. She also studies the policies and politics surrounding Confucius Institutes, higher education governance, governing boards, and state agencies. Molly holds a bachelor’s degree in American Indian Studies from the University of North Carolina and a master’s degree in Adult and Higher Education from the University of Oklahoma.
Human Rights and Climate Change Series – Wednesday, April 20, at 12:00 PM CDT
Global South & Unequal Burdens
In the late 2000s, UI Center for Human Rights co-founder & Professor of Law Burns H. Weston spearheaded establishment of the Climate Legacy Initiative (CLI), a collaborative project of Iowa Law and the Vermont Law School that explored the human rights implications of climate change, particularly the concept of inter-generational rights and duties. In 2009, CLI issued the policy paper "Recalibrating the Law of Humans with the Laws of Nature: Climate Change, Human Rights, and Intergenerational Justice," authored by Weston and Tracy Bach.
The Spring 2022 webinar series, organized in partnership with Iowa Law's new Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative, revisits that prescient work and casts a critical eye toward the current urgency of climate change, key challenges, and the impact on human rights from local and global perspectives.
Join the webinars virtually.
Hawks of Color Social Event – April 22 at 4:00 PM CDT
The Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Diversity Councils, and the Graduate College invite all members of the community to join the Hawks of Color Social Celebration. Light hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be provided. Click to Register.
DEI Awards and Recognitions Announcements
We are very pleased to announce that Iris Espana and Nikole Molina are the two UI business student recipients of the Alliant Energy/Erroll B. Davis, Jr., Achievement Award. These awards were created to honor former Vice President Erroll B. Davis, Jr. by recognizing achievement, leadership, and service by a graduating senior in business or engineering at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa. A recognition ceremony will be held in conjunction with the University of Iowa Diversity Catalyst Awards via Zoom Webinar on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 from 3:00 to 4:30 PM. Representatives from Alliant Energy will also be in attendance.
Past business students winners of this award:
2021: Luz Alcala
2017: T’Shailyn Harrington
2015: Alejandro Murguía-Ortiz
2012: Jostten Sackitey
2011: Roberto Paniagua
Diversity Catalyst Award Ceremony – April 20 at 3:00 PM
For over twenty years, the Diversity Catalyst Awards honor faculty, staff, students, programs, departments, and student organizations who have engaged in D.E.I. initiatives during the previous academic year, promoting the development of an inclusive and diverse campus community. The Diversity Catalyst Award recognizes the excellence, innovative and distinctive inclusion efforts of campus constituents.
DEI Resources and Announcements
The UI DDEI released the 2021 Campus Climate Student Reports. The summary and detailed reports can be found here.
Campus Climate survey 2022 invitations are being emailed to all students, faculty, and staff between March 29 through May 28, 2022. This is a great opportunity to inform UI leadership of your view of our campus climate to shape policy, programming, and financial commitments bettering the Hawkeye experience.
The First Generation Initiative at Iowa has a new website. The 1stGen@Iowa initiative seeks to inform and educate the campus community, support first-generation students in their academic and career endeavors, and ensure that students ultimately succeed at the University of Iowa. Follow the 1stGen@Iowa initiative on social media too, on Instagram and Facebook.
The 1stGen@Iowa Mentor Network is an informal mentoring network that provides a space for first-gen students to ask questions and make useful connections. If you would like to become a 1stGen@Iowa Mentor, please check the 1stGen@Iowa Mentor Network page.
April – Events and Observances
April is Celebrate Diversity Month
April is Celebrate Diversity Month, a celebration that was initiated in 2004 to recognize and honor the diversity surrounding us all. By celebrating differences and similarities during this month, the universal hope is that people will gain a deeper understanding of each other.
April is National Volunteer/Community Service Month
April recognizes all those who give their time and energy during National Volunteer Month. In the United States, volunteerism is instilled at a young age. Most organizations in small towns, rural counties and the largest cities would not function without volunteers. In some families, the baton of volunteerism is handed down generation after generation.
April is Earth Month
Earth Month is a month-long emphasis on our planet, sustainability and how we can make the world a better place. Every year on April 22, people around the planet celebrate Earth Day, which marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.
April is Autism Awareness Month
Every April Autism Speaks celebrates World Autism Month, beginning with United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day on April 2. Throughout the month, we focus on sharing stories and providing opportunities to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism, fostering worldwide support.
April is Arab-American Heritage Month
Celebrating the rich and diverse culture and contributions of the diverse population of Arab Americans, National Arab American Heritage Month has been observed during the month of April since 2017.
April is Tartan (Scottish-American) Heritage Month
Each April, Scottish-American Heritage Month highlights Scottish heritage and remembers the Scottish-Americans who have had an impact on U.S. society. As one of the oldest immigrant groups to the Americas, the Scottish have played an important role in American development. During this month, Tartan Day, which commemorates the date of the Scottish Declaration of Independence is observed on April 6th.
April is Jazz Appreciation Month
Founded in 2001, Jazz Appreciation Month is a 30-day long festival that honors one of America’s earliest and most iconic art forms. Rich with extraordinary heritage and cultural history, jazz music originated in the blues era in the early 20th century.
April Fools’ Day – April 1
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Beginning of Ramadan – April 2
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is considered a holy month that honors the time when Allah, via the angel Gabriel, revealed the first verses of the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, to a caravan trader named Muhammad. This year, Ramadan is expected to begin at sundown on Saturday, April 2, and end at sundown on Sunday, May 1. The final evening of Ramadan consists of a celebration called Eid al-Fitr, when the traditional month-long fast is ended with a feast.
World Health Day – April 7
World Health Day marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. Each year this day draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. In 2022 WHO will focus global attention on urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on well-being.
International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda – April 7
On 7 April, UNESCO commemorates the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2003. The date marks the beginning of the genocide perpetrated against members of the Tutsi minority by the Hutu extremist-led government. Within just over 100 days, more than 1 million Tutsi were systematically murdered. Moderate Hutu and others who opposed the massacres were also killed during this period.
National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day - April 9
This day was introduced to honor American veterans of any wars that returned home after being released from prisons. The date of April 9 was chosen to commemorate the same day in 1942, when United States forces were surrendered by the Imperial Japanese Army on the Bataan Peninsula, beginning the Bataan Death March.
Palm Sunday - April 10
Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter. It commemorates and celebrates the day Jesus arrived in Jerusalem when his followers greeted him by laying palm leaves at his feet to demonstrate their reverence for him. In many churches, the observance of Easter begins on the night of Holy Saturday, just before Easter Sunday. This religious service is known as the Easter Vigil.
World Parkinson's Day – April 11
Every year on April 11th, World Parkinson’s Day raises awareness for this progressive nervous system disorder. It’s also a day to help the general public understand the reality of this disease for those who have it. According to recent statistics from the Parkinson’s Foundation, over 10 million people in the world have this disease.
Pan American Day – April 14
National Pan American Day on April 14 each year commemorates the First International Conference of American States, which concluded on April 14, 1890. The observance takes place during Pan American Week.
Vaisakhi – April 14
Vaisakhi is an ancient spring harvest festival that has been observed in the Punjab region for many centuries. It became closely associated with Sikhism at the end of the 17th century, when Guru Gobind Singh, leader of the Sikhs, chose the date of the festival to create the highest order that can reached by Sikhs, known as the Khalsa Panth.
Good Friday – April 15
Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, the day on which Christians annually observe the commemoration of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. From the early days of Christianity, Good Friday was observed as a day of sorrow, penance, and fasting, a characteristic that finds expression in the German word Karfreitag (“Sorrowful Friday”). Good Friday is celebrated on Friday, April 15, 2022.
Passover – April 15 -- 23
Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is one of the Jewish religion’s most sacred and widely observed holidays. In Judaism, Passover commemorates the story of the Israelites’ departure from ancient Egypt, which appears in the Hebrew Bible’s books of Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, among other texts. Jews observe the weeklong festival with a number of important rituals, including a traditional Passover meal known as a seder, the removal of leavened products from their home, the substitution of matzo (i.e. unleavened bread) for bread and the retelling of the Exodus tale.
Easter – April 17
Easter (Latin: Pascha, Greek: Pascha) is the most important holy day for Christianity. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a central belief for Christians worldwide and the focal point of their faith. Religious scholars believe the event occurred three days after the Romans crucified Jesus in roughly 30 AD. Easter is also significantly associated with the exodus of the Jews from Egypt as depicted in the Old Testament and the Jewish holiday of Passover.
Festival of Ridván – April 21 to May 2
The Festival of Ridván, celebrated by those of the Baha’i Faith, commemorates the 12 days when Bahá’u’lláh, the prophet-founder, lived in paradise, which is called Ridván. During this time, Bahá’u’lláh declared that he was the messenger of God for that time. This is the holiest of days in the Baha’i tradition.
Day of Silence – April 22
The GLSEN Day of Silence is a national student-led demonstration where LGBTQ students and allies all around the country and the world take a vow of silence to protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination of LGBTQ people in schools. Started in the mid 90’s by two college students, the Day of Silence has expanded to reach hundreds of thousands of students each year. Every April, students go through the school day without speaking, ending the day with Breaking the Silence rallies and events to share their experiences during the protest and bring attention to ways their schools and communities can become more inclusive.
Orthodox Good Friday – April 22
Orthodox Holy Friday (Great Friday) is typically observed one week later than Good Friday, with the exception of Leap Years. Many Orthodox churches retained the Julian calendar after the Gregorian calendar was introduced in Europe in 1582. Easter holidays, such as Good Friday, are “moveable feasts” as these dates change according to calendar calculations. Well-established Orthodox Churches in the United States include the Greek Hellenic Orthodox Church, the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, and the Russian Orthodox Church.
Saint George Day – April 23
The legend of Saint George and the Dragon describes the saint taming and slaying a dragon that demanded human sacrifices. St. George’s Day is celebrated on April 23, which represents the anniversary of his death in 303 AD. The patron saint of England has captivated British imaginations since the Crusades and the Hundred Years’ War. Perhaps the most British of all holidays, St. George’s red cross is the one we see illustrated on England’s flag.
Orthodox Easter / Pascha – April 24
In 325 AD, the Council of Nicaea decided that Easter would be observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the March equinox. Not all Christian churches observe Easter according to the Gregorian calendar. Many Orthodox churches still witness Orthodox Easter in congruence with the Julian calendar.
World Penguin Day – April 25
World Penguin Day recognizes one of our most unique birds on the planet. There are 17 species of penguins, and all their natural habitats are in the Southern hemisphere.
Global Intergenerational Week – April 25 to May 1
Global Intergenerational Week is a campaign aimed at inspiring individuals, groups, organizations, local/national government, and NGOs to fully embrace intergenerational practice, connecting people of all ages especially the younger and older generations. As we emerge from the pandemic it is vital that we develop and celebrate relationships between generations to rebuild communities, reduce isolation and loneliness and improve health and mental wellbeing.
International Worker’s Memorial Day – April 28
Each year on April 28th, Workers’ Memorial Day encourages national and international remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured, or made unwell by their work. Also known as International Workers’ Memorial Day or International Commemoration Day (ICD) for Dead and Injured, the slogan for the day is Remember the dead – Fight for the living.
Gathering of Nations – April 28 – 30
Gathering of Nations is the largest pow-wow in the United States and North America. It is held annually on the fourth weekend in April, on the Powwow Grounds at Expo NM, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Over 565 tribes from around the United States and 220 from Canada travel to Albuquerque to participate in dance competitions, tribal traditions and indigenous arts and crafts.
International Dance Day – April 29
The Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) established April 29 as International Dance Day in 1982 to highlight the amazing diversity and talent of dancers all over the globe. This date was chosen because it marks the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), the creator of modern ballet.