Women in the News
Hagan Appointed Dean’s Fellow for Diversity and Inclusion
A
s the newly appointed Dean’s Fellow for Diversity and Inclusion in the College of Fine and Applied Arts at Appalachian State University, Cara Hagan, an FAA associate professor of dance, said she has ambitious plans to lead efforts to combat racism, sexism and other problems that plague society. “At some point, history is going to ask you what you did, and I don’t want to be caught scratching my head,” she said. Hagan, who assumed her new role in July, said one of the first initiatives she has in her sights is working with FAA Interim Dean Janice T. Pope to establish an Institute for Creative Justice, with the goal of “advancing equality, one great idea at a time.” According to Hagan, the institute will offer “sandbox sessions” to cultivate dynamic brainstorming that leads to new, shared philosophies in action; a related podcast/TV show to air on the university’s AppTV; and grants to fund projects for faculty, staff and students who are working to advance creative justice ideals and action. Hagan will also be conducting a college-specific, qualitative inclusion study as part of the institute, which will help faculty, staff and students work toward inclusive solutions in discipline-specific ways. “Cara Hagan doesn’t back down from
a challenge, whether it’s combating systemic racism, fighting for equality or even helping her neighbors prepare for a pandemic,” Pope said. “She has a tremendous spark and passion for delving into these complex Appalachian State University’s Cara Hagan, associate professor of dance studies, with her issues that Black Lives Matter artwork. Hagan is selling the art to benefit anti-racism organizations. our university, Photo submitted community and as the High Country Agency on Aging world are facing.” and Boone’s OASIS (Opposing Abuse Pope continued, “The Institute for with Service, Information and Shelter). Creative Justice will complement our Additionally, the group stocked a handful college’s history of creating impactful of free mask stations around the Boone projects such as the Climate Stories Colarea between April and June. laborative, the solar vehicle team and the Hagan serves as president of AppaIDEXlab that address issues related to clilachian’s Black Faculty and Staff Assomate change, social justice and, honestly, ciation and has taught in Appalachian’s just ways we can be better people.” Honors College. Additionally, she is an As a community activist and organizauthor, a film festival curator and an artist. er, Hagan is the founder and driving force By selling her Black Lives Matter artwork, behind Small and Mighty Acts (SAMA), a available at Hatchet Coffee in Boone, group that recently has sewn and donated Hagan has raised $6,000 in two months to hundreds of cloth face masks to local benefit anti-racism organizations. and regional service organizations, such
Former Teacher Writes Book About Watauga Winter Event
T
In her new book, former Parkway Elementary School teacher and author Billie Hicklin remembers a day when students and staff were stuck at school due to weather. Photo submitted
hose who call the High Country home year-round know that at times unexpected weather can blow in without a moment’s notice. This was true on the afternoon of Jan. 26, 1996, when a dip in temperature turned roads into ice slicks, causing five accidents on U.S. 421 alone and stranding more than 600 students and staff at Parkway Elementary School for hours. Recently, former educator Billie Hicklin detailed the events of that wintry
afternoon in a book that she titled “The Long, Longer, Longest Day: How to Survive Being Stuck at School.” During the time of the event Hicklin was a seventh-grade teacher at Parkway Elementary and was one of several individuals forced to make the best out of a bad situation once the call was made to bunker down in the school for the foreseeable future. Continued on next page November-December 2020 | 7
