DIVERSITY MATTERS
MAY – JUNE 2017
INSIDE THIS ISSUE LGBT Pride Month. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Meet and Greet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Film: Out at Work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Commemorative Month Observances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Writeup of UTHSC Celebration. . . . . . 3 Lantern Light Festival. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 TIP Program Kickoff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 New OED Team Members and New Location. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Religious Holidays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Community Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
LGBT PRIDE MONTH “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (LGBT Pride Month) is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan. The Stonewall riots were a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. In the United States the last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as “Gay Pride Day,” but the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation the “day” soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events. Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts. LGBT Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.
OFFICE OF EQUITY AND DIVERSITY TEAM
In 1994, a coalition of education-based organizations in the United States designated October as LGBT History Month. In 1995, a resolution passed by the General Assembly of the National Education Association included LGBT History Month within a list of commemorative months.
Michael Alston, EdD, CCDP/AP
LGBT History Month is also celebrated with annual month-long observances of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, along with the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. National Coming Out Day (October 11), as well as the first “March on Washington” in 1979, are commemorated in the LGBT community during LGBT History Month.”
uthsc.edu/oed/staff
Assistant Vice Chancellor
Amber Carter
Publications Editor, Diversity Matters
Dustin Fulton, MS
Sr. Equity Assurance Administrator
loc.gov/lgbt-pride-month/about
Maggie Joyce, JD
Sr. OED Consultant
Lauren Rotonda, JD, MBA Sr. Inclusion Strategist
Sophia Mosher, MPA Administrative Aide
The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/ Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA/V institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services.
MEET AND GREET On June 9th, a group of students, faculty, and staff met to discuss what it means to be LGBTQIA+ and the purpose of Pride Month. This group included individuals who are members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies around campus. The group addressed common misconceptions about identity and labeling and how allies can support those in the LGBTQIA+ community— specifically in the context of our work environment. 1
DIVERSITY MATTERS
MAY – JUNE 2017
FILM: OUT AT WORK On Monday, June 26, 2017 all faculty, staff and students were invited to attend the screening and training centered on the movie, Out at Work, a film that vividly illustrates what happens when LGBT individuals are not legally protected from employment discrimination through inspiring stories. Attendees viewed the film and discussed the emotional and legal realities of being out at work. If you are interested in viewing the film and were unable to attend the event, please get in touch with the OED.
COMMEMORATIVE OBSERVANCES Want to know more about the Office of Equity and Diversity’s (OED) programming efforts with commemorative months? Visit uthsc.edu/oed/events for a list of notable observed commemorative months. These recurrent observances are used by various governments, groups and organizations to raise awareness of an issue, commemorate a group or event, or celebrate something. OED’s programming efforts related to commemorative months are offered to enhance the knowledge and understanding of cultural diversity, cultural competence and inclusion, but more importantly are in support of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s (UTHSC) mission. The Law Library of Congress provides commentary and recommended resources for selected national observances and commemorative months.
SELECTED COMMEMORATIVE OBSERVANCES CELEBRATED AT UTHSC: • Black History Month February
ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
• Women’s History Month March
• Asian Pacific Heritage Month May
“May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. A rather broad term, Asian/Pacific encompasses all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island).”
• LGBT Pride Month
In 1978, a resolution was passed to designate Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week in the beginning of May, and in 1990 was expanded to encompass the entire month of May.
• National Disability Employment Awareness Month
“The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.” asianpacificheritage.gov/about
June
• Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
September 17
• National Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15 – October 15
October
• Veterans Day
November 11
• American Indian Heritage Month November
2
UTHSC CELEBRATES ASIAN/PACIFIC HERITAGE MONTH viral internet clips. After reading, participants took a short quiz to be entered into a drawing for a gift certificate to Sekisui. The following week another article and quiz were sent out, this time called “Sammy Lee Climbed Above Racism, Dove Into Olympic History,” a story about the first Asian-American man to win an Olympic gold medal, and the challenges he faced on his path to victory. Charmagyne Akram was our week one winner, and Nicolas Brewton won the following week.
To celebrate Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, the Office of Equity and Diversity hosted two online events, where all students, staff and faculty were invited to participate in a drawing. On May 23rd, everyone was invited to read an article entitled “I Saw a Mom, My Friends Saw a Nanny, Nobody Sees Their Preconceptions,” from Hyphen: Asian America Unabridged, which explores how our personal experiences and implicit biases constantly shape our perceptions of the world, even as we engage in such seemingly inconsequential activities as watching
LANTERN LIGHT FESTIVAL From March 31 through May 21, the Lantern Light Festival was on display at the Agricenter, coinciding with the beginning of Heritage Month. The event, a traveling exhibition of hand-crafted Chinese lanterns, pays homage to the pageantry of the Lantern Festival, a tradition which began in China over 2,000 years ago. According to the production company’s website, the festival holds symbolic significance and marks the return of spring. Over 400 lanterns were on display, including a dragon which measured over 300 feet in length, and a 30-foot tall panda. There were also a number of tributes to local iconography, such as a music-themed scene which featured a reproduction of BB King’s famous Beale Street sign. Each lantern is custom built by Chinese artisans, who weld and shape steel rods to create a frame which is then covered in silk. If you missed the festival, you can still visit other cultural attractions highlighted in our Heritage Month campaign. The Belz Museum of Asian & Judaic Art features an extensive collection of Asian artwork and sculpture, while the grounds of the Memphis Botanic Garden include several specialty gardens which highlight Asian flora and horticulture. The Belz Museum of Asian & Judaic Art 119 South Main Street, Concourse Level Memphis, TN 38103 901.523.2787 belzmuseum.org Memphis Botanic Garden 750 Cherry Road Memphis, TN 38117 901.636.4100 memphisbotanicgarden.com
3
DIVERSITY MATTERS
MAY – JUNE 2017
TIP PROGRAM KICKOFF The Tennessee Institute for Pre-Professionals (TIP) kicked off June 5th with an opening ceremony and luncheon. TIP has three tracks for students who wish to pursue health professions: Track I places freshmen/sophomores in a primary care internship in a clinical setting based on each student’s interest, Track II provides comprehensive test preparation for juniors and seniors preparing to take their professional school admissions test, and Track III is for students who have already been accepted for admission to UTHSC, and offers coursework similar to that of the first year’s curriculum as well as learning skills preparation. This year UTHSC received more than 200 applications, admitting a total of 62 students to the program: 16 in Track I, 31 in Track II, and 15 in Track III. Their sites include UTHSC University Health Services, Le Bonheur, West Cancer Center, Office of Joseph Westbrook, DDS, Memphis Physical Therapy, Walgreens Pharmacy, and the UTHSC Pharmacy Compounding Lab. The TIP student pictured is Wynton Philips, a junior at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Pictured with Wynton is Julia Davis, Clinical Coordinator for the UTHSC Pharmacy Compounding Lab.
NEW OED TEAM MEMBERS AND NEW LOCATION LAUREN ROTONDA, JD, MBA Senior Inclusion Strategist
Lauren Rotonda serves as Senior Inclusion Strategist within the Office of Equity and Diversity. Prior to joining UTHSC, Lauren worked in health science administration and the private legal sector. As Sr. Inclusion Strategist, Lauren’s duties primarily include activities which promote and facilitate institutional compliance with ADA/Section 504, conducting investigations, developing and implementing programs which promote diversity and inclusion, and reviewing and auditing faculty and executive administration search processes to ensure compliance with EEO/AA laws and guidelines, UT policies and procedures, and federal requirements. Lauren is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She received a BA and MBA from the University of New Mexico, before earning a Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis School of Law.
SOPHIA MOSHER, MPA Administrative Aide
Sophia Mosher is the Administrative Aide for the Office of Equity and Diversity. She joined UTHSC in May 2017, after completing a Master of Public Administration degree at the University of Memphis. Previously, she worked as an English teacher in Clarendon, AR, through Teach for America. As Administrative Aide, Sophia coordinates the Diversity Matters newsletter, employee awards, and assists with other OED business. Sophia is originally from northern Michigan, and is an alumna of Michigan State University’s James Madison College, where she received a BA in Comparative Cultures and Politics. 4
DIVERSITY MATTERS
MAY – JUNE 2017
RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS July 2
Asalha Puja Day Buddhist
July 9
Martyrdom of the Bab Baha’i (begins sundown on 8)
July 13
Ulambana (Obon) Buddhist
Lailat al Kadr Islam (begins sundown on 12)
July 18–21
Eid al Fitr Islam (begins sundown on 17)
July 23
Emperor Haile Selassi birthday Rastafari
July 24
Pioneer Day Mormon Christian
July 26
Tish’a B’av Jewish (begins sundown on 25)
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS DROP THE MIC POETRY SYMPOSIUM
WOMEN’S THEATRE FESTIVAL OF MEMPHIS
Two day poetry symposium, including workshops to help artists hone their craft, and a slam competition.
Organized to recognize the contributions of women to theatre, the Women’s Theatre Festival of Memphis consists of performances in many different theatre arts, workshops, and awards.
For more information visit civilrightsmuseum.org/events?edl=90days August 18 9:00 am – 5:00 pm National Civil Rights Museum
For more information visit womenstheatrefestivalofmemphis.net/about.html
August 19 5:00 – 8:30 pm Minglewood Hall
July 10–16 Hattiloo Theatre
For more information, please contact: Office of Equity and Diversity | 920 Madison Avenue | Suite 825 phone 901.448.2112 | fax 901.448.1120
uthsc.edu/oed 5