14 | UTSA | AGENTS OF CHANGE
BOLDIDEAS by Valerie B. Johnson and Libby Castillo
In its second year, COEHD’s REGSS department continues to make its mark as a key player in UTSA’s commitment to inclusivity Established in 2019, the Department of Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality Studies (REGSS) was born from student, community, and university activism. Since its inception, the department has remained committed to working with the UTSA and San Antonio communities to strive towards equality and social justice within the university and society as a whole.
robust background in social, cultural, human rights, and women studies experience, she brings to the department a wealth of knowledge and expertise.
In the fall of 2020. Alejandra Elenes, Ph.D., joined the Roadrunner family from Arizona State University to serve as chair. With a
The REGSS department continues to make strides in the community by providing courses important to current social discourse. Elenes
Elenes joined the department during a year fraught with challenges from a world pandemic, intensifying political division, and social unrest in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.
has big plans for the REGSS department and is eager to continue the already growing legacy of the department. “My long-term vision is for REGSS to become a national model for decolonial and intersectional scholarship and community engagement,” Elenes said. “I will advocate for the department seeking the necessary resources we need to serve our students. REGSS has an important role in the implementation of UTSA’s strategic plan and as a Hispanic Serving Institution.”
Special Guest Speaker As part of the Black Lives Matter: Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality class, the College of Education and Human Development together with Academic Affairs invited former NPR Host and Special Correspondent, Founding Director of “The Race Card Project” and Washington Post Opinions Contributor, Michele Norris to speak to students and UTSA community. Students from the class spearheaded the speaking engagement and were invited to come up with questions to ask Norris, with some students moderating the special event. “Our Black Lives Matter class wanted Michele to come because of her background and what we wanted to learn from the experience,” Xiolani Turner, a student from the class said. “Our class has had many guest speakers, and we really enjoy being able to see different perspectives from several different people just like us.” Norris offered students an in-depth perspective of both her personal and professional experiences and spoke about the many powerful stories people share through her Peabody Award-winning initiative, “The Race Card Project,” which fosters conversation among individuals about their differences. “Guest speakers are an important part of a student’s learning experience because we get a different view on things. It’s not straight from a textbook or lesson plan,” Turner said. “Michele Norris was an amazing speaker and having her here made our entire class feel so warm.”
