As the nation reeled from news of shootings—Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Dreasjon Reed and George Floyd—Chancellor Nasser Paydar issued a statement confirming his support of the Black Lives Matter movement and commissioned an IUPUI Action Committee.
Charged with developing additional initiatives to enhance its anti-racism programs, the Action Committee includes students, staff, faculty and administrators. Within weeks, the committee generated a dynamic list calling for the expansion, continuation, reintroduction and creation of anti-racism programs to engage students, staff, faculty and the local community. Working with the knowledge that anti-racism work never ends, the committee recommended multi-pronged, multi-year initiatives with assessment measures that enable change, adaptation and growth over time.
The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, along with other IUPUI departments, is offering multiple virtual opportunities for members of the IUPUI community to educate themselves about diversity and racial equity.
Here is a look at upcoming activities and resources:
New Anti-Racism Resources
The DEI resources page now features a section of anti-racism initiatives. Featured are multiple resources for the IUPUI community to use as self-guided learning and support tools.
The site includes hiring, retention, recruitment and academic policies; education for staff, faculty and administration; engaging the campus and mcommunity; racism and mental health; IUPD transparency and safety; student services; and student and community education.
2020 IUPUI Diversity Speaker Series
Speakers from multiple backgrounds and ethnicities will speak about the topic of diversity during these upcoming webinars.
September 29, 2020—6:00 p.m.
Kat Lazo, a video producer for the Latino digital platform Mitú, is most known for her series “The Kat Call,” where she debunks taboos and misconceptions about the Latino community.
October 6, 2020—6:00 p.m.
Hinaleimoana WongKalu (Hina) is an advocate for Native Hawaiian issues including politics, culture, language and history.
October 29, 2020—6:00 p.m.
Khalil Gibran Muhammad is a professor of History, Race and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
November 12, 2020—6:00 p.m.
Tatanka Means is an award-winning actor, stand-up comedian and motivational speaker from Chinle, Arizona. He represents the Navajo, Oglala Lakota and Omaha Nations.
Visit the DEI events calendar for more information on how to join.
White Racial Literacy Project will focus on “Creating Racially Inclusive Classrooms”
A monthly webinar with Dr. Kathy Obear, Center for Transformation and Change and author of Turn the Tide, …But I’m Not Racist, and In it for the Long Haul.
Mark your calendar for 2 – 3:30 p.m. on September 11, October 9, November 13, December 11, February 12, March 12, April 9.
More information about how to join the webinars can be found here.
IUPUI Staff and Faculty Reading Groups
In response to the multiple requests to learn more about race, racism and how to dismantle racist policies, DEI is scheduling a yearlong, guided reading and discussion of Ibram X. Kendi’s How to Be An Antiracist.
Books will be provided to all participants who sign up for one of 21 groups, agree to read 2-3 chapters every month, attend and participate in monthly virtual meetings. Each workshop is limited to 15 participants. All sessions are full.
The trainings will be highly interactive and require attendance at two, 90-minute webinars. Those who attend the entirety of both workshops will receive a Certificate of Completion.
Implicit Bias Training
Implicit biases are defined by the Kirwin Institute as attitudes or stereotypes that are activated unconsciously and involuntarily. They are not the same as biases that a person might try to hide because they are unpopular or socially incorrect. Social scientists believe that implicit biases are learned as young as age 3 and may be fueled by stereotypes perpetrated by the media, or beliefs passed along by parents, peers, and other community members.
Trainings for this topic filled up quickly, and additional sessions will be scheduled.
You can still learn more by visiting the Harvard University Project Implicit Site and taking the Implicit Attitudes Tests (IAT).
Interest in activities and educational opportunities has been high, and more events are planned throughout the academic year. For more information and resources, visit the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion website.