April 7: Unity in Diversity Days
Our two-day virtual event kicks off on April 7 and is available for Merrimack faculty, staff, students and community members. Please review the schedule below.Looking for the April 8 schedule?
See Speaker Bios
Questions?
Schedule for Day One - Wednesday, April 7, 2021
8-9:30 a.m. - Student Involvement and Social Justice Activism at Merrimack College and Beyond
Speakers: Samantha (Sam) Frey, Clarisa Cameron, Lillian Schaefer-Calderon, Rowan Salhi, Leena Ali
Moderator: Peter Rojas
A conversation among student leaders at Merrimack College. Participants will reflect on their involvement in efforts to raise awareness about systemic injustice and inspire action among students.
Sponsored by the Unity House Council, Office of Student Involvement, Black Student Association (BSA) and Athletic Diversity Committee (ADC)
Join 4/7 Student Involvement Zoom Meeting
9:30-10:45 a.m. - Transforming Prejudice into Social Justice
Speaker: Jasmine Khamis
Moderators: Dr. Michael Mobley and Dr. Sandra Raponi
What is it like to grow up as a member of a minoritized group in the United States? How do you cope and make sense of the discrimination, prejudice and trauma you have experienced? An interactive session based on a compelling story of an Arab-American woman who carved out her professional identity as a counselor and social justice educator by staying true to her cultural roots.
Sponsored by the MA Program in Clinical Mental Health and the Social Justice Program
Join 4/7 Transforming Prejudice Zoom Meeting
11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. - Embracing Conflict to Become an Inclusive Community: Seeing Opportunity in Danger
Speaker: Dr. Michelle Cromwell
Moderator: Nicole Williams
Working on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion often involves learning to deal with conflict. Embracing rather than avoiding conflict can feel uncomfortable, even dangerous at times. However, inclusive transformation often happens when we push beyond our comfort zone and look for opportunity in what feels challenging, uncomfortable, or terrifying.
Sponsored by the MA Program in Clinical Mental Health and the Social Justice Program
Join 4/7 Embracing Conflict Zoom Meeting
12:30-1:45 p.m. - Health Disparities, Food Insecurity & COVID-19
Speaker: Vivien Morris
Moderators: Eleanor Shonkoff and Rosana Urbaez
COVID-19 and the strong voices of persons of color throughout the United States and beyond during 2020 have made clearer the impact of racism on health and food security. This presentation will bring the discussion closer to home with sharing of experiences and lessons learned through efforts to improve the health and well-being of a largely African American and Afro-Caribbean community in the Boston area.
Sponsored by The School of Health Sciences
Join 4/7 Health Disparities Zoom Meeting
2-3:15 p.m. - Putting a Human Face on the Experiences of Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) People
Speakers: Dr. Yi-Chun Tricia Lin and Sanea Kawaguchi
Moderator: Dr. Laura Hsu
An intergenerational conversation about the History and Experiences of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the US with a focus on strategies to move from systemic violence and trauma to justice and hope.
Sponsored by Merrimack’s Processionals of Color (MPOC)
Join 4/7 An Intergenerational Conversation Zoom Meeting
4-5:30 p.m. - LGBTQ+ Youth: Surviving, Thriving, and Building Community in the Merrimack Valley
Speakers: Stephen Harrington (Nagly); Nicole Lashomb (Project Out), Sasha Goodfriend (Governor’s Commission), Jackson Fortune-O’Brien
Moderator: Rob Koch
Massachusetts is often thought of as a “wickedly welcoming” place for LGBTQ+ folx, and it’s widely assumed that it’s easy to be queer in our state. What’s the real story? students and experts from local queer youth-serving organizations (NAGLY, ProjectOut, and the Governor’s Commission on LGBTQ+ youth) will join us to share their experiences, and will talk about serving the needs and concerns of LGBTQ+ young people in the Valley. They’ll also share what we can all do to make our communities safer and more empowering places for them.
Sponsored by Merrimack’s LGBTQ+ Faculty and Staff Affinity Group and the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA)
Join 4/7 LGBTQ+ Youth Zoom Meeting
6-7:30 p.m. - The Neurodiversity Paradigm in Combating Ableism: One Autistic Professional’s Experience Advocating for Themself and Others
Speaker: Rachel Dorsey
Moderator: Dr. Laura Hsu
This talk will address the role of the Neurodiversity Paradigm in standing up against ableism. The speaker, an Autistic Speech Therapist who will Incorporate her personal experience to discuss obvious and not-so-obvious ableism aimed at Neurodivergent people.
Sponsored by Accessibility Services, Disability Rights Staff and Faculty Affinity Group
Join 4/7 Neurodiversity Paradigm Zoom Meeting
6-8 p.m. - Antiracism Resources 2.0.
Speakers: Tiana Lawrence, Dr. Jolan Rivera, Olivia Rosa, Prof. Gerardo Zayas
Moderators: Angélique Bouthot and Grace Chitam
A follow up on a workshop held during Fall 2020, this interactive workshop will include a panel discussion featuring Community Engagement faculty and students on antiracism resources, while also providing space for participants to reflect on actions they can take toward antiracism.
Join 4/7 Antiracism Resources Zoom Meeting
8-9:30 p.m. - Diversity and Social Justice Open Mic: Poetic Perspectives and Oratory Observations on the World We Share
Featuring Kenton Reaves Hundley (aka Ken10) with local artists Clarisa Cameron, Nathan Nkabasele and Araya Richards
Ken10 will be joined by Merrimack students, using verse and passion intentionally to build bridges, connect cultures and rebuild broken hearts.
