Forging New Paths – Manifesting Justice
This was to be the theme for the 2020 Women’s Advance Conference. Now more than ever, this theme calls us to question the status quo and seek a “new normal” that dismantles the systems of bias and discrimination that never served all of us equitably and that allows psychological harm and physical violence to flourish. We are losing our friends, our family members, and our community, not only to the COVID 19 pandemic, but to the long-standing legacy of anti-blackness, ethnocentrism, and white supremacy in this country.
The work of the Women’s Center is committed to enacting an anti-racist feminist practice. This means using an intersectional approach that foregrounds an understanding of how gender discrimination is enacted and experienced differently when combined with the impact of racial discrimination. This commitment is a call to action. In that spirit and in collaboration with the other cultural centers, we have organized several opportunities for our community to “come together” to, in the words of the President and Provost, “sustain a culture that understands, respects, and appreciates differences, but also one that readily acknowledges our shortcomings and holds ourselves accountable for measurable progress at all times.”
Discussions on topics from the 2020 Women’s Advance Conference
Friday, June 5th from noon – 1 p.m.
White Fragility – Are you struggling with how to start conversations on racism? Are you looking for ways to be part of the solution? Join us for a discussion on exploring whiteness and how to begin to take action as a white person in response to the calls from people of color to make meaningful change.
Meeting Link: https://uconn-cmr.webex.com/uconn-cmr/j.php?MTID=mc77b9caf3c0449cd1f8199e770bd6435
Password: hEuvaWw6n52
Join by phone: 415-655-0002
Access Code: 161 512 0375
Future topics may include: Persisting in Challenging Spaces and Forging New Paths for Women of Color and White Women in Dialogue.
White Fragility – Book Discussion Series
The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality. Participants will discuss the ideas presented in the book, reflect on how white people can build capacity on race, and begin to develop skills engage more constructively in the on-going work towards racial justice.
This is a weekly discussion series on Mondays from 12pm-1pm beginning June 29 through August 10, with the exception of July 6. There are a limited amount of spaces and e-books will be available on a first come, first served basis. Please confirm that you are able to commit to the full series prior to filling out the registration form.
Registration can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WhiteFragilitySummer20 Registration deadline is June 19th.
Open Office Hours
Women’s Center staff will be available during Virtual Office Hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon – 1 p.m. beginning May 26th. This is an opportunity to reconnect, ask questions, seek assistance with concerns related to financial hardship, academics, safety, mental health, and/or navigating the challenges of remote work and education. This is also a space to debrief and/or process the recent incidents of racist violence and community responses. Feel free to drop in if you just want to chat. If you would prefer to schedule a 1:1 meeting at a different time, please email Judy Lopez at Judy@uconn.edu
Meeting link: https://uconn-cmr.webex.com/uconn-cmr/j.php?MTID=mdac0ee3b4e6514b52728b02b6cd29f30
Password: thXgSmmF328
Join by phone: 1-415-655-0002
Access code: 614 003 098