For Your Information | November 4, 2021

November 4, 2021 | Volume 3, Issue 5

Download a printable version of this week's newsletter

Join us for the DEI Open House!

You are cordially invited to our free Open House on Friday, November 19 from 3:00-4:00pm in Mrak Hall, Room 12C (lower level). Please also join us on Sunday, November 21 for a matinee (2:00pm) performance by PAMYUA at the Mondavi Center. The performance is described as, “Inuit soul music. Tribal funk. However you describe it, a Pamyua performance is a joyful expression of Indigenous culture.” Pamyua is bringing “Inuit music to the world. Their music showcases drumsongs from the Inuit cultures of Greenland and Alaska.” You can purchase reasonably-priced tickets for the performance here.

A MESSAGE FROM VICE CHANCELLOR TULL

Dear Friends,

This issue has a lot to share, so I will keep my remarks short. Today, I am in Sacramento with our colleagues and team members at UC Davis Health. DEI’s Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (DEI/OHEDI) has been doing great work, as have partners through the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, the School of Medicine, and the Health Center. DEI/OHEDI will have staff at all three locations. Here are some things that you may not know about our operations at UC Davis Health: 

• UC Davis Health has a Tribal Health Medicine pathway program called Tribal Health PRIME. Dr. Eric Crossen (Cherokee Nation) will be the faculty lead. Dr. Charlene Green of the Office of Student and Resident Diversity (DEI/OHEDI/OSRD) shared the update in her presentation: “Ushering in a New Wave of Physicians – Journeying with OSRD.”
• The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing (BIMSON) earned a 2021 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award! (Dr. Piri Ackerman-Barger is BIMSON’s Associate Dean for HEDI)
• Dr. Puja Chadha (DEI/OHEDI Faculty Education Director, and Associate Professor, Clinical Psychiatrist Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences) received a $100,000 grant for the Supporting Educational Excellence in Diversity (SEED) faculty development program, from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, to enable her to adapt SEED to the national audience of psychiatrists and neurologists.
• DEI/OHEDI has an “Anchor Institution Mission (AIM)” with Sacramento in partnership for community health, recognizing that social and economic factors drive health. 
• UC Davis Health has been invited by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) to be a Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center! UCDH would be AAC&U’s first academic health campus to join their list of 49 colleges and universities across the nation. This effort has been led by Mercedes Piedra, Director of Healing Centered Education in DEI/OHEDI.
• The Center for Reducing Health Disparities (DEI/OHEDI/CRHD) has played a critical role in vaccinating communities, and continues to provide COVID-19 resources in English and Spanish. 
• UCDH has three Associate Deans dedicated to DEI efforts in the School of Medicine and in BIMSON. VC David Lubarsky shares more of what UCDH and the associated deans and staff are doing in the UC Davis DEI Strategic Investments document (Listing by topic/unit/goal; PDF). 

There is a lot more going on at UCDH, but that is a snapshot! As you take that in, please mark your calendars for the DEI Open House and “Brand Launch” on Friday, November 19, 2021 at 3 PM (free!), and join us on Sunday, Nov. 21 at 2 PM for the performance by PAMYUA (purchase tickets here) – “Inuit Soul. Tribal Funk” at the Mondavi Center. Our teams in both Davis and Sacramento will be together for these events; please join us!

Warmest Regards,
Renetta

Now Hiring! Director of the LGBTQIA Resource Center

Under the direction of the Executive Director, Community Resource Centers and in support of the University’s mission with respect to diversity and inclusion, this position takes a leadership role in building an inclusive campus community, enacting the mission of the LGBTQIA Resource Center. Apply by November 11. Learn more or apply here.

Now Hiring! Office of Student and Resident Diversity, Administrative Assistant II

The Incumbent provides administrative and program support to the faculty and staff of the Office of Student and Resident Diversity (OSRD). This individual responds through verbal and/or written communication to a wide variety of inquiries including interactions with faculty, staff, students, and residents, the public and high levels of leadership within UC Davis Health (UCDH). To view details and apply, click here: Careers Job Search (universityofcalifornia.edu) and search job ID 22271.

UPDATES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Office of Academic Diversity | AVC Lorena Oropeza

Representing UC Davis at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) 35th Annual Virtual Conference 

UC Davis sent almost 60 students, faculty, staff, and administrators to participate in HACU’s annual conference, October 25-27, 2021 “35 years of Championing Hispanic Higher Education Success.” This is the largest campus contingent to attend this three-day event. The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sponsored their participation to showcase the campuswide commitment to securing the institutional transformation set forth in the 2019 HSI Taskforce Report. Participants attended a number of workshops on topics ranging from Global Education, NASA grant opportunities, to Moving Beyond Hispanic Enrolling While becoming Hispanic Serving. This year, HACU designated UC Davis as one of their Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) which makes our students eligible for paid internships and scholarships. For more information visit their website. You can find out what Davis attendees learned and their impressions of the conference by searching Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook for the hashtags #HACU2021 and #ThinkBigDiversity or visit HACU’s Twitter page.

P.L.A.C.E. with CAMPSSAH Grant Opportunities

In our first year, we awarded more than $28,000 to 14 faculty and hosted two significant writing communities and we hope to provide even more in the way of community and awards this year. There are multiple award and grant opportunities currently open for applications and submissions including:

Writing Community (Deadline soon! November 19)
Post-Tenure Startup (due December 3)
Scholar of the Quarter (due December 3)
Manuscript Workshop (due January 7)
P.L.A.C.E. Faculty Affiliates (due April 15)

Please visit our webpage for more details and award requirements.

Office of Campus Community Relations | Interim AVC Mikael Villalobos

Thank you for your commitment and service to our campus community

The Office of Campus Community Relations would like to thank last year’s (2020-21) Administrative Advisory Committees, Constituent and Employee Resource Groups Chairs and Co-Chairs for their service, which entailed a tremendous amount of time and labor to improve our campus community. You can see rosters of the incoming members of the Administrative Advisory Committees and Constituent Groups on their respective webpages here.

Office of Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion | AVC Hendry Ton

Meet Ruth Shim, New Associate Dean for Diverse and Inclusive Education

The UC Davis School of Medicine is dedicated to creating an environment of inclusion and respect, and to actively recruiting and fostering the development of a physician workforce that reflects the rich diversity of its community. To support those efforts, the School of Medicine named Ruth Shim associate dean for diverse and inclusive education. In her role, Shim is working to ensure that the curriculum and education programs are accessible and relevant to diverse students, residents, and fellows. In a recent interview, Shim shared her vision for the Office of Student and Resident Diversity, definitions of diversity, equity and justice, and how society can address microaggressions. Read the interview here.

School of Medicine Leads Effort to Vaccinate Vulnerable People Who Lack Access to Care

A volunteer-driven effort led by the UC Davis School of Medicine to vaccinate people in medically underserved communities against COVID-19 has resulted in hundreds of shots administered across Sacramento County. They’ve been given in grocery stores, apartment complexes and a farmers market. Read about the School of Medicine’s efforts here.

EVENTS

Please take a look at our fall 2021 Anti-Racism Syllabus for relevant events. 
The webpage will be updated as we receive event information.
Have an event we can include? Please email the details to Tom O’Donnell.

November 4, Thursday

Staff/Faculty Womxn of Color Support Group | 12:00pm
This group was brought together in 2019 by Dr. Satinder Gill and Cecily Nelson-Alford to support womxn of color employed at UC Davis. The intention is to offer a safe and encouraging space to support healing, growth and development in the personal and professional lives of womxn of color. Hosts: Dr. Satinder Gill, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Academic and Staff Assistance Program Cecily Nelson-Alford, Director, Women’s Resources and Research Center. Consent for participation is necessary, please contact drgill@ucdavis.edu for more information. The groups meets bi-weekly year round on Thursday (next meeting 11/18).

November 6, Saturday

From Harm to Home: A Fundraiser for Afghan Refugees | 4:00pm
Help support refugee families who have fled Afghanistan to rebuild their lives here in our community. Enjoy Afghan sweets, treats and music on the I-House Terrace. Proceeds from this event will support the International Rescue Committee Sacramento as they assist the resettlement of Afghan refugees – interpreters, medical personnel and others who served the U.S. government during the war in Afghanistan – who are now rebuilding their lives in the Sacramento region. Featuring a talk by Jessica Goudeau, acclaimed author of “After the Last Border.” Learn more here.

November 8, Monday

Academic and Staff Assistance Program’s Grief Support Group | 12:00pm
Have you lost a loved one over the last 2 years? Would you like to receive support from a group formed by individuals who have experienced a similar loss? Come join a group guided by ASAP clinicians, where you can receive and provide comfort, and support to other members. You can learn more about grief and loss in a safe, non-discriminatory and non-judgmental environment. The holiday season is approaching fast and it can often be a difficult time, especially during a “year of firsts” (first birthday, anniversary, holidays, etc.) without your loved one. Ideal participants are able to attend remotely from a confidential place, are willing to share and participate, can commit to attending all 8 sessions, and attend with an open, non-judgmental mindset, with the ability to have their video on for the whole 45 minutes. Register in advance. Future dates include: November 15, 22, and 29, December 6, 13, and 20, January 10. 

Screening and Panel Discussion of Racially Charged: America’s Misdemeanor Problem | 5:30pm
A panel discussion following the film featuring Irene Joe, Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law; Tracie Olson, Yolo County Public Defender; Jonathan Raven, Yolo County Chief Deputy District Attorney; Robert Strange, West Sacramento Police Chief; Megan Chung (co-moderator), ASUCD Representative and Chair, UC Davis Police Accountability Board; and Megan Macklin (co-moderator), Program Manager, UC Davis Office of Campus Community Relations. Presented in partnership with the Police Accountability Board. The 2021-2022 Campus Community Book Project features a yearlong program around How to Be an Antiracistby Ibram X. Kendi, and the theme of “social justice in practice.” See the complete calendar at: ccbp.ucdavis.edu/events. Register here.

November 10, Wednesday

CAMPOS Research Colloquium: Advancing Multicultural Perspectives in Research, Teaching, and Service | 3:10pm
Please join us for a special, multi-speaker presentation featuring Madeline Nieves-Cintrón, “Leveraging research, teaching, and service to improve diversity in STEM and serve the community,” Lillian Cruz-Orengo, “STEM Building Blocks: Outreach in Veterinary Medicine,” Verónica Martínez-Cerdeño, “The Ventricular Foundation: Science teaching and mentorship.” Mrak 203 or Zoom. Please email Mariana Galindo-Vega to RSVP or receive Zoom link. There will be limited in person attendance.

November 10-23

UC Davis Humanities Institute and Human Rights Studies Program - Human Rights Film Festival
The UC Davis Humanities Institute and Human Rights Studies Program inaugurated the UC Davis Human Rights Film Festival in fall 2017, in partnership with Human Rights Watch (HRW). The multi-day online festival showcases a selection of HRW films with Q&A sessions with filmmakers and scholars. Human Rights Watch currently screens its Human Rights Film Festival in over 20 cities around the world, including Amsterdam, London, New York, and Sydney. The selected films bear powerful and moving witness to human rights issues both locally and globally and will inspire our community with the knowledge and commitments that can make a difference. View the films and discussion schedule.

November 12, Friday

Academic and Staff Assistance Program (ASAP) Defeating Isolation: Men’s Support Group | 1:00pm
Many of us have felt lonely and isolated as we’ve navigated through these seasons of a pandemic, multiple holidays, and social unrest. Find support with other men in this interactive group filled with exploration, encouragement, and practices to decrease isolation and increase meaning and purpose in your life. Join ASAP counselors David Murphy and Rob Starkey for this bi-weekly drop-in support group by registering through this link. Future dates include: December 3, 17, and January 7. 

November 16, Tuesday

Academic and Staff Assistance Program (ASAP) Holiday Support Group for LGBTQIA+ Community | 12:00pm
Come join ASAP clinicians in a group exclusively offered for people identifying as part of the LGBTQIA+ community and receive support on how to manage the possible difficulty the coming holidays may bring up for you. For many individuals identifying as part of the LGBTQIA+ community holidays, are a time of loneliness, sadness and stress. Come help support one another in a non-judgmental, nondiscriminatory environment and receive support and a space to share and learn how to take care of yourself during this time. Ideal participants are able to attend remotely from a confidential place, are willing to share and participate, can commit to attending all 6 sessions, and attend with an open, non-judgmental mindset, with the ability to have their video on for the whole 45 minutes. Register in advance. Future dates include: November 23 and 30, December 7, 14, and 21. 

November 18, Thursday

Staff/Faculty Womxn of Color Support Group | 12:00pm
This group was brought together in 2019 by Dr. Dr. Satinder Gill and Cecily Nelson-Alford to support womxn of color employed at UC Davis. The intention is to offer a safe and encouraging space to support healing, growth and development in the personal and professional lives of womxn of color. Hosts: Dr. Satinder Gill, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Academic and Staff Assistance Program Cecily Nelson-Alford, Director, Women’s Resources and Research Center. Consent for participation is necessary, please contact drgill@ucdavis.edu for more information. The groups meets bi-weekly year round on Thursday (next meeting 12/2).

November 19, Friday

Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Open House | 3:00pm
Learn more about our office, enjoy light refreshments and DEI goodies. We will also share our new logo and branding. Stop by Mrak Hall, Room 12C (lower level) for this free event.

November 21, Sunday

Join the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for a Matinee Performance of Pamyua | 2:00pm
Inuit soul music. Tribal funk. However you describe it, a Pamyua performance is a joyful expression of Indigenous culture. Formed in 1995, the group has created its own genre that merges traditional Inuit drumdance melodies with R&B vocal styles. Proud to represent Indigenous culture, the group believes unity is possible though music and dance and the members interpret Inuit traditions masterfully with joy and sincerity. The response to this message is tremendous as the group is a symbol of pride for Alaska’s indigenous people and to all who see them perform. Learn more and purchase reasonably-priced tickets here.

RECOMMENDED READING

Anna Goshua, “Diversifying autism brain banks: Q&A with Verónica Martínez-Cerdeño,” Spectrum, 25 October 2021.
Studying postmortem brain tissue from people with autism is critical to understanding the cellular and molecular changes associated with the condition. But this rare resource lacks diversity: Most brains donated to science come from people of Western European heritage. Read the article with CAMPOS Faculty Scholar, Professor Verónica Martínez-Cerdeño.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

The Aggie Info and Help Line
The Aggie Info and Help Line housed within the Aggie Compass Basic Needs Center, responds to questions by students arising from COVID-related return-to-campus concerns. The info line relies on trained student staff from the Aggie Public Health Ambassador Program to address non-crisis questions and provide referrals. Staff will provide answers using information available to the public on official campus webpages including the Campus Ready site, Student Housing and Dining Services and Office of the Registrar. Learn more at their website.

Reporting Concerns of Harassment and Discrimination
The Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program (HDAPP) supports the University's commitment to a harassment and discrimination-free work and learning environment for all members of the UC Davis, UC Davis Health, and University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR). 

If you are interested in reporting concerns of Harassment and Discrimination, please contact HDAPP to file a report and/or speak with a representative to better understand your options. Learn more about HDAPP here or go to HDAPP's website for more information.

11 Suggested Actions toward Anti-Racism in the Office and on Your Own
Written by the UC Davis Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and based on the Office of Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion’s Anti-Racism and DEI Action Plan, the “Being an Ally Requires being Anti-Racist: 11 Suggested Actions toward Anti-Racism in the Office and on Your Own” provides practical suggestions for everyone. 

Aggie Compass Basic Needs Center
The mission of Aggie Compass is to help mitigate the effects of food and housing insecurity on students, while working to change policy, systems and environment that will affect long term change. The Aggie Compass is a comfortable space for students to build community and learn about basic needs resources, pick up fresh fruits and vegetables, receive CalFresh enrollment assistance and help finding stable housing.

If you need help with food or housing insecurity concerns, financial or mental wellness, please visit their website for more information.

Counseling Services Mental Health Resources Webinar [requires Kerberos log-in] One of the things we hear frequently from instructors about teaching in Spring 2020 is the extent to which they encountered students in their courses experiencing significant stress or crisis, yet they felt unequipped to help or direct students to resources. To help, Student Health and Counseling Services provided a Mental Health Resources Webinar. If supporting students in crisis is a concern for you, please watch this previously-recorded webinar. Webinar topics include an overview of mental health services on campus, how to make referrals, signs of distress and how to respond, and how faculty can support students in the classroom (remote or on-campus). Student Affairs has also provided this folder of faculty resources.

Content Submission Form
Do you have a DEI-oriented event, announcement, or article that you would like us to help promote through our DEI communication channels? Did your unit/department or a member of your unit/department receive recognition that demonstrates your commitment to DEI? If so, please send us your information through this online form.

We invite you to share and submit your thoughts and items for our newsletter (either current or future news and events) at diversityinclusion@ucdavis.edu

Thank you for your dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion!

#ThinkBigDiversity
https://diversity.ucdavis.edu/