Event Date
🌟 Presented by UC Davis Human Resources
As national resistance to DEI efforts continues, so does the emotional toll on those working to advance inclusive excellence and our principles of community.
This Race Matters session will focus on the mental health and well-being of all of us, and those doing the work—particularly staff navigating emotional fatigue, widespread pushback, and the daily pressures of advocacy.
Join us for a thoughtful and practical conversation about how we care for ourselves, while still caring about and sustaining the work.
What we will cover:
- Update on the National Landscape: Understand how broader cultural shifts are affecting mental health in workplaces.
- UC Davis Realities and Resources: Hear how the university is responding to employee needs by delivering culturally inclusive mental health support.
- Tools for Emotional Resilience: Learn tangible strategies to manage stress, while sustaining momentum.
- Supporting Others, Sustainably: Explore how allyship involves creating space for recovery, reflection, and setting boundaries.
Featured Speakers:
Dr. Shacunda Rodgers (she/her)
Dr. Rodgers is a licensed clinical psychologist, educator, and founder of Holding Space, a community committed to radical healing through holistic, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed care. Her work emphasizes rest as a form of resistance and self-care—essential practices for healing from the impacts of systemic harm.
“When we, as Black people, have properly rested, rooted, and reclaimed ourselves from colonized ways of thinking and being, our ability to heal and transform our communities is limitless.”
Dr. Rodgers will guide attendees through strategies for navigating emotional fatigue, maintaining resilience, and practicing sustainable self-care—personally, professionally, individually, and collectively. She’ll explore how to hold space for ourselves and others while continuing to do the work of promoting community and belonging, even in the face of resistance.
Learn more about Dr. Rodgers:
Dr. Uma Anand (she/her)
Dr. Anand is a licensed psychologist who currently serves as the Graduate Medical Education (GME) psychologist and Director of Faculty Psychological Services within ASAP on the Sacramento campus. She joined the UC Davis community in 2020, bringing with her extensive experience from diverse clinical and educational settings, where she has served both as a clinician and an educator.
Dr. Anand will explore the services provided through the Academic and Staff Assistance Program (ASAP), including ongoing efforts to support culturally responsive mental health care for UC Davis staff—such as the Bias, Antisemitism, and Islamophobia Workshops recently held.
These workshops foster campus well-being by equipping employees with tools to navigate difficult topics together.