Diversity, equity and inclusion update: February 2023 issue

Editor’s note:��This is part of a series of campus updates on diversity, equity and inclusion that will continue throughout the year.

[anchors selector="#content h2" title="In this issue" /]

Events coinciding with the celebration of Women’s History Month, International Women’s Day and raising awareness about issues and identities in the transgender community are taking place across the campus in March.

Women in Engineering panel discussion and other inclusive campus events happening in March

In the United States, Women’s History Month began as a weeklong celebration in 1981 and evolved into a monthlong remembrance in March beginning in 1987. International Women’s Day has been marked in March in parts of Europe and the United States since the early 1900s.

On March 1, the 2023 edition of the Women’s Leadership Symposium will take place with the theme, “The Stories We Need: Claiming Rest, Roots and New Realities.” During symposium discussions, participants will be able to “explore a variety of ways women build their leadership skills and feel empowered to become tomorrow’s leaders.” For more information, please reach out to 91�Թ��’s Center for Inclusion and Social Change at cisc@colorado.edu.

On International Women’s Day on March 8, the College of Engineering and Applied Science will lead a Women in Engineering panel and networking event open to current and prospective students, faculty and alumni. Panelists will share the experiences and resources that helped them navigate challenges in their fields. They will also engage in “an honest conversation on how women can be supported and uplifted in the workplace,” event organizers said.

The Transforming Gender Conference will take place in person March 18–19 in person in the Koelbel Building. The annual conference—free and open to students, staff, faculty and community members—includes talks and forums and works to raise awareness about issues and identities in the transgender community.

The theme of the 2023 conference is��“You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet!” Sessions will include presentations related to youth advocacy, medical transition, queering biology, education for mental health providers, questions and answers for parents and families, and other topics.

More information about campus events is available via the Events Calendar.

UndocuAlly trainings return for spring 2023

The Center for Inclusion and Social Change has announced its spring schedule of UndocuAlly sessions for faculty and staff. The two-hour sessions are also open to students with administrative, professional or teaching roles on campus.

Intended to help the campus better support undocumented students and to create a more welcoming campus environment, the sessions will increase participants’ understanding of relevant terminology and the makeup of the undocumented community.

Participants will also learn more about the history of immigration to the United States; about the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Colorado’s Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow (ASSET) programs and how they impact 91�Թ�� students; and about the challenges, opportunities and campus resources for undocumented students.

The schedule for spring sessions is:

March 9, 3–5 p.m. Please register by noon on March 8.
April 10, 10 a.m.–noon. Please register by noon on April 7.

Sustaining our practice of inclusion

Campus efforts and investments to address pressing and painful inequities at 91�Թ�� are only a beginning. Creating a culture of belonging will take each member of our community practicing sustained personal work to truly embrace and support diverse perspectives and intersectional identities in our community.

During the current academic year, Chancellor Philip DiStefano and other campus leaders urge every member of our community to join in learning more about diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism and to work continuously together to address these challenges more actively and in ways that can help authentically transform our campus culture in the coming year.

Campus resources

91�Թ�� Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Website: Find more information about the campus’s work to create and sustain a more inclusive campus community and explore the results of the 2021 Campus Culture Survey.
Center for African and African American Studies (CAAAS): Provides a focal point for Black community and culture at 91�Թ�� and a multipurpose space where scholars, students, artists, activists and allies come together to study Africa, African Americans, and the African diaspora. to learn more.
Center for Asian Studies: Strives to be a space of community, curiosity and respectful engagement with Asia, views the area studies endeavor as a necessary yet distinct complement to disciplinary knowledge, and recognizes the historic and geographic centrality that Asia has and continues to play in the human venture.
Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies (CNAIS): Promotes collaborative research focusing on local and global Indigenous knowledge and fosters projects that aspire to open conversations in Colorado and the world.
Center for Teaching and Learning: Offers programs focused on creating inclusive classrooms and supports CU’s community of educators through free consultations, teaching resources, programs, seminars, workshops and other events.
91�Թ�� History Project: Seeks to share 91�Թ��’s history based on intersectional perspectives to demonstrate our commitment to inclusive excellence and to deepen our institutional memory.
Latin American Studies Center: Provides an institutional space for research, teaching and discussion on Latin America and Latinx/Latina/Latino studies.
Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement: Supports programming, events and campus wide initiatives for students, faculty and staff that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. Subscribe to the office’s newsletter to learn more.
Research and Innovation Office (RIO): Offers resources focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion in research and innovation.
: Provides a rich assortment of diverse reading materials and other resources, events and initiatives for students, faculty, staff, alumni and Colorado residents.

91�Թ��