Pitt's Commitment to Social Justice

The University of Pittsburgh remains committed to providing ongoing opportunities for dialogue that promote unity, equality, and justice. Please take advantage of these various programs to continue the important work of building an inclusive, caring Pitt community that rejects ignorance, racist violence, intolerance, hatred, and oppression.

"Our mission of education and research offers a way forward through these deeply challenging times. As educator and activist Mary McLeod Bethune once wrote, 'Knowledge is the prime need of the hour.' When protests wane, it will be important to continue to intensify our critical understanding of the roots of racism, violence, and oppression." —Provost Ann E. Cudd

New events will be added to this page as they are announced. Please check back for updates. Links to recordings and other materials are provided after the event below when available.

Also visit the Social Justice website for more information.

Upcoming Events

Identity, Power, and Privilege
May 18
10 a.m.-noon
This workshop is designed to provide a safe space for participants to begin a conversation about identity, power, and privilege in ways they may not have before. The workshop facilitators will guide the conversation around social identities, dominance and oppression in society, and the definition of key terms. Activities will provide insights in how identity, power, and privilege play out in individual lives.

Research Equity and Community Health (REACH) Health Equity Seminar
May 18
11 a.m.-noon
The Research Equity and Community Health (REACH) Health Equity Seminar Series welcomes Priya Gopalan, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, as its featured speaker on May 18.

REACH invites investigators and research staff of all career stages and health equity research experience to participate in our ongoing monthly seminar. The first half of each seminar will be spent discussing 1. newly published or seminal articles related to determinants of health inequities or 2. Important topics such as “ways to reduce bias in your scientific method” and “how can we change systems through our research.” The second half of each seminar will showcase research being conducted within our department to grow collaborations, generate innovative ideas, and provide constructive feedback to support the professional growth of the presenter.

2nd Annual Pharmacoequity Conference
June 9
9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Pharmacoequity describes a health system where all patients have access to the highest quality, evidence-based medications, regardless of race, ethnicity, or social standing. The 2nd annual Pharmacoequity Conference is dedicated to convening professionals, clinicians, researchers, and students who are interested in learning about and advancing pharmacoequity. This conference will showcase the breadth of pharmacoequity research and policy work taking place at the University of Pittsburgh and nationwide, as well as actions health care payers are taking to reduce health care and access disparities.

2023 CUE Summer Educator Forum (CUESEF)
June 20-23
The Center for Urban Education Summer Educator Forum (CUESEF) is a professional learning experience for education professionals (pre- and practicing educators) in Pittsburgh and the surrounding region. Each year, we are joined by leading scholars and thought leaders who specialize in justice-based education, public policy reform, and more.

Recent Events

Representations of Afrolatinidad Conference
April 13-15
The intersections of race, ethnicity, and representation have shaped historical and contemporary articulations of Afrolatinidad. The Representations of Afrolatinidad conference aims to engage multiple depictions of Afro-Latin American and Afro-Latinx communities – whether self-fashioned or imposed. The varied portrayals in the past and present reflect the ongoing global realities, struggles, vibrancy, and resiliency of Afro-Latin diasporas throughout the Americas and elsewhere.  

Health Disparities and Social Justice Poster Competition
March 30
1 p.m.-4 p.m.
The Schools of the Health Sciences sponsor a yearly Health Disparities and Social Justice Poster Competition. This event gives young researchers an opportunity to present their health disparities-based scholarship and community engagement, expanding their scientific professional skill set. 

Professor Mary Crossley Book Celebration
March 30
4 p.m.
Join Pitt Law and the Center for Civil Rights and Racial Justice to celebrate Professor Mary Crossley and the launch of her new book, Embodied Injustice: Race, Disability, and Health. Embodied Injustice uses an interdisciplinary approach, weaving health research with social science, critical approaches, and personal stories to portray the devastating effects of health injustice in America. In her book, Crossley also suggests reforms to advance health equity for disabled people, Black people, and disabled Black people. 

2023 Nordenberg Lecture, presented by Samuel Bagenstos: Health Justice Over Time
Thursday, March 16
12:30 p.m.-2 p.m.
In his lecture, "Health Justice Over Time," Bagenstos will consider broader timeframe over which social decisions contribute to health inequities and disparities. Bagenstos will highlight some possible legal implications, with attention to both the COVID pandemic and other acute and chronic health crises. 

Black History Month Events
February 2023
University Events Calendar Listings

Health Sciences Social Justice Education Summit
February 28
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Join Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew (AHN) and Dr. James Taylor (UPMC) in kicking off the inaugural Health Sciences Social Justice Education Summit, which seeks to serve as a space to introduce, build and engage students, trainees, staff and faculty in inclusive community-campus partnership. 

Read about the summit in University Times »

K. Leroy Irvis Black History Month Celebration
February 22
6-8 p.m.
The nationwide theme for this year’s commemoration of Black History Month is “Black Resistance: Agency and Power of the Lived Experience.” Honorees will be publicly recognized during “A Night of Celebration: Honoring the Heroes of Black Resistance,” the University’s 2023 K. Leroy Irvis Black History Month event. Nominations for recognition of local and campus heroes are now being accepted from both inside the University community and throughout the Pittsburgh region.

Pitt-Greensburg: Our Well-Being is Social Justice
February 8
7-8:30 p.m.
Activist and educator Michelle Saahene will lead the workshop, "Our Well-Being is Social Justice" in Village Hall. Participate in this event to better understand why racial healing needs to be part of social justice and wellness. Ponder the questions Ms. Saahene poses to the audience and participate in breakout activities. Learn about the impact of racism on overall wellness and participate in reflection, sharing, and Q&A.

Professor Mary Crossley to present at annual Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures Made Local series
January 26
6 p.m.
Pitt Law Professor Mary Crossley will discuss her latest book. Embodied Injustice uses an interdisciplinary approach, weaving health research with social science, critical approaches, and personal stories to portray the devastating effects of health injustice in America. 

Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops | Crisis Intervention as Progressive Policing
January 26
12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m.
The Center for Civil Rights and Racial Justice and Pitt Law’s Office of Equity and Inclusive Excellence will be sponsoring a panel and interactive discussion about the progressive policing techniques presented in the HBO documentary Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops. 

How Does It Feel To Be A Problem: Screening and Community Dialogue
January 20
5 p.m.
The Center on Race and Social Problems (CRSP) will be hosting a film screening and panel discussion in the Frick Fine Arts auditorium on January 20, 2023 as part of MLK Social Justice Week. The film, ‘How Does It Feel To Be A Problem’, is an award-winning documentary that traces the phenomenon of othering in America and situates the Black Lives Matter movement in historical, philosophical and political context.

Annual Social Justice Symposium - From Surviving to Thriving: Culturally Relevant Emotional Wellness
January 18
As the Pitt community celebrates the Year of Emotional Well-Being, this year’s Social Justice Symposium will focus on themes of inequity, resilience, and healing from an intersectional diversity lens. As events across the country and across college campuses continue to highlight social injustice, Pitt staff are tasked with continuing to support the well-being our students and colleagues, particularly those with marginalized identities. Join in conversations around topics surrounding systems of oppression, trauma, and isolation, but also around recovery, community connection, and mutual aid that can help sustain our own emotional wellness as well as those we work to support on a daily basis.

Racial Equity Consciousness Institute
The Racial Equity Consciousness Institute—facilitated via an immersive, learning and dialogue cohort—takes a critical systems thinking approach to thinking through race, racism, and antiracism. The Institute guides and engages participants through the racial equity consciousness framework to analyze the complexity and pervasiveness of racism, and reflect on what they can do, personally and collectively, to advance racial equity in their communities.
3 p.m.-5 p.m. 
Register to attend
Series Schedule: 

• October 13, 2022 – Racial Equity Consciousness: An Overview
• October 20, 2022 – Understanding Racial Oppression | Advancing Racial Liberation
• October 27, 2022 – Examining Racial Identities | Addressing Racial Biases
• November 3, 2022 – Embracing Racial Diversity | Growing Racial Competence
• November 17, 2022 – Building Racial Empathy | Enhancing Racial Stamina
• December 1, 2022 – Acknowledging Racial Trauma | Fostering Racial Healing
• December 8, 2022 – Gauging Racial Inequities | Championing Racial Justice

Maternal and Child Health Equity Scholars meeting
Oct. 13-Dec. 8, 2022
Meeting times vary by date
Public Health, A521
MCH Equity Scholars is a platform for learners and early-career researchers to exchange ideas, network and collaborate on projects related to health equity, reproductive justice, and maternal and child health.

Growth Through Knowledge & Understanding Series: Biases, Hate Crimes, and Marginalized People
Pitt-Greensburg Student Involvement and the Westmoreland Diversity Coalition are partnering again this semester to bring the community together for five conversations that comprise the Growth Through Knowledge and Understanding Series. These sessions will focus on the lived experiences of people who have traditionally been the targets of biases and hate crimes thus becoming marginalized in society. The topics to be covered are more than race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion (which will be major topics) but will include victims of crime, physical and mental disabilities, the previously incarcerated, and others. This series is free and open to the public. Register to receive the URL to log into these webinars: 
7 p.m.
Series Schedule: 

• Sept. 14 – "Judaism," featuring Andrew Goretsky, EdD, of ADL Cleveland;
• Sept. 28 – "Hispanic Populations," featuring Monica Ruiz, executive director of Casa San Jose;
• Oct. 12 – "Women," featuring Kristin Malone-Boadair, of the Blackburn Center;
• Oct. 19 – "Previously Incarcerated," featuring Tim Holler, PhD,  associate professor of criminal justice at Pitt-Greensburg and director of the Community Arts Reintegration Project;
• Nov. 9 – "Physical and Mental Disabilities," featuring a representative of the Disability Options Network.

Read "Pitt-Greensburg, Diversity Coalition present series on bias, hate crimes, marginalization" in Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Creative Healing: A Social Justice Art Collaboration
Oct. 5-Nov. 16, 2022
3:30 p.m.-5 p.m.
The University Store on Fifth, C4C: The Workshop (lower level)
A collaboration between the Center for Creativity and University Counseling Center, Creative Healing invites Pitt makers to explore, create, and connect around topics of social justice and healing through creative expression and dialogue. 

Race &…Conference
Sept. 30
9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
The Race & ... Conference elevates the work of the University's race-related centers, the health sciences, and Africana Studies and promotes and celebrates collaboration between centers and departments on campus.

Read about the upcoming event in the University Times article: Conference brings together Pitt’s centers tackling race issues.

Race &... Guest Lecture
Sept. 23
3 p.m.-5 p.m.
Featuring Dr. Jeffrey Robinson
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, Rutgers University - Newark
This lecture by Dr. Jeffrey Robinson will center around his co-authored book: Black Faces in High Places: 10 Strategic Actions for Black Professionals to Reach the Top and Stay There. Attendees will leave with tips and strategies on how to navigate being a black leader.

Diversity and Inclusion in the Profession: Past, Present, and the Future
Sept. 15
5:30 p.m.-7 p.m.
Panelists will explore the importance of promoting and increasing racial diversity and inclusion in the Profession. In addition, the panel will offer ways in which Black and African American attorneys may overcome the barriers that limit their growth and their full participation in the practice of law.

Workforce 100% Strategy Primer: Workplace Fairness
Sept. 14
Noon-1 p.m.
You will learn about the wicked problems facing the workforce today and how you can take actionable steps to facilitate a more fair workplace and ensure all are set up to succeed. Expert panelists will build on the Workforce 100% Kickoff event where speakers highlighted the challenge of workplace equity in everything from compensation to well-being, noting a large gap between leader/manager perceptions of workplace fairness compared to that experienced by their employees.

Diversity Forum 2022
July 25-28
Virtual
This year's theme is "Rewiring Our Systems: Transforming the Intersections of Inequity." The forum will feature a dynamic array of keynote programs and community-led sessions that aim to develop social equity consciousness and systems thinking approaches. Programs will address the intersections of social identities and cultivate models for advancing social justice. Nyle DiMarco, Deaf Activist and Winner of America's Next Top Model and Dancing with the Stars, is a keynote speaker. 

Wealth, Income Inequality, and Living Wage
May 3
Noon-1:30 p.m.
Join the Pitt Law Center for Civil Rights and Racial Justice on Tues., May 3 in-person or via Zoom to critically discuss Wages, Taxes, Income, and Wealth. One of the critical challenges of our time is how to ensure that law and policy facilitate that economic growth benefits all communities. 

Health Equity Summit "Momentum to Action": Answering the Call for Social Justice and Health Equity
April 7
8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Office of Health Sciences Diversity, Equity and Inclusion welcome the Pennsylvania Department of Health Office of Health Equity and the American Lung Association to Pitt's campus to host the 2022 Health Equity Summit. The purpose of the summit is to catalyze efforts to eliminate health disparities in Pennsylvania by 2030.

Health Equity Summit pre-conference event
April 6
2 p.m.
The Office of Health Sciences Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is sponsoring a pre-conference event prior to the April 7th Health Equity Summit and would like to invite the community to attend. The pre-conference event provides individuals the opportunity to engage with students, faculty, and leaders in the community on issues of social justice, racial and gender equity. Information will be available on the topics to be covered at the summit. 

Democracy on the Ropes: Voting Rights in the Courts, Legislatures, and What We Can Do About it Locally Featuring Judith Browne Dianis
2022 Law and Social Change Lecture
April 4
Noon-1 p.m.
Barco Law Building, Teplitz Memorial Moot Courtroom
Judith Browne Dianis, Executive Director, Advancement Project National Office, will deliver the 2022 Law and Social Change Lecture on Mon., April 4 at noon in the Teplitz Memorial Moot Courtroom and via Zoom. Hailed as a voting rights expert and pioneer in the campaign to dismantle the school to-prison pipeline, she leads Advancement Project National Office’s work in combating structural racism in education, voting, policing, criminal justice, and immigration.

Racial Equity Consciousness Institute 
The Racial Equity Consciousness Institute—facilitated via a series of immersive, learner-oriented review and dialogue modules—takes a systems thinking approach to contemplating race and racism, focally anti-Blackness. The Institute engages participants through a referential and constructive framework to analyze the complexity and pervasiveness of racism, and reflect on what they can do, individually and collectively, to advance racial equity in their institutions and communities.

Series Schedule (2-hour sessions, 11am-1pm). All sessions will be facilitated virtually via Zoom.

• February 15, 2022 – Racial Equity Consciousness: An Overview
• February 22, 2022 – Understanding Racial Oppression | Advancing Racial Liberation
• March 1, 2022 – Examining Racial Identities | Addressing Racial Biases
• March 15, 2022 – Embracing Racial Diversity | Growing Racial Competence
• March 22, 2022 – Building Racial Empathy | Enhancing Racial Stamina
• March 29, 2022 – Acknowledging Racial Trauma | Fostering Racial Healing
• April 5, 2022 – Gauging Racial Inequities | Championing Racial Justice

Through the institute, participants explore and engage six bilateral spheres of racial equity consciousness development in efforts to expand capacity to seek, consider, and adopt different perspectives; promote personal growth and empowerment; enhance cultural humility, cultural competence, and cultural agency; and ultimately, embody the mindset to foster antiracist practices, communities, and cultures.

Registration for RECI is on a first-come, first-served basis and is currently limited to Pitt students and employees.

Pitt-Greensburg: Black Lives in Focus Exhibit
March 28-April 1, 2022
Chambers Hall Walkway, University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg will host a traveling outdoor-multimedia art exhibit entitled “Black Lives in Focus.” The artwork will be displayed from Monday, March 28, through Friday, April 1, along the walkway outside of Chambers Hall. 

Virtual Diversity Book Club
March 30
6 p.m.
Join us for the first-ever CHP APP/Pitt School of Medicine collaborative book club, as we discuss Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Pulitzer Prize winning author Isabel Wilkerson. This non-fiction book, via contemporary stories and historical examples, explores the developments of a system of human ranking that affects our society to this day.

Pitt-Greensburg: Kadida Kenner--advocate for social and economic justice
March 29 
7-8:00 p.m.
Mary Lou Campana Chapel and Lecture Center, University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
The Academic Village welcomes Kadida Kenner to campus. Kenner will talk about her work as a tireless advocate for social and economic justice issues and her journey to empower and excite the electorate to enthusiastically vote in every election.

Unconscious Bias in Cybersecurity
March 25
11 a.m.-noon
"Our brains sometimes take cognitive shortcuts that can lead to unconscious or implicit bias, with serious consequences for how we perceive and act toward other people." - Short Wave, Understanding Unconscious Bias - NPR. In this colloquium, we will discuss:

• what implicit or unconscious biases are happening today
• why it is important to understand implicit bias 
• examples of implicit biases and ways to mitigate their effects in the workplace

Eve Adams Artist-Scholars in Residence
Proposals due March 14
What does social justice have to do with art and DIY print culture? What stories do you want to explore about the past and present of activism? What creative activities can help you share the texts and contexts of these organized movements against oppression? This Artist-Scholar Residency is open to any current Dietrich School or CGS undergraduate interested in spending Summer 2022 exploring a social justice topic of their choice through scholarship and creative printmaking. Applicants must submit a 3–5-page research proposal and community statement online and secure a letter of support from a faculty mentor in their field.

Who Are You in the Legacy of Racism? – Staff Council Spring Assembly
March 9
9 a.m.-noon
Join Staff Council as we welcome Keynote Speaker, Felicia Savage Friedman, M.ED, E-RYT 500 (She/Her). She will give participants the opportunity to begin or continue to dismantle racism, patriarchy,  and capitalism through the lens of self and collective care.

American Apartheid: A Series Addressing Racial Inequities and Injustices
February 21 
5 p.m.
In February 2021, Jerry Dickinson, Pitt Law Associate Professor, argued in an essay that “Pittsburgh is America’s apartheid city.” This coming academic year, the newly established Center for Civil Rights and Racial Justice, in collaboration with the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the Office of Health Sciences Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Pitt Human Rights Working Group, and PublicSource, will host a series of panel discussions exploring Dickinson’s thesis. 

Overcharged and Undervalued: How Blackness Colors the Worth of a Home
February 16 
Noon-1:15 p.m.
Join us for a cross-disciplinary panel tasked with exploring discriminatory home valuation through the lenses of art, economics, and history.

Publicly Available Social Justice Data
February 15 
8:30-10a.m.
It is easy to get lost trying to find data useful to your research unless you know where to go. This class is designed to introduce participants to commonly used measures of social justice through publicly available data sites. 

Robin Brooks presents "Class Interruptions" – in Conversation with Robert J. Patterson
February 1, 2022
4-5 p.m.  
Join author and Pitt professor Dr. Robin Brooks for a discussion with Dr. Robert J. Patterson of Georgetown University's Department of African American Studies on her new book Class Interruptions: Inequality and Division in African Diasporic Women's Fiction. Audience Q&A will follow. In Class Interruptions, Brooks offers a timely intervention between the humanities and social sciences by examining how Black women’s cultural production engages debates about the growth in income and wealth gaps in global society during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Hosted by the Department of Africana Studies and University Library System.

Black History Month Events
February 2022

Race &... Lecture Series
January 27
noon-1 p.m.
Join Dr. Onome Oghifobibi and Kathryn Reed for the third installment of the Race &... Lecture Series. Oghifobibi, Neonatal Medicine Fellow, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, will present: Implementation of a Fetal Infant Mortality Program in Allegheny County: An Initiative towards Achieving Health Equity for All, and Reed, Vice Chair for Equity, Inclusion and Community Engagement and Assistant Professor of PA Studies, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, will present: Black Maternal and Fetal Wellness in Pittsburgh. 

Center for Urban Education Lunch & Learn - Remembering Bob Moses: His Life and Legacy
January 27
Noon-1:30 p.m.
The Center for Urban Education will honor the life and legacy of Robert "Bob" Parris Moses (January 23, 1935 - July 25, 2021) during his birthday week.

Maternal and Child Health Equity Scholars meeting
January 26 
10-11 a.m
MCH Equity Scholars is a platform for learners and early-career researchers to exchange ideas, network and collaborate on projects related to health equity, reproductive justice, and maternal and child health.

Racism and Anti-Blackness in US Foreign Policy Toward Haiti, From 1806 to Now
January 26
1:30-3 p.m. 
The Diversity Series Presenting Latinx Scholars in International Affairs will host a virtual presentation, “Racism and Anti-Blackness in US Foreign Policy Toward Haiti, From 1806 to Now,” by Dr. Jean Eddy Saint Paul, Professor of Sociology at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York (CUNY). 

Jean Eddy Saint Paul, PhD is an internationally noted scholar and author in the interdisciplinary field of Haitian studies, and has greatly contributed to a better understanding of Haitian society through the lens of historical sociology of politics, as well as the U.S. foreign relations towards the Caribbean nation. Professor Saint Paul was the founding director of the City University of New York's Haitian Studies Institute (CUNY-HSI) at Brooklyn College, which was created in 2016.

Vigilantism and White Supremacy: The Power of the Courts to Defend and Disrupt
January 20
Noon - 1:30 p.m.
In this virtual panel discussion, experts from across the University of Pittsburgh will offer their perspective on questions such as: For whom and when is the use of force in a self-defense claim valid? What is the responsibility of protesters and protest organizers to reduce risk of harm? Are these cases a referendum on gun rights, white supremacy, or both? We invite you to bring your own questions and your curiosity to this event, as the Pitt Community seeks to learn more about these recent verdicts.

Creating a Just Community
January 18
11:30 a.m.
This year, the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion will recognize the University Art Gallery and the School of Education’s Gina Garcia for their outstanding efforts in creating a more just, equitable and inclusive Pitt community. The program will feature remarks from Chancellor Patrick Gallagher and Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Clyde Pickett.

Pitt-Johnstown Equity and Inclusion MLK Day of Service
January 17
Noon-4 p.m.
On Monday, January 17, the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown has a day off from classes and work, but in the spirit of Dr. King we would like to make it a "day on" — a day to give back in service of our community.

CHE Journal Club Meeting
November 5
1-2 p.m
The Center for Health Equity (CHE) Journal Club hosts a monthly journal club meeting to facilitate dialogue about health equity among faculty, students, staff, and community members (community members are welcome to attend via Zoom). The November discussion article is Place, Not Race: Disparities Dissipate in Southwest Baltimore When Blacks And Whites Live Under Similar Conditions.

October Lunch & Learn: Censorship and the Attack on Critical Race Theory
October 28
11:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m.
In September 2021, the Center for Urban Education executive director Dr. T. Elon Dancy discussed censorship, the attack on critical race theory, and what this means for schools and schooling in the U.S. and Pittsburgh with Dr. Gretchen Givens Generett and YWCA Greater Pittsburgh Center for Race and Gender Equity as part of their “Action Conversations on Race” series.

IDM Seminar Series - “Still Standing: Mass Incarceration and Racial/Ethnic HIV Disparities”
October 6
Noon-1 p.m.
Public Health, Room A115
Dr. Jelani Kerr's research focuses on HIV vulnerabilities of young people in the African Diaspora in the US and Canada. Specifically, he investigates behavioral and social determinants that influence HIV/AIDS inequities. His work extends beyond measuring disparities to reducing them through multidisciplinary collaborations to develop and evaluate community-focused interventions.

CRSP Speaker Series: Who are the Black Revolutionaries? Black Cuban Politics and Activism Across the Diaspora
October 13
Noon-1 p.m.
Center on Race and Social Problems Speaker Series featuring: Danielle Clealand, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Mexican American and Latino Studies, University of Texas at Austin

2021 Latinx Connect Conference
Elevating Latinx Identities & Contemporary Issues
Oct. 14-16, 2021
The Latinx Connect conference aims to move us beyond “celebrating” Latinxs, instead calling for empowerment and justice for the Latinx community, which faces numerous disparities in U.S. society, particularly those at the intersections of Latinx identity (e.g., Afro-Latinxs, Indigenous Latinxs, queer and Trans* Latinxs, undocumented Latinxs).

The three-day virtual conference, free and open to all, will bring together students, educators, community leaders, political advocates, and others to dialogue about Latinx identities, cultures, and contemporary issues. Participants will discuss what it means to be Latinx/a/o/e/Hispanic in relation to intersectional identities, education, immigration, public health, arts & culture, history, and other topical areas.

To Understand the Problem, You Must Understand the People: A Human-Centered Approach Towards Creating an Inclusion and Equitable Society with Earl Huff Jr.
October 15
Noon-1 p.m.
Computing has historically limited the participation of specific populations from accessing and benefiting from opportunities in the field due to differences in privilege, access, and awareness. The resulting lack of diversity in computing affects who can develop technology and how technology is developed to be usable and accessible for all potential users. Without diversity in computing, there is a risk that the resulting technology may be created without critical perspectives and may unintentionally provide inequitable user experiences for consumers. This talk discusses current efforts to expand the participation of marginalized groups in computing in terms of access to education and technology. 

Black Lives in Focus
Fall 2021
In Fall 2021, the University will launch the Black Lives in Focus initiative, which will include a large outdoor exhibition, opening events and public programs aimed at amplifying Black voices and Black experience. Black Lives in Focus celebrates the diversity of our community by amplifying and showcasing the value of Black lives and Black art. Read more about Black Lives in Focus.

Read the Pittwire article: Cathedral Lawn Art Exhibit to Put Black Lives in Focus

Read Black Lives in Focus at Pitt showcases and amplifies Black experiences and voices in NEXTPittsburgh

Read University art exhibit affirms the value of Black lives in Pittwire

Say Her Name Memorial Gown Rotunda Installation
September 15-24
Noon-4 p.m.
The Say Her Name Memorial Gown is a stunning, woven art piece designed by award-winning director and costumer KJ Gilmer that illustrates the vibrant boldness of Black women while providing searing focus on the violence, horror, and terror that has plagued Black women as an inexplicable consequence of America’s racist DNA.

Read "This gown at Pitt memorializes Black women killed by police" in Pittwire

Annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Symposium
September 23 
9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Three sessions include: "How to Train a JEDI: Principles of Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion"; "Community Partnerships to Serve the Community: Voices from Work to Educate and Vaccinate Marginalized Groups in the Time of COVID"; and "Managing Stereotype Threat in Your Practice." 

Colloquium: "What’s in A Name: Considering Tougaloo College and HBCU Naming Practices"
September 23
12:30 p.m.-2 p.m.
“What’s in A Name: Considering Tougaloo College and HBCU Naming Practices” offers an examination of the semantic history of the initialism ‘HBCU’ spanning its 1965 introduction through the US Higher Education Act to its 2014 inclusion in the OED and its ongoing use in print and digital texts. The “naming” of HBCUs contributes to the talk’s larger occupation of exploring the rhetorical and linguistic implications of naming practices of Black spaces and the resulting distinctions within public discourse.

Black Lives in Focus: The Exhibition Opening
September 9
6:45-7:30 p.m.
What do we learn when Black life is in focus? Celebrate with us in launching this outdoor exhibition of artists’ and writers’ response to this question. The exhibition is part of a broader Pitt initiative, Black Lives in Focus, to lift up and explore the Black experience as essential to our community’s future.

Diversity Forum 2021
July 26-July 29, 2021
Diversity Forum 2021—Dismantling Oppressive Systems: Building Just Communities will address manifestations of the different forms of systemic oppression on individual, group, and institutional levels, and detail policies and practices to advance the well-being of individuals and groups who continue to experience oppression based on such factors as race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or other protected identities.

Read "Diversity Forum: Despite 2020’s upheaval, racial reckoning didn’t happen" in University Times 
Read "Diversity Forum: Featured events covered a wide variety of topics" in University Times
Read "What Now?" In Pittwire
Read "Where Is My Justice?" in Pittwire

Publicly Available Social Justice Data
June 25 
Noon-1:30 p.m.
There are thousands of federal, state, and local government sites that link the public to their data. Like much of the internet, it is easy to get lost trying to find data useful to your research unless you know where to go. This class is designed to introduce participants to commonly used measures of social justice through publicly available data sites. 

CUESEF 2021: Forging Futures Through Black Educational Histories
June 16-19
9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
Co-sponsored by the Heinz Endowments, in CUESEF 2021, we aspire to public study: What can we learn from histories of Black knowledge traditions and educational movements in the U.S.? How do Black communal responses to schools and schooling reflect struggle toward justice and freedom? How do these histories inform and shift our current educational commitments and practices? 

Our theme invites historians to join us in exploring Black educational imaginations over time as essential to forging futures of self-determination, collective responsibility, and freedom. This year's focus on Black education traditions assumes Blackness as expansive and not a category exclusive of ethnic and cultural realities. Participants will engage dynamic historian dialogues, study groups, and webinars to foster thinking about the reparative practices and systems that rectify ongoing educational injustice and inequity and build futures.

For Such a Time as This: Race and Black America in 2021
June 2
Noon-1 p.m.
Featuring Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., Ph.D, James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor, Princeton University

Deliberative Dialogue Series—Perspectives on Health: (In)Equity across Communities
June 2
Noon-1 p.m.
Amidst a global pandemic, the status of our mental and physical health has been brought to the forefront this past year and highlighted the effects of stress on our well-being. The pandemic has also brought attention to the disparities in healthcare access across different populations. In this Science Revealed/Deliberative Dialogue collaboration, Pitt alumnae and faculty members, Anna Marsland and Abimbola Fapohunda, will provide insight into the impact that stress and other factors have on our susceptibility to viral infection and response to vaccination. They will also discuss the importance in taking action to address the long-standing disparities that have existed in health equity worldwide and in our local communities.

Anti-Blackness, Anti-Racism, and Pedagogy
May 27
1-2:30 p.m.
In recent months, activists and scholars in the United States have taken to the streets, the workplace, and the classroom to decry anti-Black racism and call attention to the ongoing devaluation of the lives of People of Color, and the legal and extralegal violence against them. The events that have swept the nation and globe represent just the latest chapter in the history of racism and of anti-racist organizing, including freedom struggles—one that can be traced back hundreds of years.

This panel discussion seeks to provide a broad introduction to the impact and relevance of these events at Pitt and to explore the meaning of Anti-Racist Pedagogy as a teaching paradigm. Panelists will focus on significant questions about this pedagogical approach and share their own experiences in applying, and continuing to grapple with, this important topic.

The Dying of the Vine: US Black Maternal Mortality
May 5
Noon-1:30 p.m.
Join the next installment of OEDI's town hall series—This Is Not "Normal": Allyship and Advocacy in the Age of COVID-19—as a panel of experts discuss the jarring racial disparities in maternal health and how healthcare systems and professionals can address these systemic racial inequities.

Poetic Health Justice Forum
April 29 
6-7:30 p.m.
Bringing together poets, artists, and health scholars to discuss issues of justice and equity as it relates to race, class, gender, and sexual orientation in observance of National Minority Health Month. 

PittEd Justice Collective
The PittEd Justice Collective is a three-year working group at the School of Education that is engaged in anti-racist, justice-directed initiatives with students, staff, faculty, alumni, families, youth, and district and community partners.

White Co-Conspirators Groups
The PittEd Justice Collective will situate equity and justice within our School's internal operations, culture, climate, and academic engagements. As part of this effort, we will have several white Co-conspirators Groups led by white colleagues in our School (e.g. staff, students, and faculty). Groups will serve as forums for white people to further their learning about, and collaborations on, equity, justice, and antiracism, with the expectation that this work will lead to meaningful co-conspiring and activism. Complete a brief form and to indicate your interest »

Social Justice and Tech Reading Group: A Discussion with Digital Privacy Scholar Chris Gilliard
April 26 
Noon-1 p.m.
The Social Justice and Tech Reading Group will host Dr. Chris Gilliard (@hypervisible) for a discussion of his work. Gilliard is a writer, professor and speaker. His scholarship concentrates on digital privacy, surveillance, and the intersections of race, class, and technology. He is an advocate for critical and equity-focused approaches to tech in education. 

Reframing Suburbs: Understanding Issues of Racial Equity in Suburban Schools
April 21 
Noon-1 p.m.
Featuring John Diamond PhD, Kellner Family Distinguished Chair in Urban Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Addressing Racial Inequity in Health Care: Strategies in the Fight for Achieving Health Justice
April 16
4-5:30 p.m.
Join Noble Maseru, director of social justice, racial equity, and faculty engagement for the Schools of the Health Sciences and professor of public health policy for this Physicians National Health Program panel discussion. 

Black Maternal Health - An American Crisis
April 15
Noon
lack women in the U.S. routinely experience poor maternal health outcomes, including disproportionately high rates of death related to pregnancy or childbirth, irrespective of income and education levels. During Black Maternal Health week, EPI's Dara Mendez and Rep. Morgan Cephas will speak as part of the Adagio Health Better Outcomes Speaker Series, which furthers engagement and advocacy around issues that have taken on new importance during the COVID-19 pandemic: food insecurity, Black maternal health, behavioral health, and racial health disparities. 

Lunch & Learn: "Black, Brown, Bruised: How Racialized STEM Education Stifles Innovation"
April 13 
Noon-1:30 p.m.
In collaboration with the NSF INCLUDES Alliance: The STEM PUSH Network, Dr. Ebony McGee will discuss her book "Black, Brown, Bruised: How Racialized STEM Education Stifles Innovation" which brings together more than 10 years of research on high-achieving, underrepresented racially minoritized (URM) students and faculty in STEM fields. She will offer a deep appreciation of what it means to be a STEMer of color and academically successful in contexts where people of color are few and negative beliefs about our ability and motivation persist. 

Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Engaging Humanities in Health
April 9 
8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Build and strengthen bridges between humanities and health
• Discuss the central role of the humanities
• Address institutional racism and tackle racial disparities of the COVID pandemic
• Discuss how identity, race, literacy, income, and language shape health and well-being
• Connect with, and develop empathy for the experiences of others
• Value the power of cross-disciplinary work to improve the human condition
• Network and forge new connections
• Discuss how to make our community safe, just, inclusive, and healthy for all

Spring 2021 Plenary Session: Anti-Racism and Equity
April 7
Noon-2:30 p.m.
Join us for the Spring Plenary and learn about progress at Pitt against the effects of systemic racism and toward equity. Panel sessions will include discussions of University wide efforts to increase diversity and equity, development of Pitt’s new Anti-Racism course, and a review of specific findings of three of our University Senate Standing committees during the past year. 

Read about the plenary in the University Times »

Algorithmic (In)Justice Panel Discussion
April 1
6:15-7:30 p.m.
How do we prevent systematic bias, discrimination, and racism to exist in modern technology? Join us as we discuss actionable policy with a panel of community leaders, industry experts, and academic experts from the fields of health, law, and policy. These discussions should leave attendees with a deeper understanding for how technology, in general, can further marginalize minorities and what steps can be taken to prevent such consequences of unregulated technology.

Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome Webinar with Dr. Joy Degruy
March 30
9-10 p.m.
Please join Pitt's AMWA and Black Action Society (BAS) in hosting a detailed discussion with Dr. Joy Degruy, which focuses on social factors that predispose African Americans to the onset of mental illness. In addition, we will analyze and explore the origins of Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome, a condition that exists because of multigenerational oppression of Africans and their descendants resulting from centuries of chattel slavery, and its presence in the medical field to develop ways in which it can be confronted and even abolished from the field.

White Privilege in Information
March 29
11 a.m.-noon
Systemic structures of white privilege and power are embedded in American culture. Personal and institutional commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion demand that we examine how these structures are present in scholarly communication and information systems.

UPPDA Coffee Hour: Addressing Anti-Asian Racism at Pitt
March 26
5-6 p.m.
We are dedicated to supporting Asian postdocs and faculty during this difficult time. UPPDA will be hosting a Coffee Hour dedicated to addressing anti-Asian racism in Pittsburgh and in our society. Daniel Jacobson López, Chair of Diversity and Inclusion, will be available to respond to any inquiries and communications regarding this imperative matter. 

"Coded Bias" Movie Screening
March 18
7:30 p.m.
Join Black Action Society and Pitt Science Policy Group in the screening of Shalini Kantayya's award-winning documentary, "Coded Bias." In this documentary, director Shalini Kantayya explores MIT Media Lab researcher Joy Buolamwini's work prodding machine learning based facial recognition technologies and how technological limitations can lead to real world consequences on underrepresented people. Attendees will leave with an understanding of how exactly machine learning works and how a lack of representation in technology real world consequences.

Black Doctors and Black Infant Health
March 16
Noon-1 p.m.
Featuring Rachel Hardeman, Blue Cross Endowed Professor of Heath and Racial Equity, University of Minnesota

Social Justice and Tech Reading Group: Spring 2021
Jan. 29, noon-1 p.m. (Introduction and Chapter 1)
Feb. 12, noon-1 p.m. (Chapters 2 and 3)
Feb. 26, noon-1 p.m. (Chapters 4 and 5)
The Social Justice and Tech Reading Group is co-sponsored by Sara Fine Institute at School of Computing and Information and the Research, Ethics and Society Initiative (RESI). 
In the spring 2021 semester, we will read Ruha Benjamin's celebrated Race After Technology (Polity, 2019). 

Black History Month Virtual Film Series
RSVP Required
The PittEd Justice Collective, in collaboration with the Pitt Library System, is proud to present the Black History Month Virtual Film Series. This asynchronous event will provide the Pitt community with free streaming access to a different film every week in February that are about Black life, love, joy, struggle, and history. There will be an opportunity to discuss each film in an hour-long facilitated session.

• I Am Not Your Negro: Feb. 11, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
• Moonlight: Feb. 18, 2 - 3 p.m.
• Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People: Feb. 22  2-3 p.m.
• Daughters of the Dust: Feb. 26, 1 2 p.m.

Building an Anti-Racist Toolkit
Feb. 22
6-7 p.m.
This discussion-based workshop is for White and non-Black students of color to discuss active, tangible ways they can support the Black community. Students will discuss how to cultivate anti-racist attitudes, skills, and behaviors.

Hesselbein Lecture featuring Shaun Leonardo: "Transforming Systems Through Art"
Feb. 19 
1-2 p.m.
The virtual Hesselbein Lecture will feature artist Shaun Leonardo, co-director of Recess Art, a nonprofit art space in Brooklyn that supports artists who boldly reimagine an inclusive public for art. In this virtual event, Leonardo will share insight into repairing the harms of systemic racism through initiatives like Assembly, a nonprofit program he founded to fight mass incarceration through arts education.

An Evening with Emmanuel Acho: Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man
Feb. 15
8:30-9:30 p.m.
The Pitt Program Council is excited to announce An Evening with Emmanuel Acho - Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man! This Webinar will take place February 15th, 2021 at 8:30pm EST. This lecture will be hosted in the same Q&A style as Acho's YouTube series, "Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man."

Presentation and Discussion with Professor Anne W. Rawls
Feb. 12
Noon-1:30 p.m.
Professor Rawls is the  co-author of the 2020 book Tacit Racism: “We need to talk about racism before it destroys our democracy. And that conversation needs to start with an acknowledgement that racism is coded into even the most ordinary interactions.”Please join us to learn about the compelling analysis of ordinary interactions – when people first meet, on the job, on campus, and more – through which Professor Rawls and her co-author show how racism shapes how we define situations and recognize – or misrecognize – each other and ourselves.

"George Barbour: Journalist" Screening and Discussion
Feb. 11
7-8:30 p.m.
Join us for a screening of filmmaker Ken Love's documentary featuring a compilation of interviews with George Barbour talking about his career leading up to and including the seminal Selma-to-Montgomery March. A discussion on the historical influence of Black journalists and matters around Black journalism, featuring contemporaries of Barbour and Pitt students, will follow the screening.

White Privilege in Information
Feb. 11
1-2 p.m.
Systemic structures of white privilege and power are embedded in American culture. Personal and institutional commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion demand that we examine how these structures are present in scholarly communication and information systems.

Colloquium: Readings in Racial Capitalism and Crisis
Feb. 11
Noon-2 p.m
This meeting is first in a series hosted by the Humanities Center around racial capitalism and crisis. For this meeting, we’ll read a few selections from and relating to Cedric Robinson’s Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition. This meeting will double as a launching point for a semester-long reading group paralleling Humanities Center programming (though no future reading group commitment is required to attend this meeting.)

Pediatric Grand Rounds: “Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health”
Feb. 11
8-9 a.m.
In this lecture, Maria Trent, MD, MPH, FAAP, FSAHM will discuss the evolution of race and racism in the United States and the adverse health and wellbeing impacts on children, adolescents, and families. I will also discuss potential strategies to mitigate the impacts from a pediatric perspective. 

Black Lives Matter Reading Group: Louis M. Maraj, Black or Right: Anti/Racist Campus Rhetorics
Feb. 10
Noon-1 p.m.

Social Justice and Publicly Available Data 
Feb.10 
10-11 a.m.
The health of a population is significantly influenced by the environment in which they live. This workshop will utilize publicly available data sources to provide a means by which we can examine the intersection of health with income, education, pollution, housing, and healthy/risky behaviors.

Youth Organizing
Feb. 3
5-6 p.m.
In this webinar event, open to the public, Chris Rogers from BLM in Schools and Nicholas Anglin from Black, Young, and Educated (BYE) will discuss their community organizing work. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about BLM at Schools organizing, available resources for educators, BYE youth organizing, and how adults can support youth leadership. 

Educators for Black Lives
Feb. 2 
5-6 p.m.
Dr. Denisha Jones and Jesse Hagopian will discuss their newly published book "An Uprising for Educational Justice: Black Lives Matter At School" published by Haymarket books. 

Don’t Look Away: Because Mattering Is the Minimum
An exhibition at the University of Pittsburgh
Application Deadline: Dec. 1, 2020, midnight Extended to Feb. 1, 2021
What does Black Lives Matter mean to you? The University of Pittsburgh requests submissions by artists for consideration for an upcoming outdoor exhibition on this question.

For Don’t Look Away, reproductions of original works by regional artists will be printed onto mesh canvas panels (approximately 8'x5' in size) to be exhibited outdoors, for maximum accessibility for the duration of the exhibition. The exhibition will be installed in public areas of the University of Pittsburgh’s Pittsburgh Campus and will travel to other Pitt campuses. Approximately 30 works will be selected for display.

Pitt-Greensburg: Diversity Learning Circle for Faculty and Staff
Jan. 27
11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
The Pitt-Greensburg Diversity Learning Circle invites faculty and staff to participate in a virtual discussion of the movie "13th," the history of racial inequity in the United States. 

It's Not All Black and White: A History of Race in Medicine
Jan. 26, 2021
6-7:15 p.m.
As racial protests call again for reconciliation around the legacy fo slavery in America, medicine faces a reckoning of its own regarding human experimentation, lack of representation and diversity, and racism embedded in "objective" clinical decision-making tools. But it's not all black and white when it comes to race and racism in medicine. This talk by Assistant Professor of Medicine Kristen Ann Ehrenberger sketches some of the history of how race came to be read into the natural variation of human bodies.

Creating A Just Community Awards Program
Jan. 26
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Please join us as we recognize the Center for Race and Social Problems and Dr. Yolanda Covington-Ward for their outstanding efforts in creating a more just, equitable, and inclusive Pitt community. The program will feature a keynote presentation by Dr. Elayne Arrington, the first African American woman to graduate with a bachelor's degree from the School of Engineering, and remarks from Chancellor Pat Gallagher, Senior Vice Chancellor for Engagement Kathy Humphrey, and Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Clyde Pickett.

Read about Creating a Just Community in Pittwire.

Ethical, Anti-Racist, and Decolonial Approaches to Engaged Scholarship
Jan. 25
Noon-1:30 p.m.
Examine the unique ethical challenges found within engaged scholarship, including colonizing approaches to working in and with communities, and discuss equitable and anti-racist approaches for collaboration.

Social Justice Symposium
Common Ground for the Common Good: Examining the Past, Healing the Present, Building the Future
Jan. 21
9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin L. King, Jr.  at the Social Justice Symposium. This year we not only will feature outstanding breakout sessions to choose from, but we have two keynote speakers who will be joining us to share their stories and expertise.

Read about the symposium in Pittwire: "Annual Social Justice Symposium Sought Common Ground for the Common Good" 

What Just Happened? Race, Justice, and Politics after the Capitol Siege
Jan. 18
Noon-1:30 p.m.
Please join the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and the Center on Race and Social Problems for an MLK day #CRSPCast/This is Not Normal crossover forum titled “What Just Happened? Race, Justice, and Politics after the Capitol Siege.” The focus will be the current state of political affairs and their implications for the future of racial justice in the US. Panelists include experts on race and the law, rural education, legislative politics, and racial justice in university settings.

The Spirit of Inclusion: A Celebration of Cultural Traditions
Submission deadline: Jan. 15, 2021.
Not everyone celebrates the holiday season in the same way. We all have special ways of celebrating, whether cultural, religious, or through specific family traditions. Taking time to observe and acknowledge the traditions of other religions and cultures promotes inclusion during the holiday season.

This holiday season, we encourage you to submit works of art that represent your unique traditions for display in our virtual art gallery. Any form of art is welcome: written work, drawings, paintings, digital art, songs, dances, short films, etc.

Sustainability Foundations: Balancing the Three Es: Virtual FSDP Workshop
Dec. 16, 2020
1–3:00 p.m.
Hearing a lot about "sustainability" at Pitt and elsewhere? This workshop provides foundational knowledge of the three dimensions of sustainability: economics, environment, and equity. Participants will learn how these disciplines relate to the challenges of climate change, food security, and racial justice and how they can contribute to solutions in the local, national, and global community. Discussion of solutions will start with opportunities and innovation at Pitt and in Pittsburgh.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training Series
Offering 1: Oct. 15, 9-11 a.m.; Oct. 16, 9-11 a.m.; Oct. 19, 1-3 p.m.; Oct. 20, 1-3 p.m.
Offering 2: Dec. 10, 9-11 a.m.; Dec. 11, 9-11 a.m.; Dec. 14, 1-3 p.m.; Dec. 15, 1-3 p.m.
Note: Participants must commit to attend all sessions within set offering.
The Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences has established a diversity, equity and inclusion training series featuring anti-bias educational workshops for faculty, staff and students. Featuring interactive discussion and engaging activities, the series of four consecutive sessions—with each one building upon the previous—will establish welcoming and diverse environments. Participants will be able to engage in productive conversations about topics like identity, stereotypes and discrimination, and ultimately learn strategies that positively impact the campus climate.

COVID and Limits on Autonomy: Lessons from Harlem Hospital
Dec. 8
Noon-1 p.m.
"Medicine and Ethics Grand Rounds," from Michael DeVita, Professor of Clinical Internal Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos School of Physicians and Surgeons, Director of Critical Care, Harlem Hospital Center in New York: Drawing on his experience from multiple vantage points, Dr. DeVita will discuss the impact of scarce resources on “routine” ethical decisioning, recount challenges to autonomy posed by widespread contagious serious illness, and examine how late consequences of critical illness may impact decisioning.

Healing Racial Trauma: Racial Socialization as a Clinical Strategy for Black Youth
Dec. 1
Noon-1 p.m.
In this Center on Race and Social Problems Lecture Dr. Riana Anderson will discuss her pioneering work on using a clinical racial socialization intervention to support Black families in coping with racial trauma in their lives.

Structural Racism and Maternal Health: Working Toward Birth Equity
November 20
9:30-10:30 a.m.
EPI's Dara Mendez, interim director of the Center for Health Equity, will join Lauren Underwood, congresswoman (IL-14) for a discussion with Katy Backes Kozhimannil of the University of Minnesota, recipient of the 2020 Heinz Award for Public Policy. Giving birth should not be a matter of life or death in this country; yet for many it is. Black, Indigenous and other people of color in the United States die during and after childbirth at substantially higher rates than white people. Join us for a discussion on the profound maternal health inequities that currently exist, and solutions that can save lives of mothers and babies.

What Just Happened? Race and Soul Searching after Election 2020
Nov. 19
Noon-1:30 p.m.
Despite the outcome of the 2020 Election, Black people and other people of color are grappling with the possibility that racially hostile politics are not a major deterrent to electoral success in the United States. The implications for racial justice are staggering. Join us for this special town hall for Pitt community members as we process and reflect on the events, outcomes, and implications of this narrow presidential election for the fight against anti-Black racism and for racial justice more broadly, across campus and across the country.

Digital Divisions: How Schools Create Inequality in the Tech Era
Nov. 17
Noon-1 p.m.
SFI Lecture with Matt Rafalow, a Visiting Scholar at UC Berkeley's Center for Science, Technology, Medicine and Society, and a social scientist at Google. Education researchers struggle with the fact that students arrive at school already shaped by their unequal childhoods. Would we see greater gains among less privileged students if they had a more level playing field? This talk draws on a comparative ethnographic study of three middle schools to address this question, focusing the case of digital technology use.

AFRCNA 0300 Racialized Policing Pop-Up Course
Oct. 13, Oct. 20, Oct. 27, Nov. 3, Nov. 10, and Nov. 17
all at 3 p.m.
This course provides students with an opportunity to think about the most recent wave of brutal police violence in the United States in a global perspective. Expanding on our summer series, students will focus on topics such as racial capitalism, colonialism and settler colonialism, and transnational trends in militarized policing and police violence. Students who complete the course will appreciate how policing in the USA shapes and is shaped by global processes.

Diversity, Decolonization, and the Discipline of Anthropology
November 13
1-3:00 p.m.
Please join us for the first lecturer in the speaker series, “Diversity, Decolonization, and the Discipline of Anthropology,” which will be hosted by Pitt Anthropology in years 2020-21 as part of the department Colloquium featuring "How Social inequities Create Health Inequities: An Integration of Social and Biological Mechanisms" with Zaneta Thayer, Dartmouth College: A remarkably consistent pattern of human variation is the social gradient in health. This is the observation that, both within and between societies, individuals who are socially disadvantaged tend to have poorer health outcomes and shorter life expectancy than individuals who are more socially advantaged.

Social Justice and Tech Reading Group: Rafalow's Digital Divisions
Oct. 27, Noon-1 p.m.
and
Nov. 13, Noon-1 p.m.
Each semester, we will engage with a recently published text that explores technology and implications on society, health and well-being. This semester, we will read Matthew Rafalow's Digital Divisions: How Schools Create Inequality in the Digital Age (University of Chicago, 2020). Join us to discuss Rafalow's exploration of racial and socio-economic dimensions of access to digital technologies in schools.

Inside the Zoom: Two OnLine One Acts
November 12
8-10 p.m.
"Black and Blue": What is the real discussion that unfolds during a pre-sentencing call between the family of an unarmed black man shot and paralyzed by a white police officer, the family’s
lawyer, the ADA and the shooting officer’s partner who represent the shooting officer?

"Hair Waiting": Even in a virtual hair salon the women find that they have more in common than they think especially having good looking hair.

Social Justice and Publicly Available Data
Nov. 10
3-4 p.m.
The health of a population is significantly influenced by the environment in which they live. This workshop will utilize publicly available data sources to provide a means by which we can examine the intersection of health with income, education, pollution, housing, and healthy/risky behaviors.

Pitt-Greensburg: Growth Through Knowledge and Understanding Series

A series of six workshops and speaker events exploring diversity, social justice, racial equality, Black Lives Matter, racial justice, privilege, becoming an ally and the future.

• Judaism Explained
  Aug. 25, 2-4 p.m.
• Life Experience in Westmoreland County
  Sept. 15, 6 p.m.
• Good and Necessary Trouble
  Sept. 29, 10 a.m.-noon
• Privilege 101
  Oct. 13, 2-4 p.m.
• How to Be an Ally
  Oct. 27, 2-4 p.m.
• Education: From the Hearts and Minds of Our Youth
  Nov. 10, 6 p.m.

Read about the program in "Pitt-Greensburg, Westmoreland workshops to explore racism, diversity and social justice" in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Read "Pitt–Greensburg partners with diversity coalition on speakers series" in University Times.

An Evening with Ibram X. Kendi
Nov. 9
8:30-9:30 p.m.
Undergraduate students can join the Pitt Program Council and the Office of New Student Programs for a conversation with Ibram X. Kendi focusing on Kendi's book, "How to Be an Antiracist," a 2020 New York Time's #1 Best Seller discussing the concepts of racism and Kendi's proposals for anti-racist individual actions and systemic changes.

Jazz Talk with Nicole Mitchell: Racial Equity in Jazz and Jazz Education
November 4
7-8 p.m.
The University of Pittsburgh will celebrate its 50th annual Pitt Jazz Seminar and Concert online Nov. 2 through 7 — with a performance by national artists, a symposium in collaboration with Columbia University, performances by Pitt jazz faculty, and reflections on the past five decades of Pitt Jazz.

Director of Jazz Studies, Nicole Mitchell will host a discussion on racial injustices in jazz and in jazz education. This episode, will feature panelists Gail Austin, managing director of the Kente Arts Alliance, Ayana Contreras of WBEZ in Chicago, and national arts consultant Willard Jenkins.

CRSP Fall Institute:
Race, Politics, and Fighting Voter Suppression
Oct. 20
9 a.m.-5 p.m.

• 10 a.m.: “Historical Lynchings and the Black Vote Today” with Dr. Jhacova Williams, Associate Economist, RAND Corporation
• Noon: “Race, Voting, and the Major Political Parties” with Clare Malone, Senior Political Writer, FiveThirtyEight.com
• 2 p.m.: “Voting Justice: Protecting and Engaging Voters in the 2020 Election” (panel)
   

Black At Work - Experiences of Race in Government and Corporate America
Oct. 23
Noon-1:30 p.m.
Join the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and College of Business Administration and the Pitt Black MBA Network for a candid and open panel discussion regarding race in government and corporate America.  Our panelists represent multiple facets of the black professional experience.  This includes generational, gender, and sexual orientation-based differences.

Silencing the Stories from a State Reform School
Oct. 23
2-3:30 p.m.
The Department of Africana Studies in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences presents Silencing Their Stories: The Politics of Memory and Race in the Public Memorialization of a State Reform School.  This Works-in-Progress Seminar features Kaniqua Robinson, visiting assistant professor in the Department of Africana Studies with comments by Laura Lovett, Department of History, and Courtney Weikle-Mills, Department of English.

White Privilege in Information
Sept. 21, 3-4:30 p.m.
Oct. 15, 2-3:30 p.m.
Systemic structures of white privilege and power are embedded in American culture. Personal and institutional commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion demand that we examine how these structures are present in scholarly communication and information systems. Topics introduced will be wide-ranging. Examples include what is ‘valid’ research inquiry, how information is described and categorized, how search algorithms are biased, digital redlining, what kind of stories are preserved, and how scholars of color are (not) cited. Join us for an examination and discussion of these issues and more.

White Supremacism and World Politics: Present at the Creation, Persistent to Today
Oct. 15
Noon
A virtual webinar with Errol Henderson, Associate Professor of International Relations, Department of Political Science, the Pennsylvania State University. This webinar is sponsored by the Matthew B. Ridgway Center for International Security Studies, the Ford Institute for Human Security, the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, and the University Center for International Studies.

Weaponized Whiteness: Past Terrors, Present Predicaments
Oct. 16
Noon-1:30 p.m.
Seminar by Dr. Fran Shor, Wayne State University. Weaponized Whiteness by Fran Shor interrogates the meanings and implications of white supremacy and, more specifically, white identity politics from historical and sociological perspectives. By analyzing the constructions and deconstructions of white identity politics throughout U.S. history and up through the present, these collected essays provide insight into the deep roots and resonances of white identity politics and the challenges that have emerged, in particular, since the 1960s.

Lunch & Learn: Caring during COVID-19: Using data to action
Oct. 9
Noon-1 p.m.
Leveraging the experiences of University of Pittsburgh researchers, The Pittsburgh Study, and The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh as a way to explore the process of moving data to action, as Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Community PARTners staff, we will facilitate a conversation around caring during COVID-19. Specifically, we hope you all leave with an idea of best practices for engaging in university-community research relationships, including actionable steps to disrupt power in these spaces.

Engaging with Race and Racism in the Classroom
Oct. 9
2-3:30 p.m.
Addressing the historic and ongoing manifestations of systemic racism has implications not only for what we teach in Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies but also for how we teach our syllabi. Join us to explore the common challenges instructors encounter as well as the pedagogical principles and methods available for teaching about race and racial justice in our field.

Transnational Dialogues in Afrolatinidad: Migration, Policing and Political Movements
Oct. 2
1-2:30 p.m.
In this webinar, panelists will explore transnational perspectives on race as they intersect with issues of migration, policing, and political movements for Afro-Latin American and U.S. Afro-Latinx populations.

Teaching About Race and Racism: Your Syllabus 2.0
Oct. 2
2-3:30 p.m.
Join us to hear from distinguished scholars and educators about methods for incorporating critical pedagogies of race into teaching about language, culture, history, and society in Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia.

Black Study Intensive
Sept. 28-Oct. 2
Read "University Community Encouraged to Join Black Study Intensive This Fall" in Pittwire
Read "Black Study Intensive will look at current issues through art" in University Times

• Monday, Sept. 28
  • 1 p.m.: Opening talk by Yale scholar Emily Greenwood titled, "Overthrowing Deadly Metaphors"
  • 6 p.m.: Public reading and conversation: Dionne Brand and Harryette Mullen: "These Tyrannical Times: Poetry as Liberatory, Poetry as Undoing" ft. Dionne Brand and Harryette Mullen
• Tuesday, Sept. 29
  • 6 p.m.: Performance, readings and conversation with JJJJJerome Ellis, Saidiya Hartman, and Erica Hunt: "Looking for Language in the Ruins"
• Wednesday, Sept. 30
  • 6 p.m.: Poetry reading, photography and conversation with Aracelis Girmay and Zun Lee: "The Sweetness that Survives the Slaughter"
• Thursday, Oct. 1
  • Noon: Creativity on Fire: Making Zines
  • 1 p.m.: Thinking in creative practice: Masterclass with Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon
  • 2:30 p.m.: Me in the Poetry: A Longed-For Bed
  • 9 p.m.: Open Mic Night: Black Voices, Black Visions
• Friday, Oct. 2
  • 2 p.m.: "Love is the Great Rebellion" with filmmakers Charles Burnett and Julie Dash (who were part of the L.A. Rebellion film movement) and participant moderator Daniel Alexander Jones.
     

The Legal and Social Ramifications of America’s Racial Pandemic
Sept. 29
12:30-1:30 p.m.
Join Pitt Law and the Univ. of Pittsburgh School of Social Work for the Annual Rubash Distinguished Lecture Series. William Generett, Jr. Esq., Vice President for Community Engagement at Duquesne University will discuss, "The Legal and Social Ramifications of America’s Racial Pandemic."

Race, Crime and Voting Rights: The Ongoing Battle for Democracy in Florida
Sept. 30
Noon-1 p.m.
Just weeks ago a federal appeals court issued a ruling that likely will prevent some 800,000 Floridians from voting in the November election. The decision is the latest salvo in a decades-long battle over Florida’s lifelong voting ban for anyone convicted of a felony, a law that originated as a post-Civil War strategy to prevent newly freed African Americans from voting and to this day bars one in four Black men from the polls in Florida. The resilience of this profoundly undemocratic policy, despite longstanding popular opposition, exemplifies the strength of structural racism in the United States today.

Virtual Pitt Education Alumni Lecture with Dr. Bettina L. Love:
We Want To Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching And The Pursuit Of Educational Freedom
Sept. 30
4:30-6:30 p.m.
Join Dean Valerie Kinloch and the School of Education community as we welcome Dr. Bettina L. Love to present the 2020 Pitt Education Alumni Lecture. The event is sponsored by the PittEd Justice Collective and the School of Education's Alumni and Development Office. Dr. Love is the Athletic Association Professor in Education in the University of Georgia 's Mary Frances Early's Department of Educational Theory and Practice and is the esteemed author of the book "We Want To Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching And The Pursuit Of Educational Freedom." Dr. Love is also a two-time Pitt alumna, and completed her Master of Education in our school.

Pitt-Johnstown Fraternity Sorority Life and Pitt Johnstown Program Board present:
Preacher Moss
Sept. 30
9 p.m.
Armed with sincerity, intellect, and rare comedic ability, Preacher Moss presents the “End of Racism” Comedy and Lecture Tour. With his insight on “racial understanding vs. racial interaction”, he has quickly become the funniest social commentator on the college scene today. Preacher Moss knows how to deliver the goods on how we see race through laughter, respect, and the humility of a man who felt the sting of racism for not just blacks, but whites, gays, latinos, as the poor and underclass of America.

 "Will Race Always Matter?" Presented by Dr. Larry Davis
Sept. 22
7-8 p.m.
Dr. Larry Davis, Dean Emeritus of the School of Social Work and Founding Director of the School of Race and Social Problems, speaks as part of the American Experience Distinguished Lecture Series.

• Read "Pitt dean says U.S. is in a great racial crisis" in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
• Read "‘Why are they angry with us?’: Larry Davis talks systemic racism" in The Pitt News.
   

Education in a Time of COVID: Safety, Access and Equity
Sept. 23
Noon-1:30 p.m.
All are welcome to join us for this installment of our town hall series—This Is Not "Normal": Allyship and Advocacy in the Age of COVID-19—which focuses on the diverse facets of our lives and communities impacted by institutional and systemic inequities and injustices that are further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Live CLE:  What Happens Now? Bias, Race, and Tolerance at Work, School, and Society  
Sept. 24
12:30-1:30 p.m.
The United States is experiencing multiple change events that are exposing significant issues of race, bias, discrimination, tolerance, and disparities. There are ongoing protests and powerful calls for change. But when the protests end and attention moves on to other concerns. what happens next? In this one-hour Ethics CLE, Adelson will help provide answers for creating and maintaining more tolerant, legally compliant workplaces, schools, organizations, and societal relationships.

Revisiting Freedom House Ambulance: A Call for a Modern and Inclusive Public Health Initiative
Sept. 25
Noon-2 p.m.
Designated as a Public Health Grand Rounds event, an in-depth discussion led by Phil Hallen, co-founder of Freedom House Ambulance and president emeritus of the Falk Foundation. This webinar will explore the Freedom House Ambulance model and analyze the potential of community paramedicine to address health disparities via an inclusive and diverse workforce.

From Linguistic Racism to Linguistic Justice and Liberation: Black Language, Literacy, and Learning
Sept. 1
5:30-7 p.m.
Join us as we discuss the ways African American Vernacular English (AAVE) should be respected and integrated as part of the literacy and learning of Black children during Covid-19 and beyond, and explore the relationship between Black children’s language and the development of a healthy identity.

Position, Power, Autoethnography: An Antiracist Workshop
Sept. 3
12:30-2 p.m.
The Humanities Center welcomes Louis Maraj for a workshop. A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Louis M. Maraj is an assistant professor of English at the University of Pittsburgh and author of the forthcoming book Black or Right: Anti/Racist Campus Rhetorics (Utah State UP 2020).

Equity, Antiracism, and Remote Teaching and Learning Strategies
Aug. 13
10:15 a.m.
Presented by the PittEd Justice Collective, this engaging session is for teachers, education leaders, families, and school and community partners preparing to return to school under different spatial circumstances and learning conditions, given the COVID-19 and racism pandemics.

• Read "How to Create Anti-racist Virtual Classrooms: Strategies for Teachers and Families" in Pittwire »
   

Lunch & Learn: Food Insecurity
Aug. 13
Noon-1 p.m.
The August health topic will be food insecurity and food access. Specifically, we are hoping to bring attention to insecurity and access of food in black and brown communities and the myriad ways folks in academia and community spaces are showing up. The New Pittsburgh Courier will print this Take Charge of Your Health topic in their August 12th newspaper edition. The hour is dedicated to both the presentation of information and hearing from those in the room, answering questions and thinking about the relevance and importance of this health topic.

Polarized Pandemics: The Politics of COVID-19 and Racism
Aug. 12
Noon-1:30 p.m.
All are welcome to join us for this installment of our town hall series – This Is Not "Normal": Allyship and Advocacy in the Age of COVID-19 – which focuses on the diverse facets of our lives and communities impacted by institutional and systemic inequities and injustices that are further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Virtual Diversity Book Club
Aug. 12
6 p.m.
Make plans to join the Department of Medicine Office of Diversity and Inclusion for our second Virtual Diversity Book Club. Our book of choice this month is So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo.

Stimulating Change with Andrew Yang
Aug. 8
8-9:30 p.m.
The Pitt Program Council is excited to announce Stimulating Change with Andrew Yang! This online seminar will feature an interactive discussion with author and entrepreneur Andrew Yang focused on the importance of voting, a post-coronavirus America, and the weight that college student's voices can hold in our country.

Managing Racial Stress and Trauma
The workshop takes place Fridays from 9-10 a.m.
July 17, July 24, July 31, August 7
When discussing the impact of racism, it is easy to overlook the psychological harm it can do to its victims. In this group, students of color can will learn to identify the symptoms of race-related stress and racial trauma and how it impacts them. Likewise, students will be able to identify ways of managing their racialized distress to improve self-care.

The Allies' Anti-Racist Toolkit
Through August 4, 2020
This is a space for White and non-Black students of color to discuss active, tangible ways they can support the black community. The workshop is held Tuesdays from 4-5 p.m through August 4, 2020.

Facing White Fragility
The workshop takes place on Mondays from 1-2 p.m.
July 20, July 27, August 3
This is a White therapist-led space for White-identified students to explore what it means to be white. Students will be supported as they examine ways they have benefitted from white privilege, and discuss common concerns (e.g., "What if I say the wrong thing? I'm afraid of looking stupid”) that come along with becoming an anti-racist ally.

Diversity Forum 2020
July 28-30, 2020
Learn how we can make Pittsburgh a more inclusive region at the Diversity Forum 2020. The forum, Advancing Social Justice: A Call to Action, is a first-of-its kind virtual event at Pitt and will feature speakers including Ibram X. Kendi, historian, New York Times best-selling author and founding director of American University’s Antiracist Research and Policy Center. Secure your spot for the multi-day event by visiting the forum’s website. Registration is free and open to the public.

• Read "Updates from Diversity Forum 2020" in Pittwire »
   

CUESEF 2020 - Crisis Pedagogies: Communities, Education, and the Public Good
All events take place from 2-4 p.m.
With this year’s theme, we hope to foster deep thinking about (in)justice and (un)learning in the U.S. and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, more specifically. A related aim is sharing ideas and strategies for intervention and change that insist on life, equity, and liberatory education as essential to the public good.

• July 2, 2020 — Teach the Teachers – Youth Panel
• July 9, 2020—Care-Giving and Circles of Support
• July 16, 2020—Community Perspectives: Health, Faith, and Action
• July 23, 2020—Toward Critical Pedagogy: Teachers and Teaching
• July 30, 2020—Planning for Black Futures: Leadership and Policy Perspectives

Racialized Police Violence in Global Perspective: 5 Key Concepts
All events take place from 4-5:30 p.m.
This discussion series provides students with an opportunity to think about the most recent wave of brutal police violence in the United States in a global perspective.

• July 1: Race
• July 8: Settler Colonialism
• July 15: Racial Capitalism
• July 22: Transnationalism
• July 29: Policing in the USA

PittEd Justice Collective

Virtual Series on Justice – Summer 2020
The PittEd Justice Collective has teamed up with Transform for Tomorrow to offer a three-part virtual series for superintendents and school leaders in K-16 education. The virtual series is presented in collaboration with the Grable Foundation, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, and Remake Learning. 

• Part 1: Justice Learning and Leading
  July 14, 2020 | 10:30-11:30 a.m.
  Focused on anti-racist approaches to leading and learning; explores equity and justice strategies education leaders can use to support teachers, students, and families.
• Part 2: Justice Teaching in STEM
  July 16, 2020 | 1-2 p.m.
  Focused on anti-racist approaches to teaching and will share perspectives of Social Justice Math and Science and STEM teacher activism.
• Part 3: Justice Listening and Strategizing
  July 21, 2020 | 10:30-11:30 a.m.
  A conversation with high school and college students who will share stories about racism and educational inequities.

Read about the PittEd Justice Collective webinar series in the University Times »

Race, Injustice, and Seeking Change with W. Kamau Bell
July 16
8-9:30 p.m.
The Pitt Program Council and the Black Action Society are excited to announce Race, Injustice, and Seeking Change with W. Kamau Bell! Together, the Pitt Program Council and the Black Action Society will lead a discussion with the sociopolitical comedian and United Shades of America host W. Kamau Bell, with a focus on the Black Lives Matter Movement, racism in America, and the impact all college students can have on the movements in our communities and in our country.

The Art of Diversity Showcase and Competition
Through July 6, 2020
The Office of Diversity & Inclusion is looking to share your creative projects in its Art of Diversity Showcase and Competition, held in partnership with the Center for Creativity. All members of the Pitt community and the Pittsburgh region are invited to submit creative works of any kind and are relevant to aspects of their cultural identity, sociocultural topics or social justice issues. Submissions will be accepted until July 6, and are open to all creative mediums, including visual art, music, dance and writing. The winners of the contest will be announced at the Diversity Forum 2020 on July 29.

Toxic Recipe: The Historical Ingredients for American Inequity
July 8, 2020
Noon-1:30 p.m.
All are welcome to join us for this installment of our town hall series – This Is Not "Normal": Allyship and Advocacy in the Age of COVID-19 – that focus on the diverse facets of our lives and communities impacted by institutional and systemic inequities and injustices, and further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Read "The Toxic Recipe of American Inequity" in Pittwire »
   

Race, Police, and Unarmed Civilian Deaths: What Can Be Done?
June 10, 2020
Noon-1 p.m.
A conversation with David Harris, Sally Ann Semenko Endowed Chair and Professor, School of Law; Host of the Criminal Injustice podcast.

Codes of Belief & COVID-19, and Racism: Faith in an Age of Pandemics
June 10, 2020
12-1:30 p.m.

• Watch a recording of the Codes of Belief & COVID-19 Town Hall »
• Read "Faith Leaders Discuss New Social Justice Movement" in Pittwire »
   

Continue the dialogue
June 16, 2020
Noon
Join Mario Brown, director of  the Office of Health Sciences Diversity and Inclusion, in a space where the dialogue from the town halls can continue. If interested, contact mcb77@pitt.edu.

I Can’t Breathe: From Agony to Activism Town Hall
Wednesday, June 3
Noon-1:30 p.m.
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Office of Health Sciences Diversity are facilitating an emergency installment of their town hall series This Is Not “Normal”: Allyship and Advocacy in the Age of COVID-19. The “I Can’t Breathe: From Agony to Activism” town hall will address the troubled history between race and justice, with a focus on the recent tragedy in Minnesota, and outline tangible actions the community can take to achieve justice and equity.  The program will feature a panel of community activists, educators and public servants.

• Watch the full town hall video »
• Read "Highlights from “I Can’t Breathe” Town Hall" in Pittwire »