Upcoming Events on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
As graduate students, we must educate ourselves in order to create an environment that is supportive and welcoming to all people, both here at the Graduate School and throughout our careers. While we acknowledge that this is difficult and unending work, one step we can take is to attend workshops and seminars at the University. To make this information easier to find, we have created this permanent column of the Grad Gazette to compile events broadly related to diversity, equity and inclusion taking place in the upcoming month.
The following list has been compiled by the GSA; we have tried our best to find all related events, but we acknowledge we may have missed something. Feel free to reach out to Sydney Ashton, GSA Public Relations Officer and editor of the Grad Gazette, at umb.gsa.pro@gmail.com with questions, concerns or info about an event that should be included in this list.
March events:
March 3 @ Noon EST: Women in Entrepreneurship: Tina Williams-Koroma, ESQ., CISSP, PMP of TCecure
Tina Williams-Koroma, President, and CEO of TCecure, LLC, a cybersecurity risk management services company headquartered in Maryland, returns to UMB as an alumna to share her experience as a woman entrepreneur.
March 3 @ 5:15 PM EST: March DREAM Meeting
Please join us for our meeting on Wednesday, March at 5:15pm to learn more about the DREAM mission and accessibility initiatives on campus. We are announcing an exciting new event later in March. We are also sharing member opportunities to get more involved in disability representation at the school of social work
We are recruiting for DREAM leadership, if interested come to this meeting and contact us!
March 5 @ 4 PM EST: NAMI at UMB Peer Support Group
The goal of the Peer Support Group is to promote solidarity and support within the community of UMB students who are diagnosed with or experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition through peers supporting each other in their own unique recovery processes.
Support group dates (always 4 PM EST):
- March 5
- March 19
- April 2
- April 16
March 9 @ Noon EST: BIPOC Affinity Space
These social work affinity spaces provide an opportunity for people to connect with others who share aspects of their identity. The spaces are meant to be a hybrid of “doing” and “being”. Spaces are opened to all members of the SSW community. Come as you are, when you can. No registration required. If you're interested in becoming a facilitator, please email the SSW Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sswdeioffice@ssw.umaryland.edu.
BIPOC Affinity Space dates (always noon EST):
- March 9
- April 13
- May 11
March 9 @ Noon EST: White Accountability Group
These social work affinity spaces provide an opportunity for people to connect with others who share aspects of their identity. The spaces are meant to be a hybrid of “doing” and “being”. Spaces are opened to all members of the SSW community. Come as you are, when you can. No registration required. If you're interested in becoming a facilitator, please email the SSW Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sswdeioffice@ssw.umaryland.edu.
- March 9
- April 13
- May 11
March 9 @ Noon EST: LGBTQ+ Affinity Space
These social work affinity spaces provide an opportunity for people to connect with others who share aspects of their identity. The spaces are meant to be a hybrid of “doing” and “being”. Spaces are opened to all members of the SSW community. Come as you are, when you can. No registration required. If you're interested in becoming a facilitator, please email the SSW Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sswdeioffice@ssw.umaryland.edu.
- March 9
- April 13
- May 11
March 9 @ Noon EST: Disability Justice and Advocacy Affinity Space
These social work affinity spaces provide an opportunity for people to connect with others who share aspects of their identity. The spaces are meant to be a hybrid of “doing” and “being”. Spaces are opened to all members of the SSW community. Come as you are, when you can. No registration required. If you're interested in becoming a facilitator, please email the SSW Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sswdeioffice@ssw.umaryland.edu.
- March 9
- April 13
- May 11
March 9 @ 6:00 PM EST: Menstrual Justice
The Student Global Advisory Council (SGAC) and International Social Work Organization (ISWO) are hosting a panel discussion on the topic of menstrual justice in honor of International Women's Day. Please join us on Tuesday, March 9th, at 6pm to learn from our panelists: Margaret Johnson, Professor of Law at University of Baltimore, and Dr. Madhu Kushwaha, Professor at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India; Visiting Professor of Public Health at University of Maryland College Park. The panelists will present on their work and then lead a group discussion.
March 10 @ 1:00 PM EST: UMB Parents and Caregivers Discussion: Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Caregivers are vulnerable to stress and burnout, which affects physical and emotional health. During this session, we will discuss what caregiving stress looks like and techniques to help reduce stress/anxiety. Presented by the President's Council for Women. This forum is open to all UMB faculty, staff, and students.
GUEST: MICHAEL AZEN, MA, MS, Equity & Access Compliance Investigator and Deputy Title IX Coordinator
March 10 @ Noon PM EST: Women in Leadership - Professionalism Event
Women in leadership positions discuss their journey to leadership and navigating careers, social lives, family, and health. The panelist will share advice for women and people who work with women.
March 13 @ 2 PM EST: NAMI Family-to-Family Course
NAMI F2F hosted by NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore will help with:
- Managing crises, solving problems and communicating effectively.
- Taking care of yourself and managing stress.
- Developing the confidence and stamina to provide support with compassion.
- Finding and using local supports and services, up-to-date information on mental health conditions and treatments.
Meetings will be on Saturdays from March 13 to May 1 from 2-4 p.m.
March 14 @ 2 PM EST: NAMI Metro Baltimore Peer to Peer Course
NAMI P2P will help participants:
- Create a personal relapse prevention plan.
- Learn how to interact with healthcare providers.
- Develop confidence for making decisions and reduce stress.
- Understand the impact of symptoms on your life.
- Access Baltimore-area resources to help maintain wellness.
Meetings will be on Sundays from 2-4 p.m. from March 14 - May 16, skipping Easter Sunday and Mother's day.
March 18 @ Noon EST: Critical Perspective: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
Join us this Women's History Month for a discussion about contemporary Native American politics and pressing issues. In this talk, Director of the AT&T Center for Indigenous Politics and Policy at George Washington University, Dr. Elizabeth Rule (Chickasaw Nation), will discuss the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women issue, legislation to empower and protect Native women, and what you can do to be an ally in the fight against gender-based violence.
March 23 @ 4:30 PM EST: UMB Social Support Group
Learn strategies to combat the social isolation that has been inevitable with the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms. Chaia Grubbs, LCSW-C, will provide a space where you can meet other students and socialize safely for an hour. Discussion topics include: dealing with “Zoom fatigue” and returning to living with parents/family members during a pandemic.
March 24 @ Noon EST: The Table Dialogue
The Table is a monthly dialogue series where UMB students, staff, and faculty are invited to discuss current issues and unpack questions regarding race, ethnicity, culture, and norms.
This month we will be focusing our dialogue on white supremacy culture and the ways it shows up in our personal lives and professional practice.
March 25 @ 4 PM EST: WIMS Education Series 2021 - Negotiation Basics for Professional Women
Join Anastasia Smith, the Director of Special Projects at the Center for Dispute Resolution at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, for an exploration of fundamental negotiation skills professionals.
March 26 @ 12:15 PM EST: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee Meeting
The Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee (formerly the DAO) will be meeting once a month this semester to discuss critical issues and tasks related to DEI work at the SSW. Our priorities for the year are focused on training, accessibility, documentation and communication of DEI efforts, and responsible procurement practices. Meetings are open to everyone in the SSW community and we would love to have you join us.
For the Spring Semester, 2021, meetings will be held via zoom from 12:15-1:45pm on the following dates: Friday, January 29th; Monday, February 15th; Friday, March 26th; Monday, April 19th; and Monday, May 17th.
March 30 @ 4:30 PM EST: UMB Social Support GroupLearn strategies to combat the social isolation that has been inevitable with the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms. Chaia Grubbs, LCSW-C, will provide a space where you can meet other students and socialize safely for an hour. Discussion topics include: dealing with “Zoom fatigue” and returning to living with parents/family members during a pandemic.