D&I Highlights

Happy Belated Earth Day!
As many of you know, Earth Day was yesterday April 22nd. Visit the following resources to see how you can advocate for the health of the planet every day of the year:

Learn more about the annual event here: https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2023/
Check out 33 ways to meaningfully celebrate Earth Day: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/how-to-celebrate-earth-day

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
From the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), “The theme of Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2023 is ‘Drawing Connections: Prevention Demands Equity.’ This April’s campaign calls on all individuals, communities, organizations, and institutions to change ourselves and the systems surrounding us to build racial equity and respect.”

• Learn more information about Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2023 from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) here: https://www.nsvrc.org/saam

Check out or share these UW-Madison resources:
UW Madison Sexual Misconduct Resource and Response Program

UHS Survivor Services 

APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans) Heritage Month at UW-Madison
From the APIDA Heritage Month Planning Committee, “Nationally recognized in the month of May, we celebrate our APIDA community in April to encompass the APIDA student and campus-community experiences. All throughout the month, there will be a number of events and programs open to all to celebrate our empowered APIDA identities.”

• Read this article to learn about how the Heritage Festival went (which took place on 4/1) along with organizations who are part of the APIDA Student Center.
• Article link: https://badgerherald.com/news/2023/04/03/apida-heritage-festival-kicks-off-celebrations-of-inclusivity-connection/

A big thank you to the members of the APIDA Heritage Month Student Planning Committee for creating these events and programs for UW APIDA HM. Check out their website for more information about upcoming events.

APIDA HM Website Link: https://students.wisc.edu/apidahm/
APIDA Student Center Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/uwapidasc/

Transgender Day of Visibility
Transgender Day of Visibility was on March 31st, 2023 – just a few days ago! This day is “dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments and victories of transgender and gender-expansive people, while simultaneously raising awareness of the work that is still needed to combat discrimination and violence.” – PFLAG
Please check out the following resources to learn more.

• More about TDOV: https://pflag.org/transgender-day-of-visibility/
• 5 Stories Impacting the Black LGBTQ Community Right Now:
  https://www.glaad.org/blog/5-stories-impacting-black-lgbtq-community-right-now
• Guide to being a trans ally:  https://straightforequality.org/resource/guide-to-being-a-trans-ally/
• Gender and Sexuality Campus Center at UW-Madison: https://lgbt.wisc.edu/

“UW students celebrate Ramadan with support of campus organizations” – The Badger Herald

Ramadan began last week on March 22nd. Check out this article from The Badger Herald to see how the Muslim Students Association and other organizations on campus are providing support such as offering Iftar to students observing Ramadan.

Learn more about the Muslim Students Association (MSA) at UW-Madison here (https://msamadison.com/).

Through the Eyes of MENA
On campus, the 2023 MENA Heritage Month Collective and Multicultural Student Center are leading the Middle Eastern North African (MENA) Heritage Month celebration this March!

From MENA’s website: “This month’s theme, Through the Eyes of MENA, is built on the pillars of safe space, reflective conversation, and a nostalgic sense of home. With different lenses into MENA cultures—dance, food, music, art, comedy, poetry, conversation, and more—this month provides a glimpse into our identities, through our eyes, away from the misconceptions that trail behind us.”

Check out their events and learn more information here: https://students.wisc.edu/mena/

re:mancipation Exhibit at the Chazen Museum of Art
Visit the Chazen Museum of Art’s re:mancipation exhibit to learn about the Emancipation Group and dissect prejudice and racism on campus and in America. “re:mancipation encompasses the reimagining of the Chazen’s problematic Thomas Ball sculpture ‘Emancipation Group’.” We encourage you all to please visit the exhibit and acknowledge the continuing struggles of emancipation and the fight for racial justice. Feel free to visit the website (https://chazen.wisc.edu/exhibitions/remancipation/) to take a virtual tour or for more information.

Mission Not Accomplished: Unequal Opportunities and Outcomes for Black and Latinx Engineers
Take a look at this webpage from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce regarding unequal outcomes in engineering based on race. 
For more information, you can read the executive summary or full report.

BHM Events at UW-Madison
The 2023 Black History Month Planning Committee and the Black Cultural Center have organized various events related to the the theme “Black Arts: Multiple Mediums, One Story” for this month’s celebration.
Learn More Here.

In honor of Black History Month, read about 35 Black scientists and engineers who made important contributions to the STEM field!

Black Oxygen Podcast
The Black Oxygen podcast, created by Angela Russel, features and highlights the Black voices in Wisconsin and more. Take a listen to the podcast, “Black Oxygen”: All kinds of science careers exist with Dr. Takiyah Ball. This podcast explores Dr. Ball’s academic journey in becoming a microbiologist.

Yesterday, 12/3, was International Day of People with Disabilities!
Check out this article on how to celebrate IDPWD (International Day of People with Disabilities).
Learn about building a more accessible and inclusive world from the IDPWD organization.

Reflect and Learn this Thanksgiving
Take some time this break to learn more about the true history of Thanksgiving. After reading this article and doing some of your own research, inform those around you!

This Week is Transgender Awareness Week!
Join the UW–Madison Gender and Sexuality Campus Center & the Madison Central Library for the 2022 Trans Monologues and Talent Showcase! This event will be honoring Transgender Day of Remembrance with open mic performances and stories about the lives, experiences, relationships and communities that exist “beyond the cis-tem.”

LOUD celebrates Día de los Muertos
Read about how LOUD (Latinos Organizing for Understanding and Development) celebrated Día de los Muertos in Madison and see various altars and offerings in the Madison area from previous years, specifically throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more about Day of the Dead & learn about the difference between cultural appreciation vs. appropriation. 

November is Native American Heritage Month!

• Read about the Ho-Chunk Nation flag raising that happened this year.
• Build community and experience Indigenous placemaking.
• Learn about campus events in recognition of this important heritage month.

Learn about the Indian holiday of Diwali!

Diwali is an Indian holiday celebrated all around the world! It is a festival of lights that celebrates the triumph of light over darkness. Read more on the background of this significant holiday here!

Check out UW-Madison’s Diwali Celebration on Friday, November 4th!