Students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in a variety of events throughout February in recognition of Black History Month. The United States observes Black History Month annually to honor the achievements, history and experience of Black Americans as well as the contributions Black Americans have made to U.S. history.
Several discussions, presentations and activities are highlighted below. Please check back for additional events and updates:
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Notre Dame Athletics StaND Together T-shirt Social Media Campaign
First week of February
Social media
Notre Dame coaches and teams will wear their StaND Together shirts and post their pictures and videos on social media as we hold true to our support of one another and the community.
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Why, a Black History Month
February 10, noon to 1 p.m.
Virtual event
Part trivia, part discussion. Join a conversation on the importance of Black History Month. Test your trivia knowledge and discuss why knowledge of African American History is important. Register at https://provost.nd.edu/academic-community/diversity/2020-21-inclusive-excellence-workshops/.
Presenters are Eric Love, director of Staff Diversity and Inclusion, and Pamela Nolan Young, director of Academic Diversity and Inclusion.
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ACC Winter Unity Week
February 20-28
Notre Dame Athletics will take part in ACC Winter Unity Week, a campaign to promote togetherness as it relates to teams, the conference and fans. Through releases, content, and pre-game activities, the conference and its member institutions will showcase their commitment to social justice and racial equality
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The Life and Legacy of Sr. Thea Bowman, FSPA Servant of God: A Facilitated Conversation with the Rev. Maurice Nutt, C.Ss.R.
February 23
Virtual event
The granddaughter of a slave, a native of Canton, Mississippi, and a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Sr. Thea Bowman taught in Catholic grade schools, high schools and colleges, earned a doctoral degree in rhetoric and literature from Catholic University of America and published scholarly articles on the writings of Saint Thomas More. Though suffering from bone marrow cancer for much of her life, she adhered to a rigorous schedule as a scholar, Gospel singer and preacher to deepen the Church’s awareness and appreciation of African-American culture.
This virtual event in celebration of Black History Month is co-sponsored by MSPS’ Building Bridges Lecture Series, Campus Ministry, Cushwa Center, McGrath Institute for Church Life.
Registration information to be provided soon.
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Language, Race and Justice
February 25, 2021, noon to 1 p.m.
Virtual event
This session examines the intersections of language, race, identity and power. Drawing on recent work in raciolinguistics — the realm of linguistics which serves to answer the question “What does it mean to speak as a racialized subject in contemporary America?” — this interactive workshop asks participants to consider their own language stories and how language has shaped who they are and to what extent language repertoires inform perceived or real inclusion/exclusion in the speaking communities in which we participate.
Highlighting the UNESCO's 1996 Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights at the Barcelona Conference and looking to the students we serve, advise, and teach we will ask: In what ways are we fully inclusive to the range of linguistic practices among our student body and the professionals we work with everyday? How can we be more inclusive and honor the language communities and practices we encounter? What does it mean to advise and teach actively seeking linguistic justice?
Register at https://provost.nd.edu/academic-community/diversity/2020-21-inclusive-excellence-workshops/.
Presenter: Erin Moira Lemrow, a Notre Dame faculty member in multiple departments, including First Year of Studies, the Institute for Latino Studies and the Institute for Educational Initiatives.
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Notre Dame Athletics Daily Features
Monthlong
https://und.com/standtogether/ and social media
Daily written features on student-athletes, coaches and staff who make Notre Dame special and some of the groundbreaking moments in Notre Dame’s athletic history.
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Reading and Discussion: Homegoing
Dates TBD
Virtual event
In celebration of Black History Month and Walk the Walk Week, the Gender Relations Center and Multicultural Student Programs and Services (MSPS) invite students, faculty and staff to discuss Yaa Gyasi’s acclaimed book Homegoing. Homegoing weaves a story of two 18th Century Ghanian sisters and eight generations of their descendents. Go to http://bit.ly/Homegoing21 to request your book.
Visit grc.nd.edu for more information and virtual discussion details.
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In addition to these events, the University will also observe Walk the Walk Week from February 22 through 28. Walk the Walk Week is a week-long series of University and department sponsored events designed to help each of us consider the steps we might take individually and collectively to make Notre Dame, our communities, and our nation more welcoming and inclusive.
Originally published by at diversity.nd.edu on February 01, 2021.