January 17, 2020
Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon Community:
Diversity, equity and inclusion live at the heart of Carnegie Mellon’s mission. As a campus community, we’re proud to celebrate the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through meaningful opportunities and honor his call to pursue justice, promote peace and serve others, while reaffirming these ideals as our own.
This year, as we celebrate Dr. King’s legacy, Carnegie Mellon’s Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion has partnered with campus departments, student groups, Pittsburgh area organizations and thought-leaders from across the country to produce a series of lectures, discussions, performances and service projects that will take place in the coming weeks.
Below is a sampling of opportunities for all campus community members to engage with one another and carry out our commitment to build a more inclusive and vibrant culture at Carnegie Mellon.
- February 13, 2 p.m. The 21st Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Writing Awards
Monday, Jan. 20, 4:30 p.m., Rangos Ballroom, CUC
The ceremony will feature live readings from this year’s winners and performances by students from the College of Fine Arts. - MLK Day of Service
Tuesday, Jan. 21, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m., Rangos 1, CUC
Join SLICE and PACE to package bagged lunches to benefit the Light of Life Rescue Mission. - MLK Interfaith Breakfast
Friday, Jan. 31, 8:30 - 10:30 a.m., Rangos Ballroom, CUC
Breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m. The featured dialogue about the life and legacy of Dr. King through the lens of faith, activism and social justice will begin at 9 a.m. - John M. Carey: “Campus Diversity: The Hidden Consensus”
Monday, Feb. 3, 4:45 p.m., Location TBD
Dr. John M. Carey, associate dean of faculty for the social sciences at Dartmouth College and co-founder of BrightLineWatch, will discuss topics in his forthcoming book Campus Diversity: The Hidden Consensus. - Black Male Summit Lecture 2020
Friday, Feb. 7, 4:30 p.m., McConomy Auditorium, CUC
Keynote Lecture by Dr. Rich Milner. A reception at 6 p.m. will follow the talk in the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion. The 2nd annual Black Male Summit will be held on Saturday, Feb. 8. -
Lunch with Transgender and Non-Binary Community Members
Thursday, Feb. 13, 12 - 1:30 p.m., RSVP for event location
Free and open to trans and non-binary CMU community members. Come talk with Dr. Jaime M. Grant, principal investigator for the historic 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS) and its ground-breaking report, Injustice at Every Turn, about your life at CMU, your concerns about all-gender inclusion and exclusion at the university, and your ideas for moving forward. This will be an informal discussion and is closed to trans and non-binary identified community members. RSVP here for location.
-
All-Gender Inclusion: What does it mean? Why does it matter? What can I do?
Thursday, Feb. 13, 2 - 3:30 p.m., Danforth Conference Room, CUC
Free and open to staff/faculty from CMU and outside institutions. Dr. Jaime M. Grant, principal investigator for the historic 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS) and its groundbreaking report, Injustice at Every Turn, will talk about the experiences of genderqueer and gender expansive respondents in the study, opening a conversation about how faculty can create all-gender inclusive and expansive environments in our day-to-day teaching and intellectual work with students. Register.
-
Making Way: Actionable Steps for All-Gender Inclusion
Thursday, Feb. 13, 4:30 p.m. reception; 5 - 7 p.m. workshop, Simmons Auditorium A, Tepper Building
Free and open to anyone. Non-binary and genderqueer identities and expression are growing exponentially across the nation and around the world. Dr. Jaime M. Grant, principal investigator for the historic 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS) and its ground-breaking report, Injustice at Every Turn, will report on the experiences of more than 1,000 genderqueers, gender rebels and genderfluid people in the NTDS. To the CMU community, Dr. Grant will present a set of questions and recommendations on how we can best create and support all-gender inclusive and expansive environments. Register.
- Plateful of Pride: Queer, Black, and Fabulous
Monday, Feb. 10. 5 - 6:30 p.m., Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion
Featuring speaker Julian Arney (DC '14) - A Lecture with Dr. Michael McGee: The Epidemic of Firearm Violence: Discussed from a Public Health Perspective, Associated Health Disparities, and Effects Upon our Youth
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 7 p.m., Simmons Auditorium B, Tepper Building
Join us for a lecture followed by a Q&A to learn about gun violence as a public health crisis in America. - CAUSE Lecture: “The History and Mythology of So-Called Jazz”
Friday, Feb. 21, 4 p.m., Singleton Room, Roberts Hall
Dr. Douglas Daniels, professor emeritus, departments of Black Studies and History, University of California – Santa Barbara. 4 p.m. reception, 5:30 p.m. lecture and discussion. - MLK Keynote Lecture: “Eloquent Rage”
Tuesday, Feb. 25, 4:30 p.m., McConomy Auditorium, CUC
Dr. Brittney Cooper draws from the themes in her book, Eloquent Rage, discussing the power in being an "Angry Black Woman."
Please view our Martin Luther King, Jr. program schedule for additional event details, and be sure to visit the Center’s website for sponsored activities throughout the year. These activities enhance President Jahanian’s commitment to create a more inclusive and respectful environment at CMU through the working groups established as part of the Campus Climate Implementation Steering Committee.
We hope you will engage with fellow community members by attending as many of these special events as you can and be inspired by Dr. King’s example for spreading a sense of togetherness and hope throughout the world.
Sincerely,
Jim Garrett, Provost
Gina Casalegno, Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs