Flashes of DEI

Jennie O'Connell (Director, Center for Sexual and Relationship Violence Support Services) and Richantae Johnson (Director, Gender Equity & Title IX Coordinator) join us for a conversation on Sexual Assault Awareness Month - the history, the importance, and resources.

Kent State Resources mentioned:

We're talking about the creation, importance, and work of the Women of Color Collective (WoCC). Shana Lee (Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Parents and Families Engagement, Division of Student Life / Cofounder and Co-Chair, WoCC), Stephanie Evans (Assistant Director, Office of Student Conduct / Co-Chair, WoCC), and Yvette Roberts (Assistant Director, Center for Sexual and Relationship Violence Support Services / Secretary, WoCC) share about the employee resource group that provides a supportive space for faculty and staff women of color.

Resources Mentioned:

Mwatabu Okantah (Professor and Department Chair, Africana Studies) joins to discuss the work, life, and legacy of Kent State's very own Dr. Oscar Ritchie

Resources Mentioned

Deanna Stevens Ulrich (Associate Director of Digital Content, University Communications and Marketing) and Dr. Peter Bobkowski (Professor, School of Media and Journalism) share about media literacy - what it means, its connection to DEI, and how we can build our capacity for it.

Resources Mentioned

Dr. Amanda Dolan (Director, Data Governance and Analytics) joins the podcast to talk data equity - what does it mean and what do we need to consider to achieve it.

Resources Mentioned

Dr. Jayita Datta (Psychologist, Counseling and Psychological Services) and Candra (Ph.D Student / Graduate Assistant, Office of Global Education) join us to discuss how we can better support and include international students.

KSU Resources Mentioned

Dr. Andrew Barnes (Associate Professor, School of Multidisciplinary Social Studies and Humanities / DEI Faculty Affiliate) and Dr. Mike Daniels (Director, E. Timothy Moore Student Multicultural Center) join us to discuss race and what can happen when we ignore it.

Books Mentioned:

What show, book, or podcast has helped you learn something about diversity, equity, and inclusion? What article, song, or video gave you hope or grounded you in your work? The DEI team gets together and answers these questions with picks from the past year!

Helped us learn:

AJ Conway (Assistant Dean, Special Initiatives in College of Communication & Information / Spectrum President) and Erica Pelz (Facilities Mechanical Systems Specialist for Laboratories in University Facilities Management / Vice President, Spectrum) talk about the creation, importance, and work of Spectrum - an employee resource group for LGBTQ+ and ally faculty and staff.

Resources Mentioned:

Dr. Elaine (Lan Yin) Hsiao (Associate Professor, School of Peace and Conflict Studies) and Olivia Eader (Environmental Studies and Geography Student) provide an explainer about environmental justice and climate justice - what they are, why they're important, and ways they show up in the world.

Resources Mentioned:

Learn about some of the current conversations and initiatives happening in libraries from Cindy Kristof (Copyright & Scholarly Communication Librarian / Communication Studies, Media & Journalism Subject Librarian - KSU Libraries), Sean Kennedy (Collection Strategies Librarian - KSU Libraries), and Olivia Johnson (Middle School Librarian, 2019 & 2021 Kent State Alum).

Resources Mentioned:

Dr. Molly Merryman (Associate Professor, School of Peace & Conflict Studies / Cofounder of KSU LGBTQ Studies & LGBTQ+ Center) joins the podcast to discuss the life and legacy of Kent State's very own Dr. Dolores Noll.

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To learn more about the 50+ year history of Kent State's Pan-African Faculty and Staff Association (PAFSA), we're joined by Renee Romine (Retiree, Training & Organizational Development in Human Resources / Past President of PAFSA) and Dr. Babacar M'Baye (Chair, Department of English & Faculty in Africana Studies/ Current President of PAFSA).

Resources Mentioned:

What are basic needs and why is talking about them important? Sydney Jordan (Assistant Director, CARES Center) and Amanda Woodyard (Director, Community Engaged Learning) answer those questions and more.

Support Resources Mentioned:

Amanda Feaster (Director, Student Accessibility Services) gives us a quick overview of language and concepts around disability. Listen in to learn some basics and hear about the resources we have here at Kent State.

Resources mentioned:

Two members of the Kent State Votes Coalition, Jessie Starkey (Director of Governmental Affairs in Undergraduate Student Government) and Craig Berger (Associate Director in Community Engaged Learning), help us navigate various elements of voting and share resources to help us be better informed.

Resources mentioned:

Aimée Flores (Junior Psychology Major & soon-to-be Spanish Double Major, President of S.A.L.S.A.) and Julie Vandegrift (Associate Director of Data Intelligence and Technology within Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, President of LNC) join us for a conversation on Hispanic Heritage Month and how we can create more space for Hispanic and Latine communities.

Resources mentioned:

Join us as we explore the concept of bodily autonomy and how it relates to equity. To help us, we brought in Dr. Suzanne Holt (Professor and Director of Women's Studies) and Dr. Laurie Wagner (Associate Professor of Health Education and Promotion in the School of Health Sciences)!

Resource mentioned:

It's been a rough couple of years. We want to explore the impact of them and what we can do to take care of our mental health. You'll hear from Dr. Carrie Berta (Psychologist and Assistant Director, Counseling and Psychological Services) and Dr. Adrienne Erby (Assistant Professor of Counselor Education and Supervision / DEI Faculty Affiliate / Practicing Licensed Professional Counselor). 

KSU Resources:

This month we talk with Donna Lee (Piano Professor, School of Music) and Sue Mark-Sracic (Counseling and Learning Specialist) about the need for and creation of the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander Faculty & Staff Alliance (AAAPIFASA).

Resources Mentioned:

Join us as we talk with Zachary Strickler (Neurodiversity Coordinator, Student Accessibility Services) about autism - what it is, what some common misconceptions are, and more!

Resources Mentioned:

This month we're honoring and talking about International Women's Day with Dr. Gumiko Monobe (Associate Professor, Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies), Cassie Pegg-Kirby (Director, Women's Center), and Dr. Charmaine Crawford (Associate Professor, Africana Studies. Director, Institute for African American Affair). 

Resources Mentioned:

Listen in to a conversation with Dr. Liz Smith-Pryor (Associate Professor in African-American History) about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. -  his context, his community, and how his work is still relevant today.

Some of the resources mentioned in the episode:

Join Marquis and Katie as they talk with Dr. Christa Porter (Assistant Professor in Higher Ed Administration) about what Critical Race theory is, what it isn't, and how it can help us understand some of the things going on around us.


Some of the people and resources mentioned in the episode:

• CRT Founding Scholars: Derek Bell, Richard Delgado, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Allen Freeman, Cheryl Harris, Mari Matsuda, Charles Lawrence, Patricia Williams
• CRT in Education Scholars: Gloria Ladson-Billings, William Tate, Lori Patton Davis, Shaun Harper, Jessica Harris
• Branches of CRT: DisCrit, BlackCrit, LatCrit, Critical Race Feminism, TribalCrit

Transcript available at: https://www.kent.edu/diversity/episode-4-intro-critical-race-theory 

Marquis, Amoaba, and Katie talk about and explore equity - what it is, why it's important, and how you can start to incorporate it into your life.