Celebrate 50 years of LGBTQ+ Pride!

This year marks the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride, first started to honor the Stonewall Uprising that served as the tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. Read more about the history of Pride Month.

Although Pride Month is usually marked with festive parades and celebrations worldwide, this year organizers rise to the challenge of our times by planning several virtual events. 

This year provides additional cause for celebration with the recent Supreme Court ruling banning LGBTQ discrimination in the workplace. Although this decision is historic, it’s hard to believe that it has been such a long fight for equality in the workplace for our LGBTQ communities.

And as we celebrate this victory, we must remember that Black Lives Matter protests are not just about the police killing Black men, but also about the violence committed  on Black women and members of the LGBTQ community…whose stories of violence by the police we usually don’t see on the news.  The energy and support of the current protests are also serving to bolster support for Black Trans Lives Matter protests as well.

So we take a pause to celebrate some good news, while keeping our voices raised for justice and racial equality!

Juneteenth

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day is this Friday, June 19th and celebrations are already underway. Below you will find ways to celebrate this important day in history. Whether you’re interested in doing a self-paced scavenger hunt that focuses on the city’s rich history of African American musicians who shaped our national sound, attend a Virtual Music Festival, or March for Black lives; the below list provides multiple ways you can show up on Juneteenth in St. Louis.

Community Events

Juneteenth Jubilee.  Sunday, June 21, 2020 10am-2pm. Sponsored by Bakers for Black Lives, Vicia, and Cortex.  For more information click here.

Juneteenth Ride for Freedom, Friday, June 19, 2020 2:00 pm

For more information click here.

RNS Presents the 3rd Annual: Juneteenth, Friday, June 19, 2020 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

For more information click here.

Trailnet’s 2020 Juneteenth Celebration Community Ride, Saturday June 20, 2020 9:00 am- 1:00 pm

For more information click here.

Juneteenth Reggae Style with Smokin Lion Band, Saturday, June 20, 2020 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

For more information click here.

Visual Movements’ Juneteenth Commemoration, Sunday, June 21, 2020 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

For more information click here.

Online Events

Blk + In Grad School’s Juneteenth Week, Monday June 15, 2020 – Sunday June 21, 2020 11 am- 5:30 pm CST

For more information click here.

Virtual Juneteenth Music Festival, Thursday, June 18, 2020 10:00 am- 7:00 pm CST

For more information click here.

American of Association Blacks Energy’s “A Toast to Juneteenth”, Friday, June 19, 2020 5:30 pm-6:30 pm CST

For more information click here.

Juneteenth Online Festival, Friday, June 19, 2020 – Monday June 29, 2020 9:00 pm- 12:00 am CST

For more information click here.

Juneteenth Liberation Forum, Friday, June 19, 2020 5:00 pm- 6:30 pm CST

For more information click here.

Juneteenth Virtual Meditation, Friday, June 19, 2020 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm CST

For more information click here.

March for Black Lives

Juneteenth Teach-In, Thursday, June 18, 2020 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

For more information click here.

Juneteenth March for Black Lives, Friday June 19, 2020 3:45 pm – 6:00 pm

For more information click here.

The People’s Rally, Friday, June 19, 2020 10:00 am – 7:00 pm

For more information click here.

Juneteenth Celebration, Friday, June 19, 2020 5:00 pm – ?

For more information click here.

Juneteenth Day of action, Friday, June 19, 2020 1 pm – ?

For more information click here.

Join us for a Virtual Gathering for Racial Unity

Join the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as we host a

 Virtual Gathering for Racial Unity

Thursday, June 18, 2020  12:00 P.M. – 1:30 P.M.

ODEI is hosting a virtual gathering that will allow individuals to come together for a facilitated panel discussion in order to process, share and listen. This is the first of many facilitated discussions on racial equity and unity sponsored by ODEI in collaboration with campus and community experts. This virtual gathering is open to all UMSL students, faculty and staff. You must register with an UMSL or UM System email.  You will receive an Outlook invite and Zoom link prior to the event

Registration Link

http://umsl.edu/go/unity

Anonymous Survey for Virtual Gathering

http://umsl.edu/go/odeisurvey

ODEI Racial Unity Event Flyer – 6.11.20 (1)

 

Message from the Interim Director

ODEI joins in the collective outrage over the unjustifiable killings of African Americans and people of color, most recently in the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. Social injustices and the impact of systemic racism weighs heavy and takes a toll on us mentally and physically. The immediate question is how we at the university respond when our campus community is experiencing feelings of anger, hurt, grief, and fear…I believe that the first step is acknowledgement and affirmation of those experiences and to provide the space to do so.

I was reminded of a post that stated “When HATE is loud, LOVE must not be silent.” To this end, ODEI has created the UMSL CommUNITY Conversation Series, to provide virtual and in-person forums for continued dialogues. The first event-“Virtual Gathering for Racial Unity” is scheduled for Thursday, June 18, 2020 from 12:00 pm-1:30 pm. The facilitated panel discussion will allow individuals to come together in order to process, share and listen.

ODEI is committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice and action. ODEI partners with individuals, offices, and departments across campus to collaborate on diversity and inclusion initiatives. Additionally, we are providing virtual opportunities for faculty and staff to engage and learn throughout the summer and will continue to expand our curriculum to be responsive to our current context. We also have developed a robust set of resources to facilitate learning and awareness about self and others; to help individuals and departments have conversations about race; and to increase understanding and usage of inclusive language. As new content and learning opportunities develop, we will share them in our new (soon to be launch) blog.

Each of us has a passion and a purpose. I encourage you to ask what you can do individually and collectively to help our community.

Sincerely,

Tanisha

Dr. Tanisha Stevens
Interim Director, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Welcome to ODEI’s blog

Welcome to the first edition of the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Blog! The hope is that the blog will serve as a resource to increase knowledge and gain information about diversity and inclusion efforts here at the institution as well as in the Saint Louis community.