Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Karla Arroyo - Deeper Than Hair Social Journalism Practicum, Karla Y. Arroyo

Capstones

This project package is my final project as a Social Journalism student at the Newmark J-School. For 16 months, I engaged with and reported on Black and brown people who are subject to or have lived experiences of hair discrimination in workplaces, schools and society. In my final report, I offer a lengthy summary of my process of engaging with people in my community and how I created an effective medium to serve them: via a newsletter. The Deeper Than Hair Newsletter is a monthly news service in collaboration with the CROWN Campaign where we offer community members resources like …

President's Council On Diversity, Equity And Inclusion: Findings And Recommendations Report, University Of Maine President's Council On Diversity, Equity And Inclusion

University of Maine Racial Justice Collection

Report from the President’s Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with recommendations for expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion on the University of Maine (UM) and the University of Maine at Machias (UMM) campuses.

The President’s Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion began its work in October 2020, charged with advising “the President and members of the President’s Cabinet on matters of diversity, equity and inclusion at [UM] and [UMM] and to provide an annual report to the President on the status and efforts to ensure that inclusive excellence is foundational at the University.”

The Council includes 33 members, who collectively …

President's Council On Diversity, Equity And Inclusion: Findings And Recommendations Report, University Of Maine President's Council On Diversity, Equity And Inclusion

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Report from the President’s Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with recommendations for expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion on the University of Maine (UM) and the University of Maine at Machias (UMM) campuses.

The President’s Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion began its work in October 2020, charged with advising “the President and members of the President’s Cabinet on matters of diversity, equity and inclusion at [UM] and [UMM] and to provide an annual report to the President on the status and efforts to ensure that inclusive excellence is foundational at the University.”

The Council includes 33 members, who collectively …

S3e4: How Does Diversity Strengthen Education And Community?, Ron Lisnet, Kimberly Whitehead, Susan Mckay

The Maine Question

The death of George Floyd is just one of several incidents that pushed issues of race, diversity and justice to the front burner in 2020. At the University of Maine, President Joan Ferrini-Mundy created a new council to examine where UMaine stands in relation to these issues and what can be done to foster a more inclusive and equitable campus atmosphere. The Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion began its work this fall. We speak with council co-chairs Kimberly Whitehead, vice president and chief of staff to the president, and Susan McKay, a professor of physics and director of the …

Racial Justice Challenge Promotes Anti-Racism In The Umaine Community, Megan Ashe

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

The spring of 2020 sparked a resurgence of racial justice movements on a national level as a result of police officers publicly killing a number of unarmed Black people, including George Floyd and Breanna Taylor, which brought national attention to the issue of police brutality. Public opinions surged in favor of social justice movements including the Black Lives Matter movement, after reports of unwarranted brutal force used by police officers surfaced and highlighted the biases that affect many Black and Indigenous people of color (BIPOC). The dialogue surrounding disenfranchisement of BIPOC provided a glimpse into the broader issues of police …

It's The Little Things: A Community Resource For Strengthening Social Connections, Caitlin Coyle, Shayna Gleason, Cindy Bui

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we prioritize connection for ourselves and the people around us. The global COVID-19 pandemic and the national reckoning with systemic racism has made people more aware and appreciative of their relationships and has made some painfully aware of how distant and disconnected they are. While the evidence is clear that social isolation is bad for health and well-being, the evidence base of solutions is far less so. Thus, this report sought to harness the energy, creativity, and progressive thinking of cities and towns in Massachusetts by documenting their efforts to keep people …

Racism In Healthcare, Elizabeth Dwyer

Black History at UNM

Living with the daily experience of racism can have direct, adverse effects on the health and wellbeing of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Dr. Tracie Collins, former Dean, UNM College of Population Health, and current Secretary of Health of New Mexico, and Dr. Felisha Rohan-Minjares, Professor, UNM’s Department of Family and Community Medicine, explain how bias and racism impact health, treatment, and outcomes.

Getting Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable: A Conversation With Marsha Sinanan-Vasishta, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

We find ourselves managing two critical moments and a powerful confluence of events, one a crisis in health. We are still facing the COVID crisis, and we are trying very hard to rely on evidence and truth that will lead us forward in addressing that in the best way possible. We are also in a crisis of humanity, one that has been simmering beneath the surface for years, the issue of systemic racism and disparities in healthcare, further highlighted by the COVID crisis. This article shares the conversation I had with Marsha Sinanan-Vasishta, MSN, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, CPXP, Deputy Chief …

Leadership Matters: A Conversation With Dr. James Hildreth, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

I was extremely honored at this moment in the midst of our current health crisis to have a conversation with Dr. James Hildreth, president and chief executive officer of Meharry Medical College. The focus and commitment expressed by Dr. Hildreth reflects the very mission statement of Meharry Medical College itself, to advance health equity through innovative research, transformative education, exceptional and compassionate health services and policy-influencing thought leadership. As equally important is the alignment of Meharry’s purpose with our very own at the Institute, as Meharry’s mission continues to empower diverse populations to improve the well-being of humankind. Dr. Hildreth …

A Commitment To Hope, Jason A. Wolf Phd, Geoffrey A. Silvera

Patient Experience Journal

On April 1, we made the decision to reconfigure our scheduled special issue on Behavioral Health to the topic of this issue - Sustaining a Focus on Human Experience in the Face of COVID-19. In the midst of crisis, we were uncertain how people would respond to this call or even if they could in the face of the realities they were addressing each day. Yet, the research, cases and stories started to arrive. The contributions in this special issue represent a patchwork of powerful insights and a historic record to document this moment. What we have brought together …

Recognizing Anti-Blackness In Media And Other Institutions, Marissa Lucero

Black History at UNM

Myra Washington, Associate Professor in Communication and Journalism at The University of New Mexico, discusses how dehumanizing portrayals of Black people in the media desensitizes people to brutal violence against Black people. She defines anti-blackness as multiple institutions working together to marginalize Black people. Washington explains, if people choose to discuss anti-blackness in media, it’s imperative to discuss other instances that showcase anti-blackness within different institutions, including education, policy, healthcare, religion, economy, and family. Associate Professor of Communication and Journalism at UNM, Shinsuke Eguchi, also reflects on the politics of race and anti-blackness in this article. This article is a …

Covid-19 And Systemic Racism, Rachel Robinson-Greene

Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

As more information about COVID-19 and its effects comes to light, it is clear that the impacts of the disease are not the same everywhere or for everyone. Some communities are hit harder than others. In many cases, COVID-19 hot spots highlight systemic problems that existed before “coronavirus” was a household word. The public action that a society takes when things get rough reflects its values, in this case, its judgments about who and what is really important. Unsurprisingly, the circumstances of marginalized groups are not sufficiently taken into account in the construction of social programs and systems. When these …

Addiction, Mental Health, Systemic Racism, And Expressive Arts Therapy: A Review Of The Literature Capstone Thesis, Melanie Dunbar

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Systemic racism has plagued people of color for many years. The thought of advancing in this world has been cut down by systems put in place to advance the White agenda. One of those systems is the health care system. Addiction and mental health care are areas where identifying as a person of color can be a hinderance when seeking treatment. Addiction and mental health have also been stigmatized, and treatment for people of color is available but lacks affordability. This literature review addresses the layers of what systemic racism is and how it has affected the lives of multicultural …

Examining The History Of Racial Groups To Understand Health Disparities In Monterey County, Virginia Murillo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Monterey County Health Department’s Health Equity Scholars Academy aspires to train health workforce leaders to prioritize equity into services. Health inequities occur when there are systematic differences in the health statuses of different populations. These disparities perpetuate negative health outcomes for minority groups. In Monterey County, too few public employees are aware of the types and pervasiveness of health inequities experienced by a significant proportion of the population. A timeline was developed to provide a more accessible way to educate public employees about significant events and policies affecting Monterey County resident’s health. Content from the timeline has been incorporated …

Addressing And Educating Northwestern Students On White Privilege And Systemic Racism, Bailey Banwart, Hannah Johnson, Calli Shaw, Rachel Wyborny

Student Projects

Systemic racism has been a part of American Culture for hundreds of generations, and while the United States has come a long way since the 17th century, there is still an overwhelming number of racial injustices happening today which go unaddressed. Due to a lack of diverse education, common misconceptions regarding white privilege, systemic racism, and racial injustice are taken as truth. To address these misconceptions and educate individuals, the organizers of this project researched, collaborated, and then hosted a Racial Injustice Prayer Vigil at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. This Racial Injustice Prayer Vigil had six different stations: …