Office of Multicultural Affairs Newsletter
Fall 2021 | October 2021 | B-Term
|
|
The Office of Multicultural Affairs staff is excited to welcome you all back for B-Term. We hope your Fall Break was restful and worthwhile. Please note effective Monday, October 25th, we have returned to nights and weekend hours for the first time since the spring of 2020.
|
|
|
Upcoming Campus Programs and Events
|
|
|
- Wednesday, October 27th at 5:00 PM EST
- LSAMP Scholars Pinning Ceremony + Welcome Meeting
- Thursday, October 28th at 5:00 PM EST
- Mosaic: Men of Color Support Group Meeting | RSVP Here
- Thursday, October 28th at 6:30 PM EST
- Friday, October 29th at 12:00 PM EST
- Centering Mental Health Through Interactive Art and Design | RSVP Here
- Friday, October 29th at 3:00 PM EST
- Friday, October 29th at 3:00 PM EST
- OMA Family Dinner (Wellness Drop By Event) | RSVP Here
- Saturday, October 30th at 5:00 PM EST
- Monday, November 1st at 5:00 PM EST
- Tuesday, November 2nd at 10:00 AM EST
- Tuesday, November 2nd at 8:00 AM EST
- Wednesday, November 3rd at 1:00 PM EST
- Thursday, November 4th at 5:00 PM EST
- Mosaic: Men of Color Support Group Meeting | RSVP Here
- Friday, November 5th at 9:00 AM EST
- Friday, November 5th at 3:00 PM EST
- OMA Sponsored Programs and Events
|
|
|
Upcoming Holidays, Holy Days, and Commemorative Days
|
|
|
- Asexual Awareness Week (October 25 – October 29)
- Intersex Awareness Day (October 26)
- Halloween (October 31)
- Samhain (October 31 – November 1)
- October 2021 is observed as:
- LGBTQ History Month
- National Breast Cancer Awareness
- Domestic Violence Awareness
- National Youth Substance Use Prevention
- National Youth Justice Action Month
- National Clean Energy Action Month
- National Disability Employment Awareness
- National Arts and Humanities Month
- National Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention
- Cybersecurity Awareness Month
- Global Diversity Awareness Month
- Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month (Sept 15 – Oct 15)
|
|
|
WPI News:
Higher Education News:
Local/State/National/International News:
- Whitney Houston biopic 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' takes off at Worcester Regional Airport (Telegram & Gazette)
- Hispanic/Black group, Worcester agree to settle lawsuit over electing school board (Telegram & Gazette)
- ‘Nation’s Report Card’ finds falling test scores, even pre-covid (The Washington Post)
- A record number of workers are quitting their jobs, empowered by new leverage (The Washington Post)
- 67% of Americans perceive a rise in extreme weather, but partisans differ over government efforts to address it (Pew Research Center)
- Flood insurance rates are spiking for many, to account for climate risk (NPR)
- Fired FBI official Andrew McCabe wins retirement benefits and back pay in settlement (NPR)
- Colin Powell, a former secretary of state, dies at 84 (NPR)
- What you need to know about the start of the trial in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery (NPR)
- Hollywood crew members reach a tentative deal with major studios, averting a strike (NPR)
- After white students displayed Confederate flag at school, Black students suspended for planning protest (The Hill)
- 'She Went Out Strong': Dorothy Steel, Who Made Her Feature Film Debut in Black Panther, Dies at 95 (The Root)
- Michelin, GM Team Up to Sell Airless Tires by 2024 (Kelley Blue Book)
- In tree rings and radioactive carbon, signs of the Vikings in North America (NBC News)
- ‘HISTORY WILL NOT JUDGE US KINDLY’ (The Atlantic)
- Dads spend time in Louisiana high school after 23 students were arrested in string of violence (CBS News)
- Who was Halyna Hutchins? Tributes paid to director of photography killed by prop gun (CNN)
|
|
|
Mental Health, Wellness, Self-Care, and Mindfulness
|
|
|
- Mindfulness Wednesdays and Thursdays will be conducted virtually through Zoom for the foreseeable future and will not be held in person.
- The Wednesday session begins at 12:15 PM EST and the Thursday session begins at 2:15 PM EST.
- Sessions include a 10 – 15 meditation with time for questions or comments.
- Please email Robin Benoit for more information.
Mosaic: Men of Color Support Group
- A collaborative partnership between the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) and Student Development & Counseling Center (SDCC) the Mosaic: Men of Color Support Group offers social, personal, professional, and cultural support to WPI students who are male/men and Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color (BIPOC).
- Mosaic meets weekly during B-Term on Thursdays from 5:00 PM – 6:15 PM EST in the OASIS Multicultural Center (OASIS House) and on Zoom.
- Please email Arnold Lane for more information.
- Simple and accessible breathing exercises, stretches, and guided meditation for all bodies, minds, and spirits. No experience necessary.
- Saturdays at 3:00 PM EST
|
|
|
LGBTQIAP+ Resources and Support
|
|
|
|
Read, Watch, Listen, and Learn
|
|
|
Articles:
Films and Television:
Podcasts:
Books:
|
|
Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day All Year Long
Indigenous Peoples’ Day was Monday, October 11, 2021. We encourage you to uplift contemporary Indigenous cultures and histories by incorporating resources written by and about Indigenous peoples into your curriculum. In these Learning For Justice (LFJ) resources, learn various ways to do this in your classroom—all year long.
Are You Ready to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?
September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month! To help you celebrate and honor Hispanic Heritage Month with your students, we’ve compiled some of our favorite resources for bringing Latinx voices to the classroom. We hope these help you uplift a diverse range of intersectional Hispanic and Latinx identities, experiences, cultures and histories.
October Is LGBTQ History Month!
Educators can use these Learning For Justice (LFJ) resources to recognize, remember and teach intersectional LGBTQ history, including the experiences of young LGBTQ people of color. And this One World poster features a beautiful and timely message from Audre Lorde to inspire your students—all year long.
|
|
|
Disclaimer: WPI and the OMA does not endorse nor sponsor any of the above-mentioned groups, organizations, or entities.
|
|
|
Student Jobs, Internships, and Scholarships
|
|
|
|
Volunteers Needed:
- Worcester Technical High School is looking for volunteers.
- They need tutors after school to help students who might be struggling with math and science.
- Specifically, the tutoring will take place in person at Worcester Technical High School (1 Skyline Dr, Worcester, MA 01605) from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, most likely on Wednesdays.
- Unfortunately, at this time we won’t be able to offer transportation.
- WPS will run a background check on all volunteers which might delay the time you can volunteer by a few days to a few weeks.
- If you are interested, please reach out to Joshua Young at jyoung@wpi.edu
Scholarships:
|
|
|
Professional Development Opportunities
|
|
|
- We have developed a new program for this year, the Graduate Researcher Education and Training (GREAT) Series, for graduate student researchers, Masters Thesis and PhD students, that will provide training on a range of skills researchers need to be successful.
- Sessions take place the last Tuesday of each month from 12:00 – 1:00 PM EST in Gateway I (60 Prescott Street) Room 1002 with free boxed lunch provided following the session.
- Registration required for each session. The first three GREAT sessions are as follows:
- Employer Panel. Friday, November 12. This session will feature WPI Graduate Alumni and other professionals with that will share their career stories and provide advice on career exploration, job searches, and career advancement.
|
|
|
OMA Staff Virtual Office Hours
|
|
|
|
CRC Chaplain Student Hours
|
|
|
|
Academic Support Services
|
|
|
|
WPI Multicultural, Intercultural, International, and Religious Community
|
|
|
|
Campus Advocacy Resources
|
|
|
- Dean of Students: Student resources for advocacy, citizenship, empowerment, inclusion, respect, and support
- Office of International Student Life (ISL): Student resources for international support, education, community, and advocacy
- Office of Accessibility Services (OAS): Student resources for accommodation services, advocacy, support, and assistance
- Title IX: Student resources for anti-discrimination policy and equal opportunity education
- Student Development and Counseling Center (SDCC): Student resources for counseling, therapy, and mental health/wellness
- Graduate Student Government (GSG): Student resources for addressing the social and academic needs of graduate students
- Student Government Association (SGA): Student resources for addressing the social and academic needs of undergraduate students
|
|
|
Additional Support and Resources
|
|
|
|
|
|
