Day of Collective Action
February 8, 2023

The University of Utah's second Day of Collective Action is happening Wednesday, February 8, 2023 and we are excited to have you join us!

This day is designed to offer our campus community an opportunity to learn, reflect and find ways that each of us can work to end and dismantle all forms of discrimination at the U. It is a Presidential initiative, launched in 2022 by the Presidential Commission on Equity and Belonging.

We encourage students, staff and faculty to participate in the sessions and workshops taking place throughout the day. This year, there are four tracks: Exploring the Hispanic Serving Institution; Anti-Racism; Indigenizing the University of Utah; and Community and Coalition Building. This year's keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Anne-Marie Núñez, director of the Natalicio Institute for Hispanic Student Success at the University of Texas, El Paso. Other sessions include how you can develop an anti-racism plan, equity-centered community building, addressing student poverty, and gender and its impacts on higher education, as well as many more.

The Day of Collective Action is a starting point. It is a part of the broader equity, diversity and inclusion work happening across campus. This is on-going work and it takes us all to drive change and enrich our culture of belonging at the University of Utah.

During this week, and especially on Wednesday, we encourage academic programs to incorporate our four themes and faculty and instructors to participate in classroom reflection on these topics. We also ask that colleges and departments promote flexibility for students and faculty in relation to holding and attending classes on this important day.

Registration for the Presidential Session is now closed

This year's keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Anne-Marie Núñez, director of the Natalicio Institute for Hispanic Student Success at the University of Texas, El Paso. You may watch via a livestream here on Wednesday morning.

Schedule for Day of Collective Action 2023 Events

NOTE: If you need special accommodations to participate in any session, please email Shenia Sellers at ssellers@sa.utah.edu.

READ SESSION DESCRIPTIONS BY clicking on this link.

Faculty/Instructor Discussion Guide

* The Utah Asia campus will hold its Day of Collective Action on March 8, 2023.

* You may register for the afternoon virtual event at this link: Creating Black at the U

Other Campus Events

CSBS Student Success Center Gallery Walk: Drop by the College of Social & Behavioral Science's Student Success Center for a Gallery Walk during the Day of Collective Action on February 8. Outside of our center, located in Gardner Commons 2455, we will have posters hanging in our windows which outline just some of the ways our students, staff and faculty promote equity, diversity and inclusion in CSBS. Each poster will also have a QR code you can scan to learn more and get involved.

Be a part of the world's largest human rights letter-writing event: As part of the Day of Collective Action on February 8, join Amnesty International and the Tanner Center for Human Rights at the CSBS Student Success Center, located in Gardner Commons 2455, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to write a letter on behalf of prisoners of conscience, human rights defenders and others at risk of human rights violations. Write a letter, change a life and get a free lunch! Write for Rights - Amnesty International

Reframing the Conversation: Driving Belonging on a Diverse Campus
Higher education is increasingly diverse due in large part to the growing diversity of our students. In this Reframing the Conversation discussion, which will take place from 12:15 p.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Welcome Center in Gardner Commons, we’ll examine how universities and colleges can foster belonging and inclusion on campuses where students increasingly come from a variety of backgrounds and bring a multitude of perspectives, experiences, and values. We’ll explore new practices for engaging students in the planning and execution of events and activities—and we’ll investigate how resources can be used to affirm student identities and serve as welcoming spaces for diverse communities. To read more information and to watch the live stream, visit this link.

Moderator: Susie Porter Panelists: Rodney T. Cohen; Thomas Chase Hagood,  Steve Robinson and Cassie Zamora-Cathcart

I am U Thriving: There is more to you than meets the eye and there is power in storytelling and in owning our identities. The I am U thriving visual storytelling campaign seeks to provide student, staff and faculty members from minority communities the opportunity to share their stories and identities. I am U thriving is led by Student Affairs’ Student Inclusion and Development team and will be part of Day of Collective Action occurring Feb. 8, 2023. Participants will have the opportunity to work with volunteers from the School of Cultural and Social Transformation to craft their message and have their portraits taken. Photos will be taken in the Union Ballroom East.

Portraits from the campaign will be revealed at the reception of Day of Collective Action along with the great opportunity to hear from a few of the participants. Please visit the I am U thriving website for further information and RSVP here to participate in the event.

College of Science: The college will host a letter-writing campaign from 11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. on Wednesday, February 8, in Crocker Science Center, Room 206. Students, staff and faculty are invited to write letters and create video messages to middle school students at Northwest Middle School to encourage them to pursue careers as scientists.

Department of Public Safety: The University of Utah's Department of Public Safety will host a panel discussion titled "Reimagining Public Safety: Dream realized or deferred?" on Wednesday, February 8, from 6-7:3- p.m. in the Gould Auditorium at the J. Willard Marriott Library. Panelists will discuss policing in the post-George Floyd era: What has changed in law enforcement and what hasn't? Do we need police? After the protests, can we come together to discuss meaningful and lasting change? Panelists and attendees will discuss and answer questions on where policing needs to go, what has changed at the University of Utah and what do we as a society do now. Register to attend in-person or by Zoom here.

Panelists: Keith Squires, chief safety officer; Jason Hinojosa, interim chief of police; Keith Embray, executive director of Equity Diversity Inclusion, Athletics; Nahum Tadesse, lead presidential intern; Muskan Walia, public safety intern.

Committee Members

Bryan Hubain, co-chair, associate vice president for Student Development and Inclusion, co-liaison for the Ute Indian Tribe
David Hawkins-Jacinto, co-chair, senior communications manager, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion
Mary Ann Villarreal, vice president, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion, co-chair of Presidential Commission on Equity and Belonging
Lori McDonald, vice president of Student Affairs, co-chair of Presidential Commission on Equity and Belonging
Trisha Sugiyama, director of Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion projects
Brooke Adams, national media strategist, university marketing & communications
Pamela Bishop, senior director of marketing & communications, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion
Lindsay Browning, administrative coordinator,  Department of Pediatrics
Samantha Eldridge, director, American Indian Resource Center
Gabriella Blanchard, program manager, MIAGE and MPP programs
Amanda North, executive assistant, Student Affairs
Tashelle Wright, director Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, School of Medicine
Ephraim Kum, Male Success Initiatives program coordinator, Black Cultural Center
Laura Shwartz, associate director, Office of Advancement, University of Utah Health
Portia Anderson, assistant dean, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, College of Architecture + Planning
Pamela Cappas-Toro, Latinx initiatives manager, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion
Amy Fulton, director, New Leadership Academy
Jack O'Leary, student
Sinndy Rios, program coordinator with Strategic Initiatives, Student Affairs
Jarrel Johnson, assistant professor, Educational Leadership & Policy, College of Education
Ebsa Eshete, student ambassador, John and Marcia Price College of Engineering
Victoria Nguyen, student coordinator, David Eccles School of Business
Tracy Rees, marketing & communications specialist, College of Education
Eunice Contreras, event manager, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion
Shenia Sellers, student development and inclusion, Student Affairs
Megan Medina, associate director of curricular development, Bennion Community Engagement Center
James Johnson, disability counselor, The Center for Disability & Access