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THIS WEEK'S EVENT & NEWS SUMMARY

IN THE COMMUNITY

Hands

Adult Faith Development: Exploring WhitePrivilege

Sundays, March 31 and April 14 | 1-3 PM | Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church, Unitarian Universalist

This class is designed to offer an introduction for those interested in learning about white privilege. We will discuss how we see it in our own lives, as people who identify as white. If you are interested in learning about this topic or know a little bit and want to expand your knowledge, join us! We look forward to creating an educational and non-threatening environment in which we can explore, learn from each other, and become better allies to people of color.

Facilitators: Donna Baker & Ann Forno
Dates: Sundays, March 17, 31 and April 14, 1-3 PM
Location: March 17 Summit House 2, March 31 and April 14 Church Parlor
Free of charge. To register, contact Leia Durland-Jones (leia@uucharlottesville.org)
Full Info >
Engagement from Experience
Engagement from Experience - A Fifty Year Look Symposium 

Friday, March 22 | HAPPENING NOW-1pm | Dome Room, The Rotunda | REGISTER HERE

Photo: Records of the Virginia Law Weekly

Keynote Speaker: 
REPRESENTATIVE JAMES R. ROEBUCK, JR.

Representative James R. Roebuck Jr. is a Democratic politician who represents the 188th Legislative District (West Philadelphia) in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He was first elected in a special election on May 21, 1985. Roebuck is a 1963 graduate of Central High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1966 from Virginia Union University. He earned a Ph.D. in 1977 from University of Virginia. In 1969, Roebuck became the first African American Student Council president at UVA. Roebuck is a member of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus.


Speakers:
ALEX CINTRON was elected as the first Latinx president of UVA's Student Council in February 2018. He has been a member of the Student Council since his first year at UVA and served as the Vice President for Administration.

CEASAR L. McDOWELL holds an Ed.D. (88) and M.Ed. (84) from Harvard.  He is Professor of the Civic Design at MIT. Ceasar's current work is on the development of community knowledge systems and civic engagement. He is also expanding his critical moments reflection methodology to identify, share, and maintain grassroots knowledge. His research and teaching interests also include the use of mass media and technology in promoting democracy and community-building, the education of urban students, the development and use of empathy in community work, civil rights history, peacemaking, and conflict resolution. He is Director of the Global Civic Engagement Organization, Dropping Knowledge International, MIT's former Center for Reflective Community Practice (renamed Co-Lab), Co-founder of The Civil Rights Forum on Telecommunications Policy, and founding Board member of The Algebra Project.

KAREN ABRAMS is the program officer for Equitable Development at the Heinz Endowment in Pittsburgh. She has over a decade of economic, sustainability and community development experience, serving most recently as manager of Diversity and Community Affairs for the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA). Her tenure with the URA included creation and management of Urban Matters, an arts and design-based civic engagement program for residents in distressed Pittsburgh neighborhoods. While with the URA, Ms. Abrams founded and coordinated the URA Equity Working Group, and worked with neighborhood stakeholders to increase their capacity to address urban regeneration and sustainability in economically challenged communities. Ms. Abrams earned undergraduate degrees in history and African American history from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville and a Master of Science degree in sustainable systems from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. In May 2017, Ms. Abrams was honored with a Loeb Fellowship at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.


This event is part of a larger Symposium + Presentation Series, The Road to Charlottesville: Revisiting Education, Equity & Engagement. 
This series revisits and reimagines education and equity through the lens of important events in the life of Charlottesville and the University of Virginia. In 1969, students elected the first African American president of the Student Council, 30 years ago President George H.W. Bush gathered all the nation’s governors in an educational summit in Charlottesville, and currently, our community is addressing the distribution of equitable opportunities for enrichment and learning in the public schools. In short, it is a moment for reflection and action. 
A Symposium hosted in partnership by the Bicentennial Commission; UVA Student Council; UVA Carter G. Woodson Institute; Office of the Provost; Office of the Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity; Community Design Research Center; UVA School of Architecture's Office of the Dean; and the Cavalier Daily. 

Learn More >
Diversity and Inclusion at the 2019 Virginia Festival of the Book
As we celebrate our 25th year, we are excited to announce our second annual partnership with CFA Institute to support select programming with a focus on diversity and inclusion.
The programs sponsored by CFA Institute are part of the Festival's overall efforts to increase the diversity—in race, ethnicity, abilities, gender, sexual orientation, and other identities—of speakers and Festival audiences.
In the 2019 Festival, CFA Institute will sponsor the following FREE programs, each of which will be followed by a book signing:

·         Understanding Love: LGBTQI Fiction—Friday, March 22 at 4:00 PM,
Co-sponsored by Charlottesville Pride Community Network
·         Native Lives: Past and Present—Friday, March 22 at 4:00 PM
·         Women and War: Untold Stories—Friday, March 22 at 4:00 PM
·         Complicated Lives in the Civil Rights Era—Saturday, March 23 at 10:00 AM, Co-sponsored by Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital
·         Resilient Lives in Fiction—Saturday, March 23 at 10:00 AM
·         Latinx Fiction for Young Readers—Saturday, March 23 at 12:00 PM
·         Segregation to Civil Rights: America’s Journey—Saturday, March 23 at 12:00 PM
·         Exploring Jewish Identity: Personal and Historical—Sunday, March 24 at 2:00 PM

We are proud of the Festival's record of accessibility, affordability, and inclusivity. However, while nearly all Festival programs are free and open to the public without reservations, some require tickets. Tickets for select Festival programs are available at VaBook.org.
Learn More >
Celebration Brunch: A Tribute to the African American Literary Tradition

Sunday, March 24 | 11:00am - 1:30pm | The Omni Charlottesville

The Charlottesville Chapter of The Links Incorporated presents its sixteenth annual Celebration of the African American Literary Tradition, including brunch, musical and spoken word performances by community youth, a tribute to book festival authors, book sales, and signing.

Ballroom doors open and the buffet begins at 11:00 AM. The program begins at 12:00 PM, followed by book sales and signing at 1:30 PM. Tickets are $65 and available in advance only. To purchase tickets, contact: cvillelinks@gmail.com or a member of the Charlottesville Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.

This event is co-sponsored by the Maxine Lynn Platzer Women's Center.

More Info >
Patti Digh and Victor Lee Lewis

Hard Conversations: Introduction to Racism

March 26-April 26
Live Seminars on April 2, 9, 16, and 23


This is a month-long online seminar program hosted by authors, speakers, and social justice activists Patti Digh and Victor Lee Lewis, who was featured in the documentary film, The Color of Fear, with help from a community of people who want and are willing to help us understand the reality of racism by telling their stories and sharing their resources.

There are two learning spaces for this course: An online classroom and our weekly live seminars. Content and course details will be delivered to your email daily. The live seminars that take place from 8-9:15pm Eastern via telephone conference begin one week after the course begins. The calls will be recorded, should you not be able to participate live.

More Information >
Sheila Pree Bright
Seeing Black: Disrupting the Visual Narrative

Friday, April 5 | 6pm | The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center

The past resonates in Sheila Pree Bright’s photographs, collected I n her new book, #1960Now: Photographs of Civil Rights Activists and Black Lives Matter
Protests. Maurice Berger in The New York Times writes, “ Ms. Bright reminds us that the struggle for racial equality and justice in the United States has been long-standing and ongoing .” A n acclaimed fine-art photographer known for her series Young Americans , Plastic Bodies, Suburbia, and #1960Now , Ms. Bright describes herself as a visual producer documenting contemporary culture. Her images are held in numerous private and public collections, including The Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture, The National Center for Civil and Human Rights, The High Museum of Art, The Athens Museum of Contemporary Art, and The Library of Congress.

Deborah McDowell, a scholar of African American/American literature, is the Alice Griffin Professor of Literary Studies and Director of the Carter G. Woodson Institute for African American and African Studies at the University of Virginia. Her publications include ‘ The Changing Same’: Studies in Fiction by African American Women , Leaving Pipe Shop: Memories of Kin , as well as numerous articles, book chapters, and scholarly editions. Dr. McDowell is Executive Producer & Host of the podcast, Notes on the State, that explores the contradictions and inconsistencies of Thomas Jefferson’s life.

Lisa Woolfork is an Associate Professor of English at UVA, specializing in African American literature and culture. A founding member of Black Lives Matter Charlottesville, Dr. Woolfork’s essay, This Class of Persons: When UVA’s White Supremacist Past Meets Its Future was published last year in Charlottesville 2017, a collection of essays about the terror events of the Summer of Hate.

Support generously provided by: The SunLight Fund; UVA Arts and the Office of the Provost & the Vice Provost for the Arts; Jessica Nagle; The Hampton Inn & Suites at the University; and UVA’s Carter G. Woodson Institute.

All events in the auditorium are supported by Ting, Inc.

Admission is free, but reservations recommended: RESERVE YOUR TICKETS!

Learn More >

FOR UVA STUDENTS

Carter G. Woodson Institute
Citizen Justice Initiative: Engaging Race in Digital Spaces Summer Research Assistantship

Deadline: April 1st 2019 at 5:00 pm EST

Overview: The Citizen Justice Initiative (CJI) is a project at UVA’s Carter G. Woodson Institute for African-American and African Studies that investigates issues of race and history through digital storytelling resources, creative productions, and events for University students, professors, and staff as well as students and residents in the Charlottesville-Albemarle community.

Each year, the CJI facilitates a summer research assistantship program that exposes a cohort of undergraduate students from the University of Virginia and students from local area high schools to academic research and experiential learning opportunities. The output of the 2017 program was an interactive StoryMap entitled “The Illusion of Progress: Charlottesville’s Roots in White Supremacy.” The summer 2018 program began work on the podcast series, “Notes on the State” which engages with Thomas Jefferson’s history and complexities.

For the 2019 summer program, the Citizen Justice Initiative will place students in teams across different research projects pertaining to public history, digital humanities, and archiving. The larger Citizen Justice cohort will meet weekly to discuss connections between and among these projects.  Research topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Digital archiving

  • G.I.S. mapping

  • Oral history and media production

The summer interns will get hands on experience in public history and African American studies with the opportunity to build skills for college, learn digital tools, and engage with the history of the environment around them.  

Responsibilities:

  • Conduct research on-site at UVa’s Citizen Justice Lab or in the location of one’s research team placement

  • Meet regularly to discuss activities and brainstorm opportunities for creative productions and/or digital projects

  • Work independently and in groups to plan, analyze, and execute a short-term project

  • Track and/or write regular reflections / blog posts on project work

Preferred Skills and Experience:

  • Interest in one or more of the following areas: African-American studies, history, community engagement, social justice, social studies, public history, and/or digital storytelling

  • Demonstrated track record of leadership, mentorship, and/or creative ability

  • Communication and organizational skills, including the ability to work independently, stay focused on assigned tasks, and work with team members professionally.

The position is 20 hours/week from June  – August, 2019. This is a paid position.

Application Instructions:

To apply, please follow the below instructions:

  1. submit a resume to the following email address:

citizen-justice-initiative@collab.its.virginia.edu

  1. complete the following form:

Citizen Justice Initiative 2019 Summer Research Assistantship

Guidelines:

  • The GoogleForm serves as your application. Please use a professional tone and discuss specific examples relevant to what best qualifies you for working with our organization.

  • Be sure to showcase also your intellectual interests, and provide us with a sense of your voice, personality, and work style.

  • As with most cover letters, read up on our work and the larger organization. Be sure to proofread your responses before submitting.

  • We recommend that you compose your responses in a separate document, then to paste into the above form once you're ready to submit your full application.

Details >

IN THE NEWS

Virginia House of Delegates

Supreme Court Weighs Race Challenge to Virginia Voting Map

By Adam Liptak | Original Publication: The New York Times | Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images | Published March 2019

"WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court heard arguments on Monday in a voting-rights case with several unusual twists, including disagreements among Virginia officials about who was entitled to represent the state.

The case, a race-discrimination challenge to parts of the voting map for Virginia’s House of Delegates, was making its second appearanceat the court. In 2017, the justices instructed a three-judge Federal District Court to take a fresh look at whether racial consideration had played too large a role in drawing the legislative map for the state’s House of Delegates..."

Keep Reading >

FEATURED PUBLICATION

Vinegar Hill Magazine
Keep Reading >

CHECK IT OUT

Race and Place in Charlottesville
Race and Place Charlottesville New Episodes

Each weekday in February we are releasing a new episode of "Race and Place in Charlottesville," which follows UVA Professor Louis Nelson as he gives a tour of the history of race and racism in Charlottesville, starting with Jefferson's era on Grounds and leading toward the Downtown Mall, site of the August 11-12 rallies. The research-based tour is motivated by Jesus' command to love our neighbors.

 

Please feel free to share the tour with your community! You can use this link: https://www.studycenter.net/race-place-cville

Learn More >
Aloe Blacc at Monticello
See the New Music Video Shot at Monticello!!
Last week, Monticello welcomed ESPN’s The Undefeated and Grammy-nominated recording artist Aloe Blacc to Monticello to produce a music video—a first in our history as a museum!—that will air throughout February on ESPN and Disney platforms in honor of Black History Month.

The Undefeated is a digital platform that explores the intersection of sports, race, and culture. Aloe Blacc performed his own rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” accompanied by The String Queens. It was an exciting time for all.

Monticello provides an inspiring setting for this song and video, and affirms our commitment to sharing diverse stories in American history.
Watch the Video >

PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR

National Antiracist Book Festival
Saturday, April 27, 2019

The National Antiracist Book Festival is the first and only of its kind celebrating the importance of antiracism and social justice in the written word. This free community book festival brings nationally renowned authors to American University to engage in panel discussions on topics ranging from how to improve racial diversity in children's literature to what it means to be an antiracist public intellectual. The festival also features children’s activities and readings, poetry slams, refreshments and book sales courtesy of our official book seller, Politics & Prose.
Learn more: https://www.american.edu/centers/antiracism/book-fair/index.cfm
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1st Harambee Family Events

January-December 2019 | Various Times | Various Locations

Charlottesville, VA - Harambee Family Events is a calendar that highlights African American Cultural Activities in Charlottesville and surrounding areas. The calendar, created and designed by author, award winner, Mr. Alex-Zan, presents 18 events from January 2019 - December 2019.

The Harambee (Swahili - All Pull Together) culture events objectives are to inspire and unify area citizens to communicate more effectively and create/maintain a positive environment for change and civility. The calendar also strives to strengthen family relations and culture awareness, particularly African Americans who have experienced a lack of inclusion in many area events.

The Harambee Family Event Calendar will be distributed throughout Central VA. - schools, churches, businesses, clubs/organizations and social media to name a few. The calendar sponsors are: (CAT) Charlottesville Area Transit, Wegmans, Blue Ridge Graphics and Carter Myers Automotive.

ABOUT UCARE

UCARE is a coalition of community and university members, founded with the goal of understanding and addressing racial harms that may be seen in the community and at the university, in areas such as housing, employment, health, education, the justice system, and more. UCARE has connected community and university groups and individuals. We have prompted changes in how UVa understands and represents its history. We have called attention to and prompted action addressing racial disparities in student admissions and faculty recruitment as well as in conditions of workers, including support for a living wage. But we have much more to do; the quest for racial equity is a long ways from being over. We are grateful to Westminster Presbyterian Church for their financial support the last two years. And we are pleased that the W. W. Kellogg Foundation has offered us a grant for two years. Among other items, this will allow UCARE to convene Charlottesville Acts for Racial Equity (CARE). Stay tuned for ways you can be involved in 2018.
 
If you have community events of interest please  email us at ucarestaff@gmail.com.

You will reach UCARE project manager Frank Dukes.

And, as always, if you have  ideas for funding sources to support this work, please contact us at that same address.

Submissions

Please submit information about someone or an organization that have positively impacted the community. Submit at UCAREStaff@Gmail.com.
Deadline: Every Thursday
 

Feedback

Please share your opinions about the new design of the newsletter to us at UCAREStaff@Gmail.com.
 
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University and Community Action for Racial Equity · P.O. Box 400179 · Charlottesville, VA 22904-4179 · USA

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