Day of Understanding: real dialogue for real change April 28
Penn State Health employees, faculty and students will have an opportunity to help build a more equitable and inclusive workplace during a Day of Understanding on Wednesday, April 28.
Presented by Penn State Health’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the event is part of CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion’s third annual nationwide movement to advance racial equity. It features four virtual sessions that are relevant to recent events about race and social justice and give employees and students a chance to listen, learn and reflect.
“Having candid conversations about our lives and society can be a difficult task for any organization, yet it is vital to embracing, accepting and valuing differences,” said Stephen Massini, Penn State Health CEO. “The Day of Understanding helps ensure these discussions occur in a safe place, where even if employees don’t want to actively share, they can actively listen.”
“This event comes after a particularly tumultuous year in society, so reaching out to employees to openly discuss differences is more important than ever,” said Lynette Chappell-Williams, vice president and chief diversity officer. “Engaging in this year’s Day of Understanding provides a chance for us to come together and learn what we can do to strengthen everyone’s sense of belonging at Penn State Health and the College of Medicine.”
To register for one or all of the webinars, click on the links below:
Diversity and Inclusion in a Post-COVID World: Where We Have Been and Where We Need to Go
8-9 a.m.
Explore the lessons COVID has taught people as individuals and as a community, how they’ve impacted the new normal and the opportunities for each person to advance change.
Doctors Kienle Center for Humanistic Medicine Update: Creating Ripples for Diversity
10-10:45 a.m.
Hear updates from the recipients of the Doctors Kienle Center for Humanistic Medicine’s Ripple Effect Competition grants and what they are doing to advance a more respectful and inclusive environment.
The Message Behind the Action: Addressing Bias Against Our Asian American Pacific Islander Communities
Noon-1 p.m.
Learn about the history of bias, racism and discrimination against the Asian and Pacific Islander community and recommendations for what each person can do individually and collectively to be an upstander against this injustice.
Readings from ENOUGH Say Their Names: Messages from Ground Zero to the WORLD
4 -5 p.m.
This session will feature a reading from the book, “ENOUGH Say Their Names: Messages from Ground Zero to the WORLD,” which challenges unjust practices and belief systems and provides the foundation to address systemic racism. The reading will be followed by a collaborative dialogue for how we can act for change and create a culture of respect for everyone.
For questions or to request accommodation of a disability to participate in any of the events, email diversity@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
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