Penn State Health launches new series of Upstander Cafés

Registration for the new series of Upstander Café sessions is now open. Employees can view topics and sign up for the monthly, one-hour educational sessions, which run through June 2025.

The first social justice session will focus on racism and health disparities. Register here for the noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, session. The series also includes separate sessions on Microaggression and Unconscious Bias Education.

Participants in the social justice sessions discuss relevant social issues, gain a better understanding of them and practice their upstander skills or the ability to speak up.

Social justice topics for fiscal year 2025 include civility in health care, racial stress and trauma, gender and sexual differences, domestic violence and its effect on health care, and human trafficking. The virtual sessions take place from noon to 1 p.m. on the first Friday of each month.

Microaggression and Unconscious Bias Education sessions occur virtually from 7 to 8 a.m. that same day.

“The Microaggression and Unconscious Bias series applies when you notice microaggressions or unconscious bias happening,” said Hector Ortiz, manager for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion education, who holds a doctorate in diplomacy and international sciences.

Microaggressions are defined as indirect, subtle verbal or behavioral slights, either deliberate or accidental, toward a specific group, while unconscious bias is an automatically occurring prejudice of which we are unaware. Upstanding is the practice of speaking up when you notice either of these situations occurring.

More than 2,000 employees attended Upstander Café sessions in fiscal year 2024.

“It’s exciting to see our employees developing skills to provide culturally responsive care while also enhancing their clinical knowledge,” Ortiz said. “These practices are designed to improve health outcomes for diverse patients.”

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