The following information concerning West Virginia University Social and Environmental Justice related activities and events is generally updated at the beginning of each calendar month. Before committing to an activity or event please check for cancellations or changes since they were originally posted here. See Local News for non-CCSJ news, activities, and events organized and/or taking place in the Morgantown area. See Regional News for non-CCSJ news, activities, and events organized and/or taking place outside the Morgantown area.
For information please go to their website or email cge@mail.wvu.edu.
The WVU Native American Studies is hosting two special days of public programming beginning on Indigenous People’s Day (October 9). In this program forum "This Land Was Already Loved" Native leaders discuss their Nations' Connection to Place.
The public activities start on Indigenous People’s Day, Monday, October 9th, with the annual Peace Tree Ceremony and the keynote address by Chief Oren Lyons entitled “Truth to Power: History from Indigenous Perspectives.” Chief Oren Lyon is the Traditional Faithkeeper, Turtle Clan, Onondaga Nation, Council of Chiefs of the Six Nations Iroquois.
The Tuesday, October 10th event is a day-long forum entitled “This Land Was Already Loved” and involves a series of sessions (ex., focused on Shawnee, Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), Lenape (Delaware), Cherokee) and a culminating session on leaders’ shared concerns/priorities for the future. The forum will be on WVU’s Main Campus in Morgantown at Mountainlair Student Union ballroom and will be offered virtually to provide access to those throughout the State (and elsewhere) who may not have time or resources to travel and attend in person, such as teachers and their students, government officials, etc. The sessions will be archived through WVU's library for future educational use.
The forum presentations will enlighten attendees and, in particular, assist personnel responsible for being informed, up-to-date, and making recommendations/decisions regarding public programming and cultural/historical interpretation (i.e., State and National Park Service staff, museum administrators, West Virginia Extension & 4-H, faculty and students in public history programs, k-12 education planners, et al.).
There are numerous enthusiastic partners joining Native American Studies for this major endeavor, including the WVU Honors College, WVU Humanities Center, WVU Extension, the West Virginia Humanities Council, and WVU’s Center for the Future of Land Grant Education, the only such center in the U.S.
Sign up at this address to register: https://nas.wvu.edu/fall-2023-forum
For information, please contact Bonnie M. Brown, Coordinator of the Native American Studies Program, West Virginia University, PO Box 6284, Morgantown, WV, 26506-6284, NAS.WVU.EDU, @WVU_NASprogram, or call 304-293-4626.
“WVU will celebrate Diversity Week Sept. 17-23 and the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion invites all members of the Mountaineer family to help create this year’s programming.
“Diversity Week annually promotes celebration, education and understanding of different identities and experiences present on campus.
“The goal is to create an atmosphere that provides the WVU community with opportunities to explore different cultures, engage in discussions that bring new perspectives, and celebrate the presence of, and contributions made, by people of all identities and experiences...
“For questions, contact Anne Kerns, special events coordinator, at anne.winters@mail.wvu.edu.”
"Stay tuned as the schedule develops as many events are open to the public. More information should be coming at this website.
WVU Center for Black Culture Sponsors Barbershop Talks: “Join us for our Barbershop Talks event used to create a safe space for men and community members to meet and hear from a guest speaker on ways to increase equity in students’ desire to further their service to the community and the University.”
For more information about the WVU Center for Black Culture and Research, please go here.
“Composed of faculty, staff, students and at least one individual from the broader community who meet once per month, commission members meet with University leadership to provide recommendations germane to issues of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and gender diverse people at WVU.
“Commissioners are charged with the identification of barriers that inhibit the full inclusion and advancement of persons from underrepresented and/or underserved populations, namely LGBTQ+ and gender diverse people, in order to forward innovative, evidence-informed recommendations that support the creation of an inclusive and welcoming campus and community.
“More specifically, the objectives are to:
“• create a welcoming environment that supports both inclusion and diversity,
“• collect information and/or conduct research regarding climate and issues, which affect the LGBTQ campus community,
“• make recommendations regarding the policies, procedures and practices that affect the LGBTQ campus community with the goal of improving access and opportunities,
“• ensure the University appropriately addresses issues of equity, safety and welfare of LGBTQ faculty, staff, students and guests, and
“• establish and maintain strong collaborative partnerships with organizations and entities which support the purpose, mission and vision of WVU.
“The commission works collaboratively with the LGBTQ+ Center and is an action-oriented group engaging in projects, policy changes, legal advocacy and other issues that have a positive effect on our community.
“Faculty and staff serve one-year terms and may be reappointed. Undergraduate and graduate students serve a one-year term without reappointment.
“To join, contact Daniel Brewster, commission chair, at Daniel.Brewster@mail.wvu.edu by Aug. 11.”
See their website for more information on this and other monthly and weekly activities, and to register for events, or follow them on Facebook.
Charlene Marshall will receive the first annual Community Heroes Award at 6:00 p.m. on September 17th at the Mountainlair Ballroom: “The Community Heroes Award was created by West Virginia University Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in 2023 to recognize and celebrate those who have done remarkable things in their lives while embracing diversity and creating community partnerships throughout West Virginia. This award is not only a lifelong keepsake but also an opportunity for those who wish to continue to make an impact in West Virginia diversity work.
“This year, Former Delegate Charlene Marshall is campaigning for donations to WVU Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion's Diversity Initiatives fund. Donations to this fund allows the division to support student programs, sponsor multicultural experiences, host diverse speakers, and create unique events on campus that allow everyone at WVU to feel welcome and included.
“Your donation makes a difference in the lives of our students, faculty, staff and the WVU community at large. Give here.”
The following events were publicized in the August WVU Humanities Center newsletter and are open to everyone. The Gluck Theatre is on the main floor of the WVU Mountainlair.
September 5, 2023, at 6:00 PM: Indigenous Ecostudies with Cari Carpenter
Attendee Registration Link:https://wvu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_R7CxgkQjTb-49yCI12LpFw
September 12, 2023 , at 6:00 PM: Artistry in the Accent with Brianne Taylor
Attendee Registration Link:https://wvu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mB__ZdCWSySPrqj20a4EKg
September 19, 2023 , at 6:00 PM: Youth and Societal Change with Jonathon Beckmeyer
Attendee Registration Link: https://wvu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__BqAK0rLS_SYgWCex3rJFg
September 20, 2023 , at 6:00 PM: Honoring Diversity Series Showcase - Digging Through the Biblical World, Part 1: Archaeology and the Old Testament Story of Israel. Presenter – Dr. Aaron Gale.
Attendee Register Link: https://wvu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fuYfQuaVQ-q5opS_bIPHNw
September 26, 2023, at 6:00 PM: Collective Violence with Jason Manning
September 27, 2023 , from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, Gluck Theater: Mental Illness and Trauma within the Family, presented by the Carruth Counseling Center.
October 3, 2023 , at 6:00 PM: Honoring Diversity Series #1 - LGBTQ+ Rights: Past, Present and Future. Presenter – Brad Grimes
Attendee Register Link: https://wvu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rGfcrshLTLi0oI5GCt15fA
October 10, 2023 , at 6:00 PM: Honoring Diversity Series #2 - Deconstructing Narratives of Criminalization Through Art and Art-Making. Presenter – Dr. Gloria Negrete-Lopez
Attendee Register Link: https://wvu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8DAikuirR-GZa6HLWZXLbA