Speaker: Dr. Adia Wingfield
We were so privileged to have Dr. Adia Wingfield to speak with us. She is currently a Professor of Sociology at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Wingfield spoke began her talk with myths surrounding race & racial inequality. She then shared with us some of the analyses currently being done by social scientists on the topic. For example, the data shows extensive disparities between people of color and whites in areas including life expectancy, health outcomes, employment/wages, and educational attainment. She then outlined three main explanations that different social scientists give as to why these disparities exist: racialized social systems (Eduardo Bonilla-Silva), systemic racism (Feagin), and intersectionality (Patricia Hill Collins, Kimberle Williams Crenshaw). Though the three explanations all agree that racial inequalities are driven by social institutions or systems "built to advantage whites over people of color" they differ in their reasons for how and why these systems continue. Examining why racial disparities exist is important to help us figure out how to address these inequalities. The main consensus is a structural change that influences the policies, laws, and rules that perpetuate racial disparities. Image from: https://sociology.wustl.edu/people/adia-harvey-wingfield
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We watched a talk by Anthony B. Iton, MD, JD, MPH about the root causes of health disparities, specifically in California. Dr. Iton is the Senior Vice President at The California Endowment, which is attempting to bring equity to underserved populations in California. For more information on health disparities in St. Louis please look at the report For The Sake of All. This report outlines health disparities in our city specifically and outlines potentially solutions to this major problem.
Speaker: Annie Grier, MSW, Project Manager of the Smart Decarceration Initiative
Three Main Messages from the Lecture:
Interview with Michelle Alexander, author of “The New Jim Crow” http://www.pbs.org/video/religion-ethics-newsweekly-michelle-alexander-extended-interview/ Resources Smart Decarceration Initiative (SDI) – www.smartdecarceration.org Institute for Advancing Justice Research and Innovation – https://advancingjustice.wustl.edu/Pages/default.aspx STAR – http://www.stlreentry.org/resources.html Speaker: Brittany Harris, Social Justice Educator; Trainer & Facilitator, Center for Diversity and Inclusion, Washington University in St. Louis
Topics: Stockley Verdict, Allyship, Activism Discussion Today we were extremely lucky to have Brittany Harris speak with us. She is a St. Louis native and joined Washington University last September as a Training & Development Specialist with the Center for Diversity & Inclusion. Though the scheduled topic was Intersectionality, Ms. Harris led us in a timely discussion of the verdict that was announced this morning in the case of former St. Louis officer, Jason Stockley. Three Main Messages from the Discussion: 1. Summary of the Stockley Case and Timeline: In 2011, St. Louis officer Jason Stockley shot and killed Anthony Lemar Smith. After a short altercation in which Smith struck Stockley’s hand with his vehicle and hit the police vehicle, Stockley and his partner Brian Bianchi gave chase. Audio from within the police vehicle recorded Stockley saying “we’re going to kill this motherf**** don’t you know.” After a short interaction, Smith was shot. Initially defending his actions by alleging Smith had a pistol on him, Stockley was indicted for 1st degree murder 4½ years later, after new evidence came to light. A pistol was found in Smith’s possession, however only DNA from Stockley was found on the weapon. Stockley opted out of a jury of his peers and the judge ruled ‘Not Guilty’ this morning. To note, Stockley was also illegally carrying his personal AK47 with him during this encounter. Also, it is important to note that Smith was an African American man and Stockley is a white man. The implications, power difference, and possible biases presented by this difference in race are of considerable importance. Another account reported by NPR can be found here: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/09/15/551228046/former-st-louis-police-officer-is-acquitted-of-murder-in-anthony-lamar-smith-cas 2. Why did it take so long for the case to be brought to court and who gets the privilege of a trial? When Ms. Harris asked for questions and reactions to this morning events, we discussed why the indictment took so long. While Ms. Harris admitted her bias, the conclusion was that the system is undoubtedly broken. Systems perpetuate and protect themselves. So, the idea that “maybe people won’t care so much if we delay the process” is a possible reason for the delay in the process. Another potential reason was the new evidence that came to light regarding the likely planting of the pistol. Another issue was the fact that Smith seemed to be dealing drugs at the time of the altercation. A Connections member asked how that weighs into the sequence of events and justification of Stockley’s actions. Ms. Harris asked us “who gets the privilege of their day in court?” She asked this to present the idea that, yes, Smith may have committed a crime, but he was killed for that possible crime, while Stockley was privileged to live to go to trial for his potential crimes. Likewise, people of color are more likely to be killed by police, while white people are more likely to be apprehended without fatal injury and live to go to trial. 3. Allyship requires Action. No matter the political or social opinions of an individual, it is true that to be an ally to a community requires action. Ms. Harris stated she has “revoked” ally cards (hers included) when she notices that we (or she) are harming the community we claim to support. She said we can be part of a community and still harm a community. “We all have the power to sit at the dinner table” but what will we choose to do? Will we let those racist comments slide? Will we engage with an “I love you, but this is not okay”? And most importantly, she asked us, “What are you willing to lose as an ally?” Near the end of the discussion, Ms. Harris called on us to think about how things like body type, age, race, gender, location, country of origin, etc. can intersect to make us more (or less) vulnerable. She pointed out the difference between misogyny (the hatred of women) and misogynoir (the hatred of black women, where race and gender intersect). While everyone’s vulnerabilities are valid, we are more likely to oppress others in sections where we are not oppressed. Able-bodiedness and neurotypicality (the assumption that there is a ‘normal’ brain) make it easy to “other” people. Be aware of all the factors at play in society and do our best to be present for one another. Ms. Harris ended with a final plea to love on the people in your life right now and always. We were so grateful to have Brittany Harris share with us today. Thank you to everyone who could be there. Written by Kayla Nygaard Edited and formatted by Leeran Dublin Speaker: Leeran Dublin
Topics: Ting Listening & LARA Communication Details coming soon. Speaker: Colleen McNicholas, DO, MSCI, Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology
On March 3, 2017, Dr. Karen Winters, the director of Student Health Services at WUSM, and Dr. Rimiko Thomas, a Staff Psychologist, discussed with us some common mental health challenges that graduate students face. These are some of the topics and suggestions we talked about:
The most common reason students seek counseling is stress. There are an incredible number of sources of stress for graduate students. For example, there is much more ambiguity and structure compared to undergraduate study, work can involve long hours that vary greatly, there can be pressure to work harder from PIs and from comparing oneself with other graduate students. There can seemingly be long periods without progress being made especially between qualifying examinations and defending one’s thesis. Furthermore, the amount of time available for social support may be limited and the types of social support one has is likely different. One may not develop a close set of friends like in undergraduate and relationships tend to be more collegiate and professional, and consequently less deep. Expectations are another big source of stress for graduate students. Some idealistic expectations can seem unrealistic. It is not often discussed that some of the same expectations from undergraduate study (like turning in assignments on time) should be modified for graduate study. Then there are also cultural expectations. You could be the first person to go to graduate school in your family, or you could come from a family that is full of high-achievers and the same is expected of you. The symptoms of stress vary greatly between individuals and can include constant worrying, low mood and sadness, difficulty making decisions, being less creative, excessive smoking/alcohol, insomnia, dissatisfaction with work, poor relationships with colleagues, missing deadlines, stopping social activities or regularly pleasurable activities, being irritable or argumentative, etc. There are certainly many methods one can use to destress, but what is often a problem for graduate students is letting oneself destress. Setting time out to relax can seem undeserving or indulgent, especially when you might think needing a break is a sign of weakness. But really there is a difference between self-indulgence and self-love. Productivity can increase from taking a break and one can often feel more motivated and energized to work afterwards! We also learned about the prevalence of imposter syndrome in students at WashU, in which one experiences self-doubt and/or an unwillingness to appreciate one’s own abilities. Attributing one’s own accomplishments to luck or believing one does not belong here are common thoughts. One way to combat this is to do a thorough self-evaluation to ask if you are underestimating your strengths, why did you come to graduate school in the first place, what are your passions, etc. Seeking help is one of the most important things one can do to cope. For full-time students, WashU offers short-term and long-term counseling options, with 24/7 availability. There is a full list of options and providers at https://wusmhealth.wustl.edu/students/mental-health-information/. When one calls student health, they can make an appointment just to “talk” without mentioning specifics in order to protect privacy. In summary,
Blogpost written by Simon Hsu, Connections Data and Metrics Leader This month, our speaker, Dr. Tim McBride, PhD gave us a presentation on 'Life in Rural Communities'. He is a Professor at the Brown School, and Co-director for the Center for Health Economics and Policy, also on the Health Panel for the Rural Policy Research Institute. Key Points from Lecture:
Family Meeting and Discussion:
The slides used by Dr. McBride are attached below. Blogpost written by Jimmy Weagley, Connections Treasurer
In December, we were graced with a presentation on 'The Transgender Identity' by Sayer Johnson, Co-Founder of Metro Trans Umbrella Group. He gave us three main messages, outlined below:
If you would like more information please refer to the following sources or watch an excellent TED talk (link below). Sources:
Blogpost written by Leeran Blythe Dublin, Co-President of Connections
This month Jessica Dashner presented us with excellent resources and information about Disability and Ableism. Here are the three main messages from her presentation:
-Definitions Disability: Traditional definitions focus on a person’s limitations in comparison to a standard considered “normal.” The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. An alternative model views disability as an interaction between a person and their environment that prevents the person from doing what they need or want to do. This framework is useful in identifying beneficial environmental changes. Ableism: Discrimination or prejudice against individuals with disabilities. This can be carried out in direct or indirect ways through both language and actions. -Historical Perspectives Several disability-related legal policies have been passed over time. There are ongoing issues with enforcement of these policies. The Independent Living Movement focuses on the deinstitutionalization and empowerment of people with disabilities. -Changing Views There are many ways to create a more inclusive environment. These include: focusing on what a person can do instead of can’t do, asking before trying to help someone, being considerate with the language you use (non-offensive terms, person-first or identity-first language as appropriate), and prioritizing environmental changes that improve accessibility. For more information on existing resources and how to be a more considerate ally check out the links below!
http://www.paraquad.org
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/lives-worth-living/
Blogpost written by Lindsey Steinberg
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AuthorThis blog is made to record the information learned at Connections lectures. Archives
May 2019
CategoriesAll information provided on Connection's web site is provided for information purposes only. Although every reasonable effort is made to present current and accurate information, Connection's makes no guarantees of any kind and cannot be held liable for any outdated or incorrect information.
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