Apr 13, 2021 | CVPA, Theatre and Dance News, xArt and Design News, xCVPA, xFeatured
The Presidential Commission on Race and Ethnicity (PCORE), formerly the Presidential Commission on the Status of Minorities (PSCM), has reimagined the annual Diversity and Inclusion luncheon as a virtual summit. The event will take place on Wednesday, April 14 beginning at noon.
The summit offers three programs including an afternoon awards ceremony, and afternoon program for students, and an evening town hall titled Policing on Campus in America. The town hall will feature Professor Rashawn Ray from the University of Maryland, Deputy Chief Darren Mitchell, and City of DeKalb Chief David Byrd. Dr. Simón E. Weffer-Elizondo, associate professor from the Department of Sociology will facilitate the discussion.
The afternoon awards ceremony will honor six McKinley “Deacon” Davis Award recipients and acknowledge their contributions towards building and sustaining an inclusive campus. The recipients are Jasmine Ivy, an NIU graduate student; Jessica Labatte, associate professor in the School of Art and Design; Paula Frasz, professor in the School of Dance; Michelle Bringas, director of the Asian American Resource Center; Jocelyn Santana, director of Social Justice Education; and President Lisa Freeman. Students, staff, faculty, and members of the community are welcome to attend the event and can register at http://go.niu.edu/1nlfbm.
Jessica Labatte
Jessica Labatte, an associate professor in the School of Art and Design, and two student photographers created an extraordinarily moving project, Faces of Belonging, which can be viewed on Huskie Line buses within the DeKalb community and online at www.belongingdekalb.com.
Additionally, her nominator added, “Her work in the classroom focuses on access and empathy. She makes sure all her students have the best equipment possible, regardless of economic status. Jessica encourages, in fact requires, an inclusive approach to the art of photography, in which students are challenged to question not only what is photographed, but by whom and how. She was interrogating the dominant practices well before the current attention on such things.”
Paula Frasz
Paula Frasz
Professor Paula Frasz from the School of Dance is a legendary dance performance educator in the City of Chicago and at NIU.
Her nominator states, “her philosophy is to unite her community by bringing the art of dance performance to a myriad of audience members, illustrating that dance can universally convey ideas with compelling, creative and lasting images. In her research, she has voiced issues of BIPOC populations and those who have been silenced for so long. She has implemented her philosophy as founder and artistic director of DanszLoop Chicago, a not-for-profit dance company. For 14 years, DanszLoop showcased her choreography locally and nationally. DanszLoop audiences represent all strata of society, from a gymnasium full of African-American third-graders, to 250 artistic elites at the Manhattan Center for Movement and Music in New York City.”
Jasmine Ivy
Jasmine Ivy
Jasmine Ivy is engaged student leader who recently moderated a virtual Diversity Dialogue Series program on race-related trauma and was selected as the 2021 Phyllis Cunningham Social Justice Award winner for her efforts to pursue and support social justice initiatives.
Her nominator wrote: “Jasmine Ivy has been an exceptional student leader for her entire tenure at NIU, both as an undergraduate and graduate student. As an undergraduate student she was very engaged in service and promoted programs that uplift and empower students. She is a very talented, well-rounded young lady with a strong work ethic and is forthright in her pursuit of solutions. Jasmine is a leader that is committed to public service.”
Michelle Bringas
Michelle Bringas
Michelle Bringas has served as the director of the Asian American Resource Center for the past 19 years. She has built sustainable programs that uplift, support and empower students of Asian descent while engaging and educating our campus about Asian American heritage and culture.
Her nominator states, “Michelle has been an exceptional alumna and leader on our campus for years. She has been engaged in advocacy for many groups which is demonstrated by her standing with Black students and advocating for the original erection of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. bust in the MLK Commons; walking in protest alongside students; and without recognition speaking up for those who have been silenced, especially in difficult moments. Michelle plays a major role in developing and sustaining an inclusive campus.”
Jocelyn Santana
Jocelyn Santana
Jocelyn Santana serves as director of NIU’s Social Justice Education program. Her work extends across and beyond our campus and has helped develop programs, education and discussions that are transforming the climate at NIU.
Her nominator says, “Jocelyn is considered the staff expert on our campus because of her knowledge, willingness to engage in education and healing, and her enthusiasm and personality. Jocelyn works literally day, night and weekends to help provide the support, expertise, engagement and education for our campus and community to ensure we can enhance participants’ cultural competence, understanding and ultimately create environments that encourage conversations and cultural change.”
President Lisa Freeman
President Lisa Freeman
As our thirteenth President and first woman in the role, President Lisa Freeman truly leads our campus and community by example. She continues to lead our university with her consistent engagement, vision and efforts to create a community of inclusivity where all are welcomed and valued.
Her nominator shares, “Dr. Freeman is dedicated to ensuring our students, staff and faculty have the support they need to succeed on all levels. I have observed Dr. Freeman attend difficult meetings and conversations and address students with an empathetic and listening ear and then energize senior leadership to make immediate and lasting changes to meet the needs of students. Her personal engagement with students, her vision even through a pandemic and her relentless efforts to develop a campus that is a leader in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, technology and beyond is commendable.”
For more information, contact PCORE Chair Felicia R. Bohanon at: (815) 753-1868 or fbohanon@niu.edu. To attend for the Annual Summit, registration is required at http://go.niu.edu/1nlfbm.
Apr 8, 2021 | Art and Design, xArt and Design News, xCVPA, xFeatured
While the pandemic has been keeping people apart, the City of DeKalb, Northern Illinois University and a collection of local agencies have been working to bring the DeKalb community closer together through the Belonging initiative.
The initiative to develop a belonging community was sparked by a virtual conversation in October 2020, led by Dr. john a. powell, who leads the Belonging Institution at U.C. Berkley. Joining the city and the university in the effort are Family Service Agency, the Ellwood Museum and the DeKalb County History Center.
Aided by a $30,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) in January 2021, and a $5,000 donation from the DeKalb County Community Foundation, those organizations have been working on a variety of public art and engagement activities designed to examine issues around race in the community. The goal is to make DeKalb a more welcoming, inclusive place that embraces diversity.
“We are delighted to be in partnership with the City of Dekalb and our community partners on such an important endeavor,” said Vernese Edghill-Walden, vice president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion /Chief Diversity Officer and Interim Chief Human Resources Officer at NIU. “The positive support received from the entire community has been wonderful. We look forward to co-creating a community where all members are seen, valued and respected is a community where all members can live and more importantly can thrive.”
DeKalb City Manager Bill Nicklas is equally enthused about the program.
“The social justice movement that has positively energized the dialogue about racism in our country and in this community since May 2020 has also helped us engage one another in finding what unites and humanizes us,” Nicklas said of the project. “It is our hope that this initiative will encourage our diverse community in the further exploration of how we can better embrace one another as we work, learn and live together.”
Projects funded by the IDHS grant have come to fruition this month, creating opportunities for members of the community to explore issues that create division and potentially motivating them to find ways to tear down those barriers and make DeKalb a place where all can feel they belong. See below for information on each project.
Faces of Belonging
The Faces of Belonging project is a traveling exhibit that promotes “belonging” among individuals who live, work and study in DeKalb. It highlights the rich network of diverse individuals who make up the community through their unique photographs, perspectives and varied life experiences. The portraits capture individuals that work to create a sense of belonging for others in the community. Each shows a person in a place in DeKalb that creates a sense of belonging for that individual. The photographs are accompanied by excerpts from interviews with the subjects of the photographs, sharing insights into what belonging means to them and how to create a sense of belonging for everyone.
The project was created by Jessica Labatte, an associate professor in NIU’s School of Art and Design, and two of her photography students, Amy Fleming and Jacob Rivera. The photographs can be seen on Huskie Line buses. The exhibit can be viewed online at www.belongingdekalb.com.
Arts in Action
Developed by the DeKalb County History Center and the Ellwood House Museum, Arts in Action investigates the history of race relations in DeKalb County with the assistance of nine visual artists. Their work touches upon the themes of fear, exclusion, community and hope.
Arts in Action is designed to be a platform for community members and artists to tell their stories, especially for those whose voices have not always been heard. The project goal is to build a stronger community by sharing, listening to and understanding the stories of everyone in the community.
A virtual exhibit launched March 31 and can be viewed on the DeKalb County History Center Website.
Hateful Things
Northern Illinois University’s Pick Museum of Anthropology, in collaboration with the Center for Black Studies, is hosting the traveling exhibition, “Hateful Things.” Created and circulated by the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University, the exhibition represents nearly 150 years of anti-Black/racist memorabilia and imagery, each embodying the terrible effects of the Jim Crow legacy. This powerful exhibition lifts objects from their original purposes to serve as reminders of America’s racist past and challenges present-day images and systems of oppression. It is a representation of racial stereotyping with the aim of stimulating the scholarly examination of historical and contemporary expressions of racism, as well as promoting racial understanding and healing. The exhibit is open to the public for in-person and virtual tours through April 9, and reservations are required. A virtual tour is available online.
Diversity Dialogues
The Diversity Dialogues series at NIU was created to allow participants to understand and discuss a wide range of topics from local and global perspectives. It focuses on participants enhancing their awareness, becoming comfortable in engaging in informed conversations and expanding to social justice actions to create positive change and solve problems. As part of the Belongings initiative, Dr. LaVonya Bennett led a virtual session March 25, co-sponsored by Target, to provide participants an understanding of the historic and current lived experiences of people of color and how trauma is caused and influenced by racial identity.
Belonging Council Formation
The grant has also supported work to create a community Belonging Council to guide such activities going forward. A team from NIU‘s Center for Governmental Studies has facilitated a series of formation discussions with a steering committee of community members working collaboratively to create foundational documents and a vision for a Belonging Council within the City of DeKalb. To date, the steering committee has created a working draft of the Belonging Council’s mission statement, a list of guiding values, and undertaken an analysis of the operating environment. The steering committee will work on the development of short- and long-term organizational and mission-driven goals along with an action plan for the remaining workshop sessions, which are planned to be completed in early April.
For more information about Belonging, visit cityofdekalb.com/belonging.
Header photo: One of the many striking images from Faces of Belonging, view them all online.
Jan 26, 2021 | Art and Design, xArt and Design News, xCVPA, xFeatured
Efforts by Northern Illinois University and local partners to increase racial healing recently got a boost from the State of Illinois in the form of a grant to foster efforts to create a Belonging leadership council and fund public art and engagement activities in DeKalb.
The $30,000 Healing Illinois grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services will fund local work being done by Northern Illinois University, the City of DeKalb, Family Service Agency, the Ellwood Museum and the DeKalb County History Center to advance racial healing. The DeKalb County Community Foundation contributed an additional $5,000 to support the initiative.
DeKalb City Manager Bill Nicklas and NIU Chief Diversity Officer and Interim Chief Human Relations Officer Vernese Edghill-Walden have been spearheading discussions about issues related to belonging since January of 2020.
The concept of belonging was discussed in a recent community conversation with Dr. john powell, an internationally recognized expert in the areas of civil rights, civil liberties, structural racism, housing, poverty, and democracy. NIU, the City of DeKalb and over 40 members of the community helped to plan the conversation, which included more than 500 community members.
“Dr. powell’s conversation with our community helped to create awareness and articulate the importance of belonging as well as the realities of othering in DeKalb. All of us involved in the conversation saw a hopeful path toward creating a culture of belonging in DeKalb. The Healing Illinois grant will allow us to drive that work forward,” said Edghill-Walden.
As part of the collaborative partnership, NIU’s Center for Governmental Studies (CGS) is working with local leaders to aggregate local data for use in creating the framework and plan for a DeKalb Area Belonging Council. Plans are for a steering council to begin creating the council in late January, with a report due by the end of March. Regular updates and opportunities to engage with the work will be available at cityofdekalb.com.
The grant is also funding two arts initiatives that highlight local diversity and racial reconciliation. The Ellwood Museum and the DeKalb County History Center are launching an “Arts in Action” exhibit that will begin to interpret history and race in DeKalb County.
Jessica Labatte, who teaches in NIU’s School of Art and Design, and two of her photography students, Amy Fleming and Jacob Rivera, will curate a “Faces of Belonging” exhibit. Both exhibits will be accessible virtually as of March 31.
This article originally appeared in the January 26 edition of NIU Today.
