In 2022, we will commemorate Juneteenth here at JCU with three community programs during the week of June 20, for our community to learn about the significance of this day and to engage more deeply in the ongoing work of ensuring that all people experience freedom and dignity.
All students, faculty, and staff are invited to participate in any or all of the following programs:
Juneteenth Week Lunch and Learn: Smithsonian Museum of African American History & Culture - virtual tour and discussion Date: Tuesday, June 21 Time: 12:00-1:00 pm Location: O'Dea Room, Lombardo Student Center
Juneteenth @ Tower Time Date: Wednesday, June 22 Time: 2:00-2:45 pm Location: Dolan Science Center Terrace (rain location - DSC Atrium)
Juneteenth Week Breakfast Discussion: 13th Date: Thursday, June 23 Time: 9:00-11:00 am Location: TBD
See descriptions and register for events here:https://jcu.edu/form/juneteenth-2022-events.
The following are a few curated materials we have collected as starting points to guide your own reflections on Juneteenth:
On the history of Juneteenth:
- LISTEN -- - NPR interview with Annette Gordon-Reed
- READ -- by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
- WATCH -- -- Archive of annual programs from PBS in Austin, TX illuminatingthe significance of the Juneteenth holiday and sharingstories about Black culture and history in a spirit of celebration.
- REFLECT -- "" -- powerful spoken-word piece about Juneteenth from slam poetBen Aragbaye.
On whiteness in a racialized society:
- LISTEN -- -- this series is Season 2 of the popular podcast "Scene on Radio." It features a series of conversations about our society's construction and understanding of whiteness as a racial category. Choose one and dig in.
- WATCH -- "" (6:29)-- a briefinterview with Robin DiAngelo, author of the bookWhite Fragility: Why it's So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism.
- READ -- Peggy Macintosh, "," 1988-- a classic text for teaching about privilege. Short reflection about making visible the privileges white skin can confer in a racialized society.
- REFLECT -- -- this reflection draws upon the Ignatian custom of praying the dailyExamen to draw aspiring white allies into deeper consideration of their role in racial justice. Published June 3 by the Ignatian Solidarity Network.
Voices and narratives about the experience ofracism:
- LISTEN -- - this podcast series from WNYC features "15 essential conversations on race." Consider particularly Episode 8, "Call it a Lynching," which features Elie Mystal speaking about the murder of Ahmaud Arbery this past February.
- READ -- -- by Garnette Cadogan.Literary Hub, 2016. Apowerful personal essay about daily life in a city as a Black man.
- REFLECT -- reads her poem "White Privilege"(3:46) -- powerful spoken-word performance (content warning: strong language)
(Some of) our faith traditions on racial justice:
- LISTEN: -- Black Zen master angel Kyodo williams speaks about race, liberation and Buddhism.
- READ: "" by Fr. Bryan Massingale.National Catholic Reporter,June 1, 2020. A Black Catholic priest calls upon white Catholics to confront their own racist assumptions and behaviors.
- REFLECT: "" Renee Darline Roden,America,June 5, 2020 - a Catholic theological reflection on engaging in protest as a form of liturgy and prayer.
- WATCH: (21:56): Prayers for racial justice from representatives of many faith traditions across Northeast Ohio, including Dr. Zeki Saritoprak, Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies at JCU (7:44-11:12).
- LEARN MORE and DIG DEEPER:
On celebration and joy:
- READ -- "" blog post by Ann-Katherine Kimble, June 16, 2020.
- EAT -- "," interviewswith (and recipes from) several Black chefs about their Juneteenth celebrations and menus in a time of uncertainty.Nicole Taylor,New York Times, June 16, 2020.
- REFLECT -- by Lyvonne Briggs.3 day devotional on Black liberation from a Christian perspective. (Requires paid subscription.)
- REFLECT -- : "Keep in Your Heart the Blood" and "We Rose"
Films on Kanopy:
All JCU community members have access to the Kanopy streaming digital movie library through Grasselli Library & Breen Learning Center. You can log on and create an account at .
When you log on, you will see that there are several films addressing racism in Americafeatured on Kanopy's home page at the moment. A few you might consider:
- -3 part series explaining the science (and psuedoscience) underlying our ideas about race.
- -Oscar-nominated documentary connecting the Civil Rights movement, the work of towering literary figure James Baldwin, and the current movement for Black lives.
- -- PBS documentary about the conversations between parents and their Black children all over this country about what to do if stopped by police.
- --documentary about community organizing and activism in Cleveland in response to the murder of Tamir Rice by police in 2014.
- Sunday, June 19, 2022, 1:30 pm - 8:30 pm,Walter Stinson Community Park | 2301 Fenwick Rd. University Heights, OH, 44118.Performers at the inaugural University Heights Juneteenth Celebration will include the All City Choir, DJ Marcus Alan Ward, local poets including Raja Belle Freeman, dancers, and a concert from Forecast. Local Black fraternities and sororities will participate. The emcee for the event will be Kierra Cotton from WKYC.
Other local events:
-
: Saturday, June 18 from 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm on Mall C in the heart of Downtown Cleveland, the city-wide, family-friendly celebration and commemoration of Juneteenth will feature a mainstage performance by Karamu House, the country’s oldest Black producing theatre and a fireworks finale.
Festivities will also include a vendor village to spotlight Black businesses and entrepreneurs; community programming and education, spoken-word performances, interactive art demonstrations, food trucks, and beverage concessions.
- June 18, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Veterans Park, 1 Liberty St, Painesville, OH.The formal commemorative program will be held from 11AM – 12PM and will include a performance by Women in History, Robin Echols Cooper, as Sojourner Truth, as well as speeches by local youth winners of the "Stop The Hate" essay contest. There will be a variety of Lake County businesses and organizations with booths setup in the park along with a beer booth, food vendors and music through the afternoon.
March 26, 2021- National Day of Action and Healing #StopAsianHate - learn how to support and take action .
Articles
- TIME:
- National Geographic:
- The Undefeated:
- Boston University:
- McKinsey:
- UC Berkeley:
Books
- by Cathy Park Hong
- by George Takei
- by Ronald Takaki
Documentaries & Videos
- (now free to stream)
Podcasts
- Self Evident is where we tell Asian America’s stories to explore what it really means to claim America today. Each episode presents an in-depth story or conversation from specific communities within the Asian diasporas in America.
- A fiction show about a Korean American son (Joel Kim Booster) who wants to come out to his mom (Esther Moon), but can't because they don't speak the same language.
Websites
- /
Allyship
Report an Incident
Recent articles from our DEI division staff:
- by Dr. Tiffany Galvin Green and Megan Wilson-Reitz
- by Dr. Tiffany Galvin Green and Megan Wilson-Reitz
University statements and other materials:
- : A letter from Dr. Michael Johnson, University President
- : A letter from Dr. Philip Metres, Director of the Program in Peace, Justice and Human Rights
- :From the JCU Community Meeting led by CSDI, June 3, 2020
- Compiled by James T. Bretzke, S.J.,Professor of Theology, ֱ
- - videos, reflections, articles, links and other resources from our friends andpartners at ISN.
Prayer and Reflection:
Videos:
- (25:04): AmericaMagazine video interview with Father Bryan Massingale, author of “Racial Justice and the Catholic Church” and Professor of Theology at Fordham University.
- (21:56): Prayers for racial justice from representatives of many faith traditions across Northeast Ohio, including Dr. Zeki Saritoprak, Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies at JCU (7:44-11:12).
News articles:
- ’
In the classroom:
In the workplace:
Are you trying to figure out good ways to start the conversation about race and racial justice with people in your life? If this is the first time you have had these conversations, the following resources might help:
- - DEI Division "tip card" based on Ijeoma Oluo's book So You Want to Talk about Race.
- "" - article from a religious perspective. Jesuit Post, 6/9/2020
- - Terrific web resources from the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture
Videos:
- Ijeoma Oluo, "" (8:03)
- Megan Ming Francis - TEDx Talk "" (19:37)
- Francesca Ramsey - YouTube videos"" (6:17) and"" (3:31).
Looking for a book to read to learn more? We've got you covered:
Podcasts recommended by our community members:
- - podcast fromNPR that tackles the subject of race head-on. Hosted by journalists of color who explore how race impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and everything in between.
- brings together national faith leaders, advocates, and front-lines activists for candid conversations about the pressing issues of our times.
- -audio series from the New York Timeson how slavery has transformed America, connecting past and present through the oldest form of storytelling.
- TheNew York Timeshas pulled together the following list of "" (published June 6, 2020)
- The popular podcastfeatured a (July 9, 2020) about racial trauma and white fragility.
- Brene Brown's podcast n, author ofI'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness(June 10, 2020).
Arts:
Looking for more? The following resource guides include many films, books, articles and more:
-
-
TheUniversity of Minnesota Press has made their available to all to read online for free through August 31, 2020.
- "" - infographic from the YWCA
- "" -helpful tools and resources from the Smithsonian National Musem of African-American History and Culture.
- "" -- step-by-step process with readings, videos, and other tools for deepening engagement with the work.
- "" - this Medium post has some great ideas for action.
- "" - this collection of resources by the Dismantle Collective has videos, articles, and books, among other things.
We have collaborated with the Staff Council Working Parents & Guardians ERG to compilethe following resources for children:
- - interview with Dr. Kristin Carothers
- "" - good resources for parents, including two recent webinars:
- ""
- "
- Sesame Street and CNN town hall aired Saturday, 6/8. It is available online and can serve as a good conversation starter for young children.
- .
- for all ages from the School Library Journal
- Crowdsourced
- Many of theseare online for ebook download at the website.
For those processing trauma, grief, or fear because of what is happening in the world, we see you and we support you. Please take advantage of available resources:
- provide a place for staff (and in some cases, faculty as well) to come together in a safe and supportive environment with others. Contact ERG leaders to find out more about their work.
- : All employees of JCU (full andpart-time) are eligible for support services (counseling, legal assistance, resources, referrals and more) through our EAP, Impact Solutions. Most services are available at no charge to the employee. JCU's company code isjcueap.
- Provides support services to students during the academic year. For referrals to other services during the summer months, see additional links on their website.
- Our CSDI staff is available to help students access resources, support services, peer connections, and educational opportunities throughout the year.
- ֱ’s Campus Ministry department is available to offer spiritual support and reflection to those of all faiths and no faith. Stay in the loop by.
We are here for you!
If you have ideas, questions, or other resource needs, please drop them into our .