Diversity, equity and inclusion update: June 2022 issue | CU Boulder Today – CU Boulder Today

Editors note: This is part of a monthly series of campus updates on diversity, equity and inclusion that will continue throughout the year.

The Juneteenth Flag flies below the Stars and Stripes during a flag-raising ceremony at the Penfield Tate II Municipal Building in Boulder. (Photo by Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado)

From left:Philip DiStefano, chancellor of CU Boulder; Junie Joseph, Boulder city councilwoman; and Sonia DeLuca Fernndez, senior vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion at CU Boulder, chat before a June 17 raising of the Juneteenth flag at the Penfield Tate II Municipal Building in Boulder. (Photo by Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado)

CU Boulder and city of Boulder leaders and residents gathered on June 17 for a flag-raising ceremony to mark Juneteenth, Colorados newest official state holiday.

Chancellor Philip DiStefano and Senior Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Sonia DeLuca Fernndez were among the university and community leaders in attendance.

Earlier this month, CU Boulder critical ethnic studies doctoral student Shawn Trenell ONeal spoke about Juneteenth and its impact on the United States during a June 8 meeting of the Boulder Chambers Business Womens Leadership Group.

Juneteenth, traditionally celebrated on June 19, recognizes and celebrates the freedom and self-determination of African Americans and the end of slavery following the Civil War. It became a federal holiday in 2021, providing all Americans with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the nations collective and diverse history.

ColoradoGov. Jared Polis signed a legislative bill into law in May designating Juneteenth an official state holiday, recognizing the importance of the date, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day and the second Independence Day.

For the 2022 fiscal year, qualifying university employees are eligible to take a personal observance day to mark Juneteenth before Dec. 31 in consultation with supervisors. Learn more about Juneteenth asa floating holiday and how it willimpact the campus community.

Read more:Four things to know about Juneteenth

CUPD Chief of Police Doreen Jokerst, Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs JB Banks, and Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold celebrate Pride Month at a recent Boulder County Pride Week event.

Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold, left, and CUPD Police Chief Doreen Jokerst gather with members of the Boulder community during a parade to mark Pride Week, June 612.

Pride Month occurs each June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City and to celebrate the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals across the United States.

However, recognizing and supporting students, staff and faculty who identify as LGBTQ+ is a yearlong commitment at CU Boulder, and the campus offers services and resources for anyone who needs support, wants to connect with others or would like to learn more about LGBTQ+ history, communities, resources and activities on campus and beyond.

Campus resources and support services are available to students, staff and faculty through the universitys Pride Office in the Center for Inclusion and Social Change.

University Libraries offers a Pride Month research guide for campus community members who want to connect with local LGBTQ+ organizations, attend local programming, become an ally or learn more about LBGTQ+ history and communities.

Beyond the campus, Boulder County marked Pride Month June 612, a celebration that drew the participation of CU Boulder community members and campus leaders.

In addition, CU was among the dozens of sponsors of the annual Denver PrideFest June 2326, which included a parade, a 5K race, a rally and other activities.

According to Wikipedia, Denver PrideFest, which drew 525,000 people in 2019, hosts the sixth-largest Pride celebration in the United States after New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston and Houston. New York City held the largest WorldPride festival in 2019, drawing an estimated 5 million people.

Read more:From Dont say gay to bathrooms and sports: How debates over LGBTQ+ rights impact kids

The Center for Inclusion and Social Change has scheduled summer UndocuAlly Zoom sessions for staff, faculty and students with administrative or teaching roles.

Participants will learn more about the makeup of the campuss undocumented community and the history of U.S. immigration and gain a greater understanding of the challenges, opportunities and resources available to undocumented students.

Participants will also learn more about the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Colorados Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow (ASSET) and how these programs affect CU Boulder students.

The remaining summer session will take place from noon to 2 p.m. on July 22.

More information about how to register is available on the ODECE website.

Campus efforts and investments to address pressing and painful inequities at CU Boulder are only a beginning. Creating a culture of belonging will take each member of our community practicing sustained personal work to truly embrace and support diverse perspectives and identities in our community.

This year, Chancellor Philip DiStefano and other campus leaders urge every member of our community to join in learning more about diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism and to work continuously together to address these challenges more actively and in ways that can help authentically transform our campus culture in the coming year.

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Diversity, equity and inclusion update: June 2022 issue | CU Boulder Today - CU Boulder Today