Elizabethtown College is celebrating Black History Month with a series of events that began in late January and continue throughout the month of February. The Office of Diversity, Equity and Belonging is partnering with other offices on campus to host events recognizing Black achievement as well as the work being done toward building an equitable and inclusive culture at Etown. 

View upcoming events below and join the Blue Jay campus community:

Beloved Community Collective, Etown Celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. | Tuesday, Jan. 25 to Friday, Feb. 11
As early as 1956, Dr. King spoke of The Beloved Community as the end goal of nonviolent boycotts. Dr. King’s calls for peace are not that of passivity, but of resistance. The love that resides in resistance to combat oppression is a pure kind of love that unites many in a common goal. Unity cannot be spoken without action, nor is it a scapegoat. What we do now is not all that we will do, but it is a step in the right direction to enact meaningful, sustainable change reflecting our commitment and connectedness to one another. View the full spring 2022 Beloved Community Collective workshop list.

Black History Month Flag Raising | Tuesday, Feb 1 at 4 p.m. | BSC – Blue Bean
The Pan-African flag is a symbol of liberation and pride. Raising this flag signifies a month-long celebration of education and social events.

Self-Love as a Form of Rebellion: Moving from Self-Care to Self-Preservation | Tuesday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. | Hoover 110
Join Director of Housing and Residence Life Jennifer Azevedo in discovering how radical self-love is an act of rebellion, connection, education, and ultimately has the power to dismantle systems of oppression.

Preventing and Responding to Microaggressions | Wednesday, Feb. 2 at 3 p.m. | Nicarry 101
Associate Professor of Education Dr. Shannon Haley-Mize will define and explore the consequences of microaggressions, discuss ways to avoid committing these slights, and build skills necessary to address them when they do occur. 

You’re Not Unsafe, You’re Uncomfortable | Wednesday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. | Hoover 110
Join Associate Dean of Students Jennifer Crowder and learn to recognize how loaded language is rooted in implicit bias and undermines the experiences of historically underrepresented and marginalized groups. 

Black History 101 Mobile Museum | Thursday, Feb. 3, Multi-Media Display (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.), Lecture (1 p.m.) | High Library – 1st Floor
Dr. Khalid el-Hakim is the founder and curator of the Black History 101 Mobile Museum, a collection of over 10,000 original artifacts of Black memorabilia dating from the trans-Atlantic slave trade era to hip-hop culture. Visiting 41 states at over 500 institutions, he has received national and international attention for his innovative work exhibiting Black history outside of traditional museum spaces. Dr. el-Hakim received the 2021 Freedom Scholar Award from the Association for the Study of African American Life and Culture (ASALH). 

Among other honors, he was named one of the Change Makers for NBCUniversal’s Erase the Hate campaign and was one of the 100 Men of Distinction in Black Enterprise Magazine. Dr. el-Hakim taught middle school social studies in Detroit for 15 years and founded the Michigan Hip Hop Archive at the Lewis Walker Center on the campus of Western Michigan University.

Stop by the High Library to view a multi-media display from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and attend a lecture by Dr. el-Hakim at 1 p.m.

Solidarity, Not Unity | Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 4 p.m. | High Library – McCormick Classroom
Consider social change with Dean of Students Nichole Gonzalez through developing an understanding of solidarity. Meaningful change requires understanding privilege, building relationships across differences, and working to change structures that support oppression and injustice.

Changing the World One Word at a Time: Read Aloud and Conversation with Jacqueline Woodson (Anti-Defamation League / Education webinar, Q&A) | Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 4 p.m. | Registration is required to attend this virtual webinar.
Jacqueline Woodson is the author of dozens of books for young readers and the recipient of a 2020 MacArthur Fellowship. Her New York Times bestselling memoir, Brown Girl Dreaming, won the National Book Award, as well as the Coretta Scott King Award, a Newbery Honor, and the NAACP Image Award. She has received many other literary awards and was the 2018-19 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.

Ujima Dialogue Series | Wednesday, Feb. 9 and Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. | High Library – Brethren Heritage Room
Join the Office of Diversity, Equity and Belonging for bi-weekly informal conversations driven by students. A theme for each event will be announced on the Jays app and all faculty, staff, and students are invited to participate. “Ujima” is a principle of Kwanzaa, defined as “collective work and responsibility.”

Beloved Relationship Building | Friday, Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. | BSC – Bird Cage Lounge
Join the campus counselors Veronica Umbrell, Jennifer Deitz, and Melina Olivas to learn about the “3 C’s” of healthy relationships: Communication, Compassion, and Commitment. Participants will leave with new knowledge and skills to empower interpersonal growth.

Visit the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging page for more information.