From the Desk of Diversity
Northwestern's Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter
SUMMER OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Do You Know SABCA?
- Words to Live By
- Did You Know?
- Nominate a Dignity & Respect Champion
- Random Acts of Kindness (RAK)
- Links to Explore
- Days to Remember
- Topics in Diversity: Reflection on Rape Culture: Alcohol, Promiscuity, and Victim Blaming
- Community Engagement
- Past Events
- Get Involved
- Learning & Training Opportunities
- Apply for a Scholarship
Do You Know SABCA?
As my grandfather (President of the National Medical Association 1970-1974) once told me, “the greatest good in society is to actively participate and be of service to one’s community,” and it has been a guiding philosophy by which I live my life. To be of service means to step up when there is a void of leadership, to step up when a population is either underserved or discriminated against, and to step up to strengthen and enlighten one’s community. The problem is that many people, our community included, walk around with their heads down, unable to see disparity and lack inclusion that exist all around us.
My decision to reinstate the Northwestern Health Sciences chapter of the Student American Black Chiropractors Association (https://abcachiro.com/) was because currently there is little representation within our profession for doctors and soon to be doctors of color within our school and within our professional population. Though I am a class representative for Student Senate, the legislative representative for SACA, and a T2 chiro student, I have found time to engage leaders of color in the Twin Cities and nationally for guidance to better engage our school and profession in communities of color and underserved populations.
How many of you knew that there has been a professional organization representing doctors of color that has been around for over 35 years? The American Black Chiropractor Association was founded by Dr. Bobby Westbrook of Missouri who, “had the vision to empower African American doctors and students of chiropractic.” Many people of color are unfamiliar with the benefits of chiropractic care, so this constitutes a golden opportunity to reach underserved and under-informed populations, especially in cities where chiropractors may feel over saturated. Think about that for a moment, a completely under-represented and untapped population.
When I attended the last regional American Black Chiropractic Association meeting at Palmer, Iowa, in February, the other regional officers were excited to see that NWHSU was participating again. I would like to grow the awareness and participation of this club because I see opportunity. Opportunity to engage the community and change the perceptions of “alternative” care we deliver. We all can contribute to lessen this disparity. One does not have to be African American or a person of color to impact target populations. We all have a roll to play in strengthening our professional ability to reach vulnerable populations. Thus, the question you are probably asking yourself is, “wow, this is so interesting! How can I join and participate?”
The answer is simple, send me an email at stephenthompson@nwhealth.edu and like our Facebook page called SABCA at Northwestern Health Sciences.
Submitted by Stephen Thompson, stephenthompson@nwhealth.edu
Words to Live By
Susan B. Anthony
Nominate a Dignity & Respect Champion
The Dignity & Respect Champions program recognizes those students, faculty, staff and administrators who embody the mission and vision of diversity at Northwestern. Our champions are fully committed to diversity, inclusion, equity and justice throughout our University and the healthcare community. Champions promote a safe, inclusive and supportive environment of diversity at Northwestern, act as active community members in promoting social justice, and take a strong interest in making health care accessible for everyone.
Please take five minutes to nominate your Champion. Thank you.
Did You Know?
#herstory
Random Acts of Kindness (RAK)
If you see something, say something.
Please email Megan Spees (mspees@nwhealth.edu) to nominate someone and make their day.
Links to Explore
The Gender & Sexuality Alliance, Diversity Scholars, and ODI volunteers organized a campus wide response to the Orlando Pulse Club shooting. We would like to share the slideshow with you here. Gun violence is an issue in the United States, as reported by the New York Times. Here are some services you can visit for more support:
- Northwestern's Personal Counseling, Student Affairs
- Northwestern's Employee Assistance Program, Human Resources
- Project Vote Smart
- ProCon.org - 2016 Presidential Election: The Candidates and Where They Stand on the Issues
Black Lives Matter and sexual violence have been in the news this summer. Here are some links to explore on these topics:
Days to Remember
Here are the cultural holidays that some of our faculty, staff, and students observe and have observed over the summer.
- Asian Pacific Heritage Month
- Jewish American Heritage Month
- National Military Appreciation Month
- May 1 - Beltane/May Day/International Worker's Day
- May 5 - Cinco de Mayo
- May 17 - International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
- May 30 - Memorial Day
- LGBTQIA+ Pride Month
- Men's Health Month
- June 6 -July 5 - Ramadan
- June 19 - Father's Day
- June 20 - World Refugee Day
- June 21 - Summer Solstice/Litha
- National Make a Difference to Children Month
- July 1 - Canada Day
- July 4 - Independence Day
- July 7 - Eid-al-Fitr/Festival of Breaking the Fast
- July 12 - Malala Day
- July 19 - Asalha Puja Day ("Dharma Day")
- July 28 - World Hepatitis Day
August
- Family Fun Month
- August 1 - Lughnasadh
- August 9 - International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
- August 26 - Women's Equality Day
All dates were gathered from the Anti-Defamation League's Calendar.
Check out the Office of Diversity & Inclusion's Cultural Calendar for more information on upcoming holidays or holidays not published here.
Submitted by Alejandra Dashe, adashe@nwhealth.edu
Topics in Diversity: Reflection on Rape Culture: Alcohol, Promiscuity, and Victim Blaming
Differing views on the concept of rape culture have come to the surface on social media in the past couple of weeks due to the public release of two letters indicative of the “Stanford Rape Case.” One letter, published by BuzzFeed (1), was written by the victim—who wishes to remain anonymous—to the offender, Brock Turner. The other was written by Turner’s father to former Judge Aaron Perksy (2). Both were widely posted on social media, and it is likely that you have read both of these letters. Turner was found guilty of sexually assaulting the unconscious 23-year-old woman, a conviction that would warrant a maximum of 14 years in prison. People’s response were overwhelmingly in support of the survivor, and the judge presiding on the case has since been removed after sentencing Tuner to merely six months in jail with three years’ probation. However, there is a group of people that disagree that rape culture exists, and that agree with Brock Turner and his father that the larger issues involve alcohol and promiscuity.
Before I began studying at Northwestern Health Sciences University, I worked for nearly eight years in Student Development at a small liberal arts college in Iowa. For five of those years, part of my job was to respond to any disciplinary incidents, including those involving sexual assault. The details surrounding sexual assault cases were heartbreakingly difficult. Formally coming forward to report the assault arguably led to more harm than good, especially in common he-said-she-said cases. In instances when men were survivors of sexual assault, it was even more difficult for them to speak up. We need to work to make it easier, not harder, for survivors of sexual assault to come forward.
One of the main fears is that somebody would be falsely accused, and this is worth considering. Years of imprisonment, lifelong sex-offender registration, and public humiliation for something that you did not do would be absolutely horrendous. However, we seem to view accusations of sexual assault more cautiously than we do accusations of nearly any other kind. Studies suggest that 2%-10% of sexual assault cases are false allegations (3). This does not mean that it would never happen, but to focus on this over focusing on protecting survivors would be a huge misstep.
During my last couple years in the position, a few institutional changes occurred that toughened the responses to incidences of sexual assault. The backlash to these changes brought to light that there is confusion surrounding consent and what constitutes as harassment. College campuses respond to this by having us go through sexual harassment trainings, like online training in which students at NWHSU are required to participate. Do you remember that training? The one most of my fellow students laughed off as a joke, partially because they already understood that assault is wrong and have no intention of raping or harassing anyone. To them, the training was a waste of time because it had nothing to do with them, and they learned nothing. I point this out, not because I think it is pointless for online trainings to be required, but because those that do understand that sexual assault is wrong also have a lot to learn about how sexual assault is a community issue, and it has a lot to do with them.
One of the most effective responses involves bystanders. Bystander effect, or bystander apathy, is the social experience of being in a large group and assuming someone else will do something about what everyone is watching, and yet nobody does anything about it (4). The Stanford case might have been even more horrendous—if that is possible—had two passersby not stopped to intervene.
Undoubtedly, there is a correlation with alcohol consumption and sexual assault; college campuses oftentimes prohibit the consumption of alcohol due to the increase of incidences of vandalism and assault (5) Although alcohol, and maybe promiscuity, may be factors within the greater umbrella of rape culture on college campuses, they should never be used as an excuse for rape, assault, or any violent act towards another human being. It is chilling that Brock Turner never accepts responsibility for his actions. We cannot hide behind the things that influence our behavior; we need to be responsible for our behavior, no matter the influences.
Submitted by Brittany Caffey, bcaffey@nwhealth.edu
1) Baker KJM. (3 Jun 2016) Here’s the powerful letter the Stanford victim read to her attacker. Buzzfeed. Available: https://www.buzzfeed.com/katiejmbaker/heres-the-powerful-letter-the-stanford-victim-read-to-her-ra?utm_term=.swQDmLn2jD#.ud4AeonqJA. Accessed August 2, 2016.
2) Franklin D. (8 Jun 2016) Father doesn’t believe son convicted of sexual assault should go to prison for “20 minutes of action.” News Channel 4: KFOR.com. Available: http://kfor.com/2016/06/06/father-doesnt-believe-son-convicted-of-sexual-assault-should-go-to-prison-for-20-minutes-of-action/. Accessed June 17, 2016.
3) Lisak D. et al. (2010). False allegations of sexual assault: An analysis of ten years of reported cases. Violence Against Women, 16(12): 1318-1334. doi: 10.1177/1077801210387747. Available: https://icdv.idaho.gov/conference/handouts/False-Allegations.pdf. Accessed June 17, 2016.
4) Latane, B., & Darley, J. (1969). Bystander "Apathy", American Scientist, 57, 244-268. Available: http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/images/uploads/Latane-BystanderApathy.pdf. Accessed August 2, 2016.
5) Collegedrinkingprevention.gov (3 Mar 2013). A snapshot of annual high-risk college drinking consequences. Available: http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/statssummaries/snapshot.aspx. Accessed July 28, 2016.
Community Engagement
Things to do:
- Things to do in Bloomington, MN
- Things to do in Richfield, MN
- Things to do in Minneapolis, MN
- Things to do in St. Paul, MN
More things to do:
LOVE YOUR MELON
Love Your Melon has been visiting two children battling cancer this trimester to provide them with support and encouragement through this journey. The LYM team is happy to report that one of those children is now cancer free! Continued support of this club and organization is appreciated as they continue to send cards and to these two children.
Love Your Melon Night with the Minnesota Twins will be held September 22nd. A LYM hat will be provided with each ticket purchase. Come find the NWHSU LYM crew in the foyer during the first week of fall trimester to find our more about this fun event!
Want to get involved? Contact Jessica Keesling at jkeesling@nwhealth.edu for more information.
VOLUNTEER CONNECTION
Volunteer Connection is a program here in Bloomington that allows students to get involved with their surrounding community through volunteering as a tutor! This specific program for tutors is called homework connection. There are many different times and places that volunteering can be done and it is widely available to anyone to tutor any subject from K-12.
The girls group Courtney Bernard put together is at Washburn Elementary School where she works with 3rd grade girls and their teacher, Serena Christensen. She goes there to volunteer with them every other Thursday for an hour to talk about women's issues and how to deal with them and make it easier to talk about. She recently started an anti-bullying campaign, where they are going to be making posters and t-shirts to raise awareness about the issue of bullying.
Contact Courtney Bernard at cbernard@nwhealth.edu for more information about volunteering at Washburn Elementary School.
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE
The Neighborhood House is a community center on the West Side of St. Paul, located in the Wellstone Center. NH offers tutoring and mentoring for youth, adult programming, family and early childhood education, food support services, health education, and more. The Office of Diversity & Inclusion and Student Affairs have partnered to offer workstudy and volunteer positions at NH. Please apply here or speak with Dr. Dashe at adashe@nwhealth.edu or Lori Hannegraaf at lhannegraaf@nwhealth.edu for more details.
Past Events
Twin Cities Pride Festival
On June 25-June 26, Northwestern Health Sciences University hosted a booth at one of the largest LGBTQIA+ festivals in the nation, the Twin Cities Pride Festival. We had over 200 visits and inquiries about our academic programs and clinical services, and handed out 1000 bracelets that shared our pride. Many thanks to the Diversity Scholars, ODI student volunteers, the Gender & Sexuality Alliance, and the Admissions & Marketing departments for making this a successful event.
Service & Appreciation Day
On June 28, Northwestern Health Sciences University took the day to serve in the community. We coordinated with 15 local organizations to clean, weed, organize, build, and support organizations that share similar missions and visions for creating a healthier world. You can read more here about the event. Thank you to everyone who served. Look for a survey in the next few weeks asking you to reflect on our experience.
Dragon Boat Races
On July 10, Northwestern Health Sciences University’s Dragon Boat Team, InteGREAT! raced against several teams at the Dragon Festival at Lake Phalen. We raced against the best of them. According to our team captain, Dr. Jim Hulbert, we came in sixth place out of 12 teams. This means that we were faster than five corporate teams (including Land-o-Lakes and 3M) and Metro State! Fantastic job everyone. Team spirit all around! (Photo credit: Mario Resendez, mresendez@nwhealth.edu)
Get Involved with Diversity & Inclusion
- Take training! See "Learning and Training Opportunities" below. Most trainings are free or low cost and can get you CEUs.
- Take the Dignity & Respect pledge.
- Join one of our cultural clubs.
- Want to write for From the Desk of Diversity? Book Club book suggestion? Engaging diversity activity idea? Contact Dr. Dashe, Beau Foshee, or Celia Peters.
Learning & Training Opportunities
Local
- Immigrant and Refugee Health Online Course by the U of M Medical School Department of Global Health (and other opportunities)
- YWCA of Minneapolis Racial Justice Workshops & Events
- Rainbow Health Initiative Trainings & Presentations
- Minnesota AIDS Project
National
200+ Super Free Online Public Health Courses & Training + Certificates MPH Programs List
- Think Cultural Health: Promotores de Salud; Office of Minority Health, Department of Health & Human Services
- A Physician's Practical Guide to Culturally Competent Care
- Health Resources and Services Administration: Effective Communication Tools for Healthcare Professionals 100
Office of Diversity & Inclusion
Email: diversity@nwhealth.edu
Website: http://nwhealth.edu/diversity/
Location: Northwestern Health Sciences, West 84th Street, Bloomington, MN, United States
Phone: 952-888-4777 235
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Northwestern-Diversity-Inclusion/678001138890536
Twitter: @NWHSU_Diversity
Alejandra Estrin Dashe, PhD
Director, Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Assistant Professor & Chair, Social Science & Humanities, College of Health & Wellness
Email: adashe@nwhealth.edu
Website: http://www.nwhealth.edu/undergraduate-studies/faculty-directory/estrindashealejandra/
Celia Peters
Student, College of Chiropractic
Diversity Scholar
Email: cpeters@nwhealth.edu
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/celia-peters/9b/b28/b74
Brittany Caffey
Assistant Editor, From the Desk of Diversity
Diversity Scholar
Email: bcaffey@nwhealth.edu
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-caffey-3628a0b5