Guest post by Alex Marsh, Digitization Specialist
Every month, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council (DivE-In) of the Duke University Libraries recommends five free activities, programs, and educational opportunities that address diversity, equity, and inclusion issues. For more about diversity initiatives at the Duke University Libraries, visit our website.
1) VOTE, VOTE, VOTE! From October 15-31, anyone eligible to vote in Durham County can use the early voting site that will be set up at the Karsh Alumni and Visitors Center. At the one-stop site, individuals can register and vote the same day. The polls will be open from 8 a.m. through 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sundays.
2) Action Item: As an actionable way to support anti-racism practices in your personal and professional life, consider what you buy and where it comes from. Supporting BIPOC businesses is an important form of allyship, infusing revenue into businesses that are often denied the same financial assistance white businesses receive. The next time you decide to buy a kitschy mug for your office, or your sister a beautiful hand-made sweater, ask yourself whether or not that item came from a BIPOC business. If not, take a moment to ask yourself, why not? Even a small effort can make a big difference. For a list of Black-owned Durham businesses: https://www.discoverdurham.com/blog/durham-black-owned-businesses/. For a list of BIPOC business in the Triangle and beyond: https://www.redressraleigh.org/poc-owned.
3) North Carolina Latin American Film Festival Oct. 9 -18: The NC Latin Film Festival celebrates the power and artistry of Latin America’s film and audiovisual production. Its mission is to provide a space in North Carolina for Latin American images, sounds, and stories to reach a wider audience. The 35th season of NCLAFF will be an homage to the best Latin American films produced in the past 35 years. NCLAFF will be a mixed-format, virtual synchronic and a-synchronic film festival. All events are online: https://tinyurl.com/y62wtlfv
4) How Heavily Policed Communities Judge Police, and the Political Effects of Police Violence, Nov. 5, 5:30- 6:30 p.m.: Policing and its sometimes deadly effects on individuals and communities of color have frequently been at the heart of debates and protests about racism in the United States and around the world. In this discussion, Ph.D. students Ajenai Clemmons and Arvind Krishnamurthy will share their research and offer a deeper exploration of the relationship between the police and the policed. https://tinyurl.com/yxemc9c3
5) 2020 Diversity Information Breakfast, Nov. 12, 8:30 a.m.: The Office for Institutional Equity invites the Duke community to the 2020 Diversity Informational Breakfast on Thursday, November 12th at 8:30 a.m. The event will include presentations from three diversity leaders or teams from both Duke Health and Duke University that will highlight racial equity, diversity, or inclusion efforts that inspire and support the advancement of Duke’s collective goals. A brief Q & A will accompany each presentation. Following the presentations, a panelist of several Duke experts will discuss How the Pandemic Has Magnified the Challenges of Achieving Racial Equity in a Post-Election America. The Duke community will have the opportunity to engage the panelists with a moderated Q & A. Visit the Diversity informational Breakfast webpage for more information.