Diversity at Darden

On Saturday, Aug. 12, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the University is offering a day of events displaying its commitment to mutual respect and inclusion. Faculty and staff will facilitate discussions on constitutional rights and citizenship; community dynamics and polarization; local history; and other related topics, all focused around the overarching theme of peaceable democracy. The discussions are free and open to the public. See Events Planned for August 12 for more details.

Schedule of Events for On-Grounds Teach-In on Saturday, August 12
*Indicates a “teen friendly” event

11:00 a.m.:

• Panel on Local African American Heritage
  • Niya Bates, Clemons 407
• “Shame or Dialogue? Paradoxes of Activism”
  • Rachel Whal, Clemons Vislounge
• The Charlottesville Clergy Collective
  • Pastor Alvin Edwards, Clemons 4^th Floor Seating
• “Intolerance of Intolerance”
  • Provost Tom Katsouleas, Alderman 421
• “Creating a New Future: Addressing the Problem Behind the Problem” *
  • Suzanne Moomaw, Alderman Journal Room
• “The New Smokestacks? Race, Place and the Social Responsibilities of Universities and Medical Centers”
  • Guian McKee, Alderman Scholar’s Lab
• White Like Me (Film Screening)
  • Followed by a Discussion with Joanna Williams, Harrison Small Auditorium

12:00 p.m.:

• Community Pot-Luck on Clemons Terrace (until 2:00 pm)
  • Sponsored by Student National Medical Association (SNMA), Mulholland Society, Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), qMD and UVA Health System’s Discriminatory Behavior Committee and Task Force with funding from the Offices of Diversity of the School of Medicine, McIntire, Nursing, Darden, and Engineering
• “Intolerance of Intolerance”
  • Provost Tom Katsouleas, Clemons 4^th Floor Seating
• “A Refugee’s Journey: Fleeing War, The Long Wait, and The Hope of Starting Over in America” *
  • Christine Mahoney, Clemons 407
• “Race and Education” *
  • Natalia Palacios, Clemons Vislounge
• “Eugenics and Diversity”
  • Gregory Townsend, Alderman 421
• “History and the Value of Shame”
  • Richard Handler, Alderman Scholar’s Lab

12:30 p.m.:

• “From the Many, One Pluralism and American Identity in the Coming Century”
  • Chuck Mathewes, Clemons 407
• I am Not Your Negro (Film Screening)
  • Followed by a Discussion with Joanna Williams, Harrison Small Auditorium

1:00 p.m.: Student Voices

• Green Dot Training
  • Galen Green and Care Shoaibi, Clemons 407
• If You’re Reading This
  • Ryan Keen, Alderman Journal Room
• UndocuAlly Training
  • Mel Borja, Alderman Scholar’s Lab

1:00 p.m.:

• “What Democracy Sounds Like: Gentle Collectivity Through Improvised Song”*
  • Michelle Kisliuk, Clemons 4^th Floor Seating
• “Freedom of Speech and Assembly: What is Protected and What is Not”
  • Douglas Laycock, Alderman 421

1:30 p.m.:

• “Mad or Madisonian? Deliberating Across Difference” *
  • Lynn Sanders, Alderman Journal Room

2:00 p.m.:

• “The Future of Health Care Reform”
  • Mimi Riley, Clemons Vislounge
• “I Dream America: A Story of Unrequited Love”
  • John Gates, Clemons 4^th Floor Seating
• “Power of the Margin: How to Change Institutions When You are the Minority”
  • Martin Davidson, Alderman 421
• “History of the KKK in Charlottesville: Past and Present”
  • John Mason, Alderman Journal Room

2:30 p.m.:

• “The Demographics of Race in Charlottesville” *
  • Qian Cai, Alderman Scholar’s Lab

3:00 p.m.:

• “What’s Right about Conservatives Today?”
  • Bill Antholis, Clemons, Vislounge
• “Bioethics in a Divided Society: Deciding about Death, Genes, and Health Inequalities” *
  • James Childress, Clemons 4^th Floor Seating
• “Enfranchising Citizens in the United States: A Short History” *
  • Brian Balogh and Ed Ayers, Alderman 421
• “Encouraging Diversity through Communication of the Value of our Science and Engineering” *
  • Pamela Norris, Alderman Scholar’s Lab

3:30 p.m.:

• That World is Gone: Race and Displacement in a Southern Town (Film Screening)
  • Followed by a Q and A Session with the Filmmakers (Hannah Ayers and Lance Warren), Harrison Small Auditorium

4:00 p.m.:

• “What Do They Believe? Beliefs Held by “Unite the Right” Groups” *
  • Gabriel Finder, Clemons 407
• “Democracy Under Siege: Gleanings from African American Prophetic Thinkers” *
  • Xavier Pickett, Clemons Vislounge
• “Jazz is Black Music: Acknowledging the Gift!” *
  • John D’earth, Clemons 4^th Floor Seating
• “Brave Space”*
  • Valencia Harvey, Alderman 421
• “Organ Donation: A Community Built from the Ashes of an Impossible Day” *
  • Javier Provencio, Alderman Journal Room
• “On the Importance of Public Space” *
  • Sophie Trawalter, Alderman Scholar’s Lab

4:10 p.m.:

• An Outrage (Film Screening)
  • Followed by a Q and A Session with the Filmmakers (Hannah Ayers and Lance Warren), Harrison Small Auditorium

4:30 p.m.:

• “Immigration: Facts and Fiction” *
  • David Leblang, Clemons 407

Earlier in 2017, Charlottesville City Council voted unanimously to rename Lee and Jackson parks in downtown Charlottesville to Emancipation and Justice parks, respectively. The vote came following a previous decision to remove statues of Confederate Civil War generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson.

Many communities are debating the removal of Confederate monuments, which number in the thousands across the United States (there are more than 200 in Virginia). Alt-right groups—a loosely defined group of people with far-right ideologies who reject mainstream conservatism in favor of white nationalism—are among the leading voices opposing their removal.

As the debate over what to do with these monuments continues, it is important to understand their history. Most were erected in the early 20^th century when so-called Jim Crow laws prevented equality for minorities, specifically African-Americans. Historians agree the monuments were often erected to intimidate nearby African-American communities and to advance a movement to depict Confederate leaders as chivalrous heroes who fought the Civil War as a conflict over states’ rights, rather than slavery. Emancipation Park opened as Lee Park in May 1924, when Lee’s statue was unveiled before thousands of attendees during a gathering of the Sons of the Confederacy.

We hope this short history helps those of you who are new to the Charlottesville area understand the context surrounding the upcoming rally. For more context, please see The Chronicle of Higher Education article, “In Charlottesville, UVa Grapples with Its History and the Alt-Right,” which features an interview with UVA President Teresa Sullivan on the topic.

Dear Darden Faculty, Staff and Students:

On Monday, July 10, the Darden community in Charlottesville convened to discuss the experience and impact of the July 8 rally in Charlottesville by the Klu Klux Klan (KKK). As many of you know, the event transpired fairly peacefully with 50 KKK members rallying, and over 1,000 Charlottesville area citizens present and voicing opposition to the racist organization. My goal in writing to you is to recap the Monday conversation and to provide an update on the plans for action moving forward. In particular, many community members had constructive ideas on what we could do in advance of the “Unite the Right” rally to be held August 12.  The following links provide more information about that rally and its organizers. Portions of the content may be offensive to some readers and viewers:

http://www.occidentaldissent.com/2017/07/10/unite-the-right-towards-alt-right-activism/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i19GxzCcm4

Community Conversation Review

 On July 10, we expected about 20 people to come together in the South Lounge, and 70-75 people attended. People from throughout the enterprise attended, bringing a diverse set of perspective to the discussion. The conversation centered around three questions: What was it like to be at the KKK rally? What reactions did you have as this emerged in our community? What can we at Darden do in advance of the August 12 rally?

A variety of people expressed perspectives in heartfelt and honest ways. Community members shared a numerous powerful stories, some drawn from experiences of being at the rally, others from past personal experiences. The goal of the first half hour was to tell our stories to one another and, as a community, we did so with grace and authenticity.

At about the halfway mark—and in tune with several people noting they were worried about what was coming on August 12—we began to brainstorm what we could do at Darden and a many ideas emerged. Since this was brainstorming, we did not have adequate time to discuss and gain any consensus. What we choose to do as a school remains to be decided and I will share more in my next update. But some of the ideas expressed included:

• Start of School Year Preparation:
  1. Provide orientation to our new students about the events, U.S. history, race, politics, free speech and the First Amendment;
  2. Help all students understand that if they attend the event, they must be properly prepared.  All students should know University protocols if they face any threats and should know how to make the bets decisions in what could be tense moments;
  3. Engage Second Year student leadership to support the community;
• Darden Protest: Be present at the rally as a Darden community, make our presence known publicly;
• Learning Sessions: Convene informational conversations about the issues underlying the rally and the resistance to it. Discussions or learning sessions that highlight topics such as “what is the ‘alt-right?’” “Who is Richard Spencer and what is the UVA connection?”) Many people lack information about or context for the rally;
• Small group conversations throughout the year: Sustain energy and effort toward being more inclusive at Darden. One idea was to formalize small group conversation — over meals at Darden, at people’s homes, or other comfortable venues. People learning together and building relationships and bonds makes events like this less disruptive to the daily flow at Darden.
• Law Enforcement Information Session: Invite a conversation with law enforcement about how to function if community members want to attend the rally;
• Personal Preparation: Fortify ourselves personally in advance of the rally by talking not only with Darden colleagues, but with family, friends, and children, about what’s happening. Entering these conversations (especially with children) with questions and inquiry.

We are in the process of planning next steps. There will be an additional communication about next steps in the next two weeks. Please check the Darden Diversity Blog for information and resources. The ongoing objective of all of this is not to simply get through this rough patch. Rather, it is to use this as one of many opportunities to build skill and capacity for leveraging difference throughout the Darden School community and enterprise.

To: Faculty, Staff and Students

Subject: Invitation to a Community Conversation

Message From Dean Scott Beardsley and Senior Associate Dean and Global Chief Diversity Officer Martin Davidson

Dear Darden Faculty, Staff and Students:

At Darden, we strive to build and sustain a resilient, diverse and inclusive community. From time to time, events occur that provide us an opportunity to practice what those words mean. One such event will take place this weekend. Members of the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, based in North Carolina, plan to hold a rally in Charlottesville on Saturday, 8 July. The stated purpose of their rally is to protest the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue in Emancipation Park, formerly Lee Park. The nature of such a gathering makes it likely that tensions in and around the rally will run high. The leadership at Darden agrees with President Sullivan’s recent message, published on UVA Today and included at the end of this note, and we echo her denunciation of the rally in the strongest terms.

At Darden, living the principles of resilience, diversity and inclusion is not solely about confronting ideologies of hatred and racism like those that may be on display this weekend. We condemn those ideologies, make no mistake. We also use these events as occasions to learn and to strengthen our community. Like our larger society, Darden is a work in progress. Often, disturbing incidents take place in the world and we fail to seize the moments to talk with one another about them.  We tend to go about the day “business as usual,” ignoring the fact that many of us feel the distressing impact of such incidents, whether they occur across the globe or — as in this case — in our hometown.

The rally this weekend presents an important moment for us to exchange thoughts about — and share reactions to — what transpires.  Please come together for a community conversation on Monday, July 10, in the South Lounge from 3–4 p.m. Martin Davidson will facilitate the discussion. Dean Scott Beardsley will attend virtually.

This will be a chance to speak, listen and learn. Being present with one another is how we form a habit of having healthy, frank and constructive conversations together. We create stronger bonds as members of a professional and educational community, bonds that serve as critical building blocks for a more inclusive Darden.

All voices matter in this conversation, and we hope you will join in.

Scott Beardsley
Dean, University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Martin Davidson
Senior Associate Dean and Global Chief Diversity Officer

____________________________

University of Virginia President Teresa A. Sullivan on Tuesday, 27 June, issued the following message to the University community regarding a scheduled Ku Klux Klan rally on July 8 in Charlottesville. The message can also be found on UVA Today.

 To the University community:

Members of the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, based in North Carolina, plan to hold a rally in Charlottesville on July 8. The stated purpose of their rally is to protest the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue in Emancipation Park, formerly Lee Park.

The KKK represents ideologies of hatred and exclusion that run directly counter to the principles of mutual respect, diversity, and inclusion that we espouse and uphold at our University. The KKK has a long history of racial violence and murder. As a unified community, we condemn the detestable beliefs of the KKK as well as the group’s message of intolerance and hate.

We also support the First Amendment and the principle of free speech, and we know that the members of this group have the right to assemble and speak. We abhor their beliefs, yet we recognize their right to express those beliefs in a public forum, and the City of Charlottesville plans to protect their right to do so.

I urge UVA community members to avoid the rally and avoid confrontation on July 8. To listen and respond to these outsiders would only call more attention to their viewpoint and create the publicity that they crave. Instead, I encourage you to support the alternative events that Charlottesville leaders are planning.  These tentatively include a program at the Jefferson School African-American Center and a community picnic at Ix Art Park. Details are available here. The Albemarle-Charlottesville chapter of the NAACP and other organizations are planning additional events for the community.

There is irony in the timing of the KKK rally, which falls only four days after Independence Day, when we celebrate our nation’s hard-won freedom and our founding belief that all people are created equal and entitled to unalienable human rights. As a community, let’s remain confident that the voice of justice and equality will drown out the voice of hatred in the end.

Teresa A. Sullivan
President

Darden’s Global Business and Culture Club (GBCC) hosted its first Global Week to celebrate the school’s cultural and ethnic diversity through a series of events. The week was jam-packed with events, including a kick-off spearheaded by Dean Melissa Thomas-Hunt, a global food festival, a speaker series throughout the week, and an Indian dance workshop to name a few. The club’s President, Roshini Rajan, sat down to talk about how Global Week came to fruition. She emphasized the importance of this event happening in the beginning of the semester to help International students feel welcomed at Darden. She felt this event was, “the perfect opportunity to highlight the global nature of the school!” The events held throughout the week were well received by students and faculty alike. One of the highlights of the week was the Global Food Festival (GFF). More than 150 participants representing over 25 countries had the opportunity to showcase their authentic ethnic cuisine, traditional costumes and cultural performance to nearly 500 attendants. A key goal throughout the week was to embrace the abundant diversity throughout Darden and highlight the ways in which diversity is paramount in a successful workplace and academic environment. During the week, GBCC held a speaker series entitled “Leveraging Diversity in the Global Marketplace” hosted by Judy Shen-Filerman from Dreambridge Partners. The session aimed to raise awareness about critical cross-cultural norms that affect business interactions through experiential dialogue. The events held throughout the week focused on preparing Darden students to step up as leaders and effectively lead in a global context. The events throughout the week provided international and domestic students with a platform to showcase their backgrounds. GBCC helped foster a welcoming environment for all students as they prepared for a successful semester. Global Week served as the impetus to GBCC’s yearlong goal of promoting and showcasing Darden’s diversity.

https://www.ted.com/speakers/jd_vance

J.D. Vance grew up in a small, poor city in the Rust Belt of southern Ohio, where he had a front-row seat to many of the social ills plaguing America: a heroin epidemic, failing schools, families torn apart by divorce and sometimes violence. In a searching talk that will echo throughout the country’s working-class towns, the author details what the loss of the American Dream feels like and raises an important question that everyone from community leaders to policy makers needs to ask: How can we help kids from America’s forgotten places break free from hopelessness and live better lives?