Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee - University of Houston
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Staff Council

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

Workplace Conversations

ARAB AMERICANS AND THE STRUGGLE AGAINST RACISM IN THE UNITED STATES

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  • The UH     Arab-American Educational Foundation Center for Arab Studies partnered with Staff Council to present a special Workplace Conversations event “Arab Americans and the Struggle Against Racism in the United States” on April 29, 2021. Over 180 people participated.

    A Workplace Conversations Event

    Arab Americans and the Struggle Against Racism in the United States
    Thursday, April 29, 2021
    12 PM to 1:30 PM CDT
    A Virtual Event

     

  • Moderator 
     

    Abdel Razzaq Takriti

    Abdel Razzaq Takriti 

    Director, Arab-American Educational Foundation Center for Arab Studies
    AAEF Chair in Modern Arab History, University of Houston

     

  • Presenters

    Moustafa Bayoumi

    Moustafa Bayoumi 

    Professor of English Brooklyn College, New York

     



  • Loubna Qutami

    Loubna Qutami 

    Assistant Professor in the Department of Asian American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles

     



  • Fady Joudah, MD

    Fady Joudah, MD 

    Palestinian-American Poet, Translator, and Physician



  • Mezna Qato

    Mezna Qato

    Margaret Anstee Centre Research Fellow, University of Cambridge

     



  • Neama Alamri

    Neama Alamri

    Cotsen Postdoctoral Fellow in Race and Ethnicity Studies in the Society of Fellows and Lecturer in the Council of the Humanities and History, Princeton University

Resources and Reading Lists for National Arab American Heritage Month

A special thanks to the UH Arab-American Educational Foundation Center for Arab Studies for providing the resources and reading lists for National Arab American Heritage Month included on this page.

Campus Resources

  • UH Diversity and Inclusion Statement

    The University of Houston embraces diversity and recognizes our responsibility to foster an open, welcoming environment where students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds can collaboratively learn, work, and serve. ... more 

  • Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI)

    The Center for Diversity and Inclusion fosters an inclusive university community by providing services, programs, and support that engage, empower, and educate our highly diverse student population and campus community that contributes to student success.

  • Diversity Trainings

    The Center for Diversity and Inclusion offers diversity trainings and seminars throughout the year. 

  • Student Life Diversity and Inclusion Resources

    The Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services Student Life Team honors the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals by creating and maintaining an environment that respects diverse traditions, heritages, and experiences. Through education, reflection, and accountability, we cultivate leaders who champion inclusion and diversity.

  • Center for Students with DisABILITIES

    The Center for Students with DisABILITIES equalizes our students’ learning, discovery, and engagement by fostering self-advocacy, inclusion, and success.

  • Women and Gender Resource Center

    The vision of the Women and Gender Resource Center is to foster a campus community of empowered, intersectional leaders who challenge micro and systemic inequities by valuing justice, inclusivity, and accessibility for all genders.

  • Counseling and Psychological Services

    CAPS promotes the well-being of the diverse campus community by balancing high-quality mental health services and clinical training with accessibility to foster student success through self-discovery, learning, and interpersonal engagement.

  • Veteran Services

    UH Veteran Services will provide student veterans with the highest level of support and dedication, fostering personal growth and academic success through graduation and rewarding careers. In doing so, we will strive to be a benchmark institute and a leader in veteran support and advocacy.

  • Equal Opportunity Services (EOS)

    The Office of Equal Opportunity Services (EOS) supports the University's goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive environment by engaging in community dialogue, providing prevention education and training, and enforcing the Anti-Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct/Title IX Policies. In addition, EOS administers the University's Affirmative Action Plan, facilitates reasonable workplace accommodations for employees, and provides tools and resources for Electronic Information Resource (EIR) accessibility. 

  • A.D. Bruce Religion Center

    The A.D. Bruce Religion Center is the focal point for many on-campus religious and spiritual activities. It is a bustling center of many ongoing educational programs and activities focusing on religious issues with an emphasis on Interfaith Dialogue. The A.D. Bruce Religion Center offers a place for both quiet meditation and spiritual growth.

External Resources


A special thanks to the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) for providing many of the resources listed on this webpage.

Past Events

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    Celebrating Black History Month: Diverse Perspectives Panel

    Tuesday, February 23, 2021
    12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
    Online via MS Teams

    Staff Council celebrated Black History Month with a special Workplace Conversations event featuring a Diverse Perspectives Panel. Over 140 University of Houston staff, faculty, students, and guests participated in this virtual Workplace Conversations event. 

    MODERATOR

    • Elwyn C. Lee, J.D., Vice President for Neighborhood & Strategic Initiatives and Co-Chair of UH Racial Equity and Social Justice Committee 

    PANELISTS

    • Reverend Alexander Johnson, Executive Pastor of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church
    • Attorney Gene Locke, Attorney, and Activist, UH '1969
    • Helen Stagg, Chief Executive Officer of Change Happens
    • Brian Kirksey, Vice President of the UH Black Student Union (BSU), UH '2022

    Learn more about this Workplace Conversations event and view the moderator and panelists' complete biographies. 

    Please share with us your experience: Diverse Perspectives Panel Discussion Event Feedback

  • Diversity 101: Exploring Your Own Cultural Identity

    Tuesday, October 27, 2020
    12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
    Live Streamed on MS Teams

    Featuring Varselles Cummings
    Director, Center for Diversity and Inclusion, University of Houston

    What does diversity mean?  
    Diversity 101: Exploring Your Own Cultural Identity discussed the meaning of diversity and explore the multiple diversities that exist. During this virtual event, over 150 staff identified the relevance of their own cultural identities and learned how to embrace diversity to more effectively minimize the gap between individuals’ differences.

    This event was organized by Karl Hearne and Trina Silva for the Staff Council’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Ad Hoc) Committee.

     


  • civility_worplaceconversation.png

    Civility: A Workplace Conversation

    Tuesday, June 30, 2020
    12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
    Virtual Event 

    Featuring Sara Miller
    Trainer, Equal Opportunity Services, University of Houston

    Staff Council partnered with Equal Opportunity Services for its inaugural Workplace Conversations series. University of Houston community participated in an hour-long dialogue on June 30, 2020, about workplace etiquette, diversity awareness, and cultural sensitivity. 

About Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Ad Hoc) Committee

  • Leadership

    Staff Council’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Ad Hoc) Committee Co-Chairs

    Leslie Pruski
    832-842-0949
    lpruski@Central.uh.edu


    Trina Silva
    713-743-8529
    tmsilva3@uh.edu 

     

    Interested in joining the Staff Council’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Ad Hoc) Committee?

    Please contact this year's Co-Chairs.

  • Mission

    To recommend and promote diverse, equitable, and inclusive initiatives in alignment with University of Houston’s values to enrich the University’s culture and enhance the staff experience.

  • Objectives

    • To disseminate information to the Council and staff concerning diversity programs/activities and seek support from the Council to promote and encourage staff participation.
    • To actively solicit, promote, and interact with diverse groups on campus and in the community in support of their goals as well as jointly sponsored events/programs.
    • To request annual updates from the University on the progress made toward increasing diversity and inclusion of staff on campus and report out to Staff Council annually.
    • To work with the University of Houston to help build and promote an inclusive work culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates the diversity of experiences, cultural backgrounds, and ideas among our staff.