Carolina Kroon (gender pronouns: she/her/hers) is a visual producer, educator and activist who collaborates with organizations and individuals working towards social justice. For more than two decades she has assisted in representing communities, conspiring with many of the countries’ most effective publications and non-profits. She has facilitated and taught visual literacy and production with many people ranging in age from 8-80 in both community and academic settings. Her organizing has been focused within the LGBTQ and Women’s communities. She is a fluent Spanish speaker.

Brooke A. Levandowski, PhD, MPA (she/her) is the director of the LGBTQ+ Health Initiative. She is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Rochester Medical Center. An epidemiologist by training, Brooke’s research seeks to improve stigmatized health outcomes through understanding the influence of culture on health decision making, primarily in the field of reproductive and sexual health. The LGBTQ+ Health Initiative is an excellent opportunity to work within our queer community to improve our health!

Myra P. Henry, Ed.D. (gender pronouns: she/her/hers) is an Administrative Change Agent and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Practitioner who currently serves as the President and CEO of the YWCA of Rochester & Monroe County. Dr. Henry completed the National Inclusive Excellence Leadership Academy in 2018. She served on the Monroe County Alliance for Transformation of Community and Police. On her own initiative and in response to colleagues’ requests, four years ago Dr. Henry created one of the first DEI committees at the University of Rochester which has actively engaged library staff in a variety of interactive DEI activities. Among this work, Dr. Henry has co-facilitated two White Fragility book clubs and diversity dialog sessions on various EDI related topics.

The LGBTQ+ Health Initiative put together this Series in response to a recent technical assistance survey of Network organizations in which 45% reported they are interested in additional anti-racism training. Additionally, the events of 2020 have highlighted how urgent and crucial it is to understand the history of structural racism in the United States and to think about how structural racism impacts our lives and our work. We have made updates to the structure of this series based on feedback from the summer. Changes include having two BIPOC, two white facilitators and separate spaces for BIPOC and white participants to discuss the book and their learning and perspectives.

All meetings will be hosted on Zoom. The link will be sent after registration.

The winter Series is planned for 3-4pm on Fridays. Two groups will be held over a 4 week period, the first starting January 18th, and the second starting on February 26th. The meeting times have been chosen as they do not conflict with any of the Network committee meetings. Please see the planned dates and times in the calendar above.

We will be reading So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo for the winter 2021 Series. Previously, we listened to “Seeing White” from Scene On Radio in our Summer 2020 Series. Other materials we are considering for future Series include:

• The “1619” Podcast from New York Times
• White Fragilityby Robin DiAngelo
• How To Be An Antiracistby Ibram X. Kendi

We have purchased 15 copies of So You Want to Talk About Race from a local, woman owned bookstore, The Dog Eared Book. Network members can request copies of the books to be sent to their homes during registration (click here). We also encourage people to check out copies from their local libraries, or to order the book from local, LGBTQ+, and/or BIPOC owned bookstores. The Libby application allows you to connect with your local library virtually and download eBooks. Finally, if you are someone who prefers listening to reading, So You Want to Talk About Race is available on Audible and Audiobooks.

Emergent Strategy Group Agreements:

• Listen from the inside out, or listen from the bottom up (a feeling in your gut matters!);
• Engage Tension, Don’t Indulge Drama;
• W.A.I.T.—Why Am I Talking?
• Make Space, Take Space—a post-ableist adaptation of step up, step back – to help balance the verbose and the reticent
• Confidentiality—take the lessons, leave the details;
• Be open to learning;
• Be open to someone else speaking your truth;
• Building, not selling—when you speak, converse, don’t pitch;
• Yes/and, both/and;
• Value the process as much as, if not more than, you value the outcomes;
• Assume best intent; attend to impact;
• Self care and community care—pay attention to your bladder, pay attention to your neighbors;
• Trauma-Informed Care Guidelines.

* These agreements come from adrienne maree brown’s Emergent Strategy, published in 2017.

• Session 1
• Session 2
• Session 3
• Session 4

Using Gender Pronouns

Consider adding your pronouns in parenthesis after your name! This can be a helpful way to make sure you’re respecting everyone’s pronouns while making it easier for folks to declare theirs.

To add pronouns to your name:

1. Tap the Settings icon.
2. Choose Edit Profile.
3. After your last name, write in your pronouns (e.g. “(she/her)”). Using parenthesis helps separate your pronouns from your name.

Customizing Skin Tone for Reactions

Zoom offers two reaction icons that you can use during a call: a hands’ clap and finger up. You can adjust the skin color on these reactions to better match your own.

To change the reaction skin tone:

1. Tap the Settings icon in Zoom.
2. Choose Meetings.
3. Scroll down, tap Reactive Skin Tone.
4. Change the reactive skin tone.

In a meeting:

1. Click the ^ arrow next to Video (bottom left corner of screen).
2. Select Video Settings.
3. Select General.
4. Choose reactive skin tone.