Recent Posts

Black History Month Viewing Recommendations

Black History Month Viewing Recommendations

https://diversity.gatech.edu/news/black-history-month-viewing-recommendations

February is Black History Month, a time to reflect on the struggles and achievements of Black Americans, and their centrality to U.S. history. We asked several faculty and staff members for viewing recommendations that explore race, identity, history, and memory. The recommendations range from a revisionist Western film with characters loosely based on real cowboys and outlaws of the 19th-century American West to a documentary on chemist Percy Lavon Julian whose contributions include finding a way to mass produce a drug for glaucoma treatment.

The Amazing Nina Simone

Amazon Prime Video, released in 2015. Available online through Academic Video.

“This award-winning documentary shows the human complexity and brilliance of Nina Simone, who was a singer, songwriter, storyteller, music producer, and civil rights activist. Through interviews with those who knew and loved her, it details her journey from her classical musical roots to her unique development of an eclectic blend of jazz, folk, gospel, classical, blues, and African music that could not be defined by one single genre. The movie highlights her resilience and the ways that she shared her truth and advocated for others through music.”

—Tiffiny Hughes-Troutman, director of the Center for Assessment, Referral, and Education (CARE), Division of Student Engagement and Well-Being

Forgotten Genius: Percy Lavon Julian (1899-1975)

NOVA/PBS documentary, first aired in 2007 and is often shown on PBS affiliate stations in January and February. Available online through PBS.

“Forgotten Genius: Percy Lavon Julian (1899-1975) is a NOVA documentary of his personal life and scientific career as a chemist. The documentary was the recipient of the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s ‘Best Public Science’ film. The documentary chronicles Julian’s struggles with personal and institutional racism, especially in the American academic scientific community, to become the first African American to head a division in industry. In the mid-1930s, Julian was appointed director of research at Glidden’s Soybean Division. Under his leadership, the division produced several scientific breakthroughs including artificial sex hormones and cortisone. Respectively, these discoveries resulted in the commercialization of birth control pills and affordable treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Later, Julian left Glidden to found Julian Laboratories with facilities in the U.S. and Mexico. He became one of the few Black millionaires and was actively involved in the civil rights movement. His contributions to science resulted in his election to the National Academy of Sciences and appearance on a U.S. postage stamp. Despite his significant scientific and civic accomplishments, few Americans are aware of him.”

—Willie Pearson, professor, School of History and Sociology (Note: Pearson served on the film’s advisory board and appears in the film as an interviewee.)

Fruitvale Station

Hulu, released in 2013. Available online through Swank.

“This 2013 film has only gained power and relevance in the years since its release. Driven by Michael B. Jordan’s performance in the role of Oscar Grant, it tells the story of Grant’s 2009 shooting by a police officer in the Fruitvale station of the BART transit system in Oakland, California. Released in the wake of the death of Trayvon Martin and before the shooting of Michael Brown, the film’s events are excruciatingly familiar. The filmmaker Ryan Coogler’s stated aim was to get viewers ‘attached’ to Grant — to connect deeply to the meaning that his life had, especially for those who loved him, and to grapple with the horrific impact of police violence on Black families and communities, and the absence of accountability in the aftermath.”

—Ruthie Yow, service learning and partnerships specialist, Center for Serve-Learn-Sustain

Lovecraft Country

HBO, released in 2020. The Georgia Tech Library has the book, not the series.

“Lovecraft Country is a must-see for Black History Month. The HBO series is based on Matt Ruff’s novel of the same name. The story follows the life of Atticus Freeman as he returns home to Chicago after serving in the Korean War. Upon arriving, he finds that his father has mysteriously disappeared, and Atticus joins his uncle and childhood friend to search for him. With the Negro Motorist Green Book to guide them, they embark on their journey only to come face to face with monsters. Who and what are these monsters? Are the monsters portrayed in the 1950s really that different from the monsters Black people face today? The murder of Emmett Till and the burning of ‘Black Wall Street’ in Tulsa, Oklahoma are just a few historical events embedded in the series — which can be described as Black strength providing a tool for liberation, with a science fiction twist.”

—Stephanie Ray, associate dean of students and director of Student Diversity Programs, Division of Student Engagement and Well-Being

When They See Us

Netflix, released in 2019. Available on Netflix.

“Ava DuVernay’s Netflix series, When They See Us, offers an intimate look at the lives of five Black and Latino teenagers falsely accused of the 1989 assault of a white woman in Central Park. DuVernay’s delicate rendering of this infamous miscarriage of justice merges art and politics, reframing this shameful chapter of our country’s long history of judicial racism by giving voice and visibility to the resilience of these young men and their families. At once ambitious and intimate, When They See Us ensures, with its elegant and sometimes harrowing lens, that we bear empathetic witness to both the pain and the strength of these innocent men.”

—Nihad M. Farooq, associate professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication

The Harder They Fall

Netflix, released in 2021. Available on Netflix.

“I have always enjoyed Western genres, and The Harder They Fall does not disappoint. Director Jeymes Samuel’s modern western, set in Redwood City, is an epic fictional battle between historical outlaws and legendary badasses. Samuel imagines the American West through the eyes of Trudy Smith, Bill Pickett, Stagecoach Mary, James Beckworth, Cherokee Bill, Rufus Buck, and Bass Reeves, as he crafts a decadent tale of love, respect, and revenge. The film features Regina King, Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors, and LaKeith Stanfield.”

—John Thornton, senior academic professional and director of Film and Media in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication

DEI Seminar Recording: The Flint, Michigan Water Crisis: A Case Study in Regulatory Failure and Environmental Injustice

lindsey Butler

The Flint, Michigan Water Crisis: A Case Study in Regulatory Failure and Environmental Injustice

View the Recording here: https://bluejeans.com/s/@6NK2dKwMfD

 Lindsey Butler, Ph.D.
Director of Climate and Health Resilience Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

 

 ABSTRACT

 The Flint water crisis highlights numerous regulatory failures related to federal drinking water regulation, interpretation, and enforcement. The events that unfolded in Michigan, from the initial utilization of a corrosive water source to provide Flint’s drinking water to the inadequate response of numerous regulators, demonstrate how the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) can be wrongly interpreted, implemented, and weakly enforced, leading to dangerous exposure to unsafe drinking water. Our objective is to discuss these regulatory failures in Michigan in 2014–2015 in the context of other reported incidents of U.S. cities with high levels of lead in drinking water. Like the people of Flint, many of the affected residents are living in economically depressed areas with high rates of racial minorities. The recurring trend of unsafe drinking water in communities with this demographic profile qualifies this as an issue of environmental injustice.

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Lindsey Butler is an environmental epidemiologist, science communicator, and thought leader specializing in the intersection of climate change and human health. She serves as the Director of Climate and Health Resilience at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) where her core priorities include reducing the organization’s environmental impact and moving towards carbon neutrality, making information about climate change and health accessible, and advancing environmental justice and climate resilience. Prior to joining Blue Cross, she served as the Deputy Chief of Policy to the Mayor of the City of Boston. Her work at City Hall focused on environmental policy, public health policy, language access, food assistance, developing the green workforce and   data driven governance. She holds a Master of Science and PhD in environmental epidemiology from the Boston University School of Public Health.

Latinos/Hispanics in STEM: A Career Path Series

You’re Invited!

Please join us as we welcome Isaac Rodriguez, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of SweetBio, Inc. as the next speaker in our Latinos/Hispanics in STEM: A Career Path Series! This event will be hosted virtually on March 1st from 4 to 5 PM.

Learn more and get registered – see you there!

This event is presented by LOGRAS, the GoSTEM Program,
and the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

 A Fearless Conversation about “Traveling While Black” 

 A Fearless Conversation about “Traveling While Black” 

February 24, 3:00 – 4:30 pm 

Facilitators: Dr. Rayne Bozeman (CEISMC) and Stephanie Ray (Student Diversity Programs) 

Zoom: https://tinyurl.com/2rcw7v4p 

In the fall of 2021, Georgia Tech Arts brought the internationally acclaimed film, “Traveling While Black”, to the campus. Inspired by Victor H. Green’s The Negro Motorist Green Book, the exhibit subjected viewers to an immersive virtual experience that examined racism in the United States faced by Blacks on the road in mid-20th century America. Some who saw the film have asked for an opportunity to have a dialogue about the experience. Join Dr. Rayne Bozeman and Stephanie Ray in a facilitated conversation about what it means to travel while Black, then and now. 

If you didn’t have an opportunity to experience the installation in-person, you are invited to watch “Traveling While Black” on YouTube and join the conversation on February 24. 

Learn more about “Traveling While Black” at Georgia Tech. 

Register: https://gatech.campuslabs.com/engage/event/7821547

CEE Panel: Integrating Personal and Professional Identities: LGBTQ+ Experiences in the CEE Community

cee panel discussion
Please join us for a panel discussion on integrating personal and professional LGBTQ+ identities in the CEE workplace. Our panel members, Dr. Chloe Arson (CEE faculty), Dr. Rodrigo Borela (CEE alum, COC faculty), and Dr. Nathan Mayercsik (CEE alum) will share their personal stories, ranging from their time as students, through their job searches, to their experiences in a range of work environments, with insight into how to search for the right workplace, how to integrate personal and professional identities, and how to build a support network.
CEE Panel Discussion
“Integrating Personal and Professional Identities: LGBTQ+ Experiences in the CEE Community”
Tuesday, March 1, 2022•••5:00 pm•••SEB 122
This panel is supported through the Diversity and Inclusion Fellows Program, with support from Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the ADVANCE Program.
Questions? Please contact Susan Burns (sburns@gatech.edu).

DEI Seminar: The Flint, Michigan Water Crisis: A Case Study in Regulatory Failure and Environmental Injustice

lindsey Butler

The Flint, Michigan Water Crisis: A Case Study in Regulatory Failure and Environmental Injustice

 Lindsey Butler, Ph.D.
Director of Climate and Health Resilience Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

 February 9 – 5:00pm EST
https://bluejeans.com/651229727/3057
 

 ABSTRACT

 The Flint water crisis highlights numerous regulatory failures related to federal drinking water regulation, interpretation, and enforcement. The events that unfolded in Michigan, from the initial utilization of a corrosive water source to provide Flint’s drinking water to the inadequate response of numerous regulators, demonstrate how the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) can be wrongly interpreted, implemented, and weakly enforced, leading to dangerous exposure to unsafe drinking water. Our objective is to discuss these regulatory failures in Michigan in 2014–2015 in the context of other reported incidents of U.S. cities with high levels of lead in drinking water. Like the people of Flint, many of the affected residents are living in economically depressed areas with high rates of racial minorities. The recurring trend of unsafe drinking water in communities with this demographic profile qualifies this as an issue of environmental injustice.

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Lindsey Butler is an environmental epidemiologist, science communicator, and thought leader specializing in the intersection of climate change and human health. She serves as the Director of Climate and Health Resilience at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) where her core priorities include reducing the organization’s environmental impact and moving towards carbon neutrality, making information about climate change and health accessible, and advancing environmental justice and climate resilience. Prior to joining Blue Cross, she served as the Deputy Chief of Policy to the Mayor of the City of Boston. Her work at City Hall focused on environmental policy, public health policy, language access, food assistance, developing the green workforce and   data driven governance. She holds a Master of Science and PhD in environmental epidemiology from the Boston University School of Public Health.

ABET Diversity Symposium Recordings

2021 ABET Symposium Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Session Recordings

Barriers to Implementing IDE in the Workplace: Raising Awareness of Educators and Students

Panelists discuss existing and emerging issues that are, or may become, barriers to the implementation of inclusion, diversity and equity in the workplace environment, as well as approaches to raise awareness of such challenges in preparing graduates to enter the workforce.

Encouraging the Retention of Women in Engineering

Despite the increasing efforts to keep young women interested in STEM before college, once there, a sizeable number of them will still end up leaving engineering majors for non-STEM related fields. This session discusses a variety of possible approaches for the retention of women in engineering and explores the outcomes and impact of those programs.

Evolving Global IDE Landscape in the Workplace and Workforce: Impact on Student Preparation

Panelists describe the developing landscape with respect to inclusion, diversity and equity (IDE) in the workplace and workforce in their regions of the world, as well as educational responses to a changing workplace environment.

 

Dinner Service at My Sister’s House

Description

Looking for a way to support food security in our community? Help serve dinner at My Sister’s House (921 Howell Mill Road NW), an overnight shelter serving women and children, Wednesday, February 9th.

Volunteers will help cook, greet clients, and clean up at the evening meal 4:30-6:30pm. Any volunteers should please plan to wear a mask, closed toe shoes, long pants, and shirts with sleeves. Volunteers will be asked via email to provide a copy of their Covid-19 vaccination information 3 days prior to the event. Transportation to and from My Sister’s House via Uber or Lyft will be reimbursed for Grand Challenges staff, students, and alumni volunteering.

Atlanta Mission welcomes volunteers of all faiths, but is affiliated with the Christian church. Some orientation videos may reference religion and some staff may choose to pray before serving the evening meal. If you are not comfortable with these references and would prefer to volunteer with an alternate organization, please reach out to Madison Reddic at mreddic3@gatech.edu to coordinate an alternate volunteer opportunity.

All interested volunteers must sign up for the February 9th evening shift at: https://atlantamission.volunteerhub.com/event/7a5c0773-f51c-4467-b7e8-91a31d541ccc and RSVP on Engage below. If you have not volunteered with Atlanta Mission before, you will be prompted to create a profile. Spots are limited–sign up today!

Please plan to leave campus at 4pm so that our group can sign in and be given instructions together.

For any further questions or interest in future meal service shifts, please contact Madison Reddic at mreddic3@gatech.edu .

QPR Suicide Prevention Training

Most individuals want to help save lives, but avoid talking about suicide because they are unsure of how to identify someone at risk or they are concerned about saying the wrong things or making a situation worse. Saving lives begins with learning what to do.

QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer—the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help prevent suicide. The most widely taught gatekeeper training in the world, QPR is designed to help any and everyone learn how to recognize the warning signs of suicide, offer hope, and help save lives. Participants will learn how to intervene with an individual at-risk, persuade them to get help, and guide them to the appropriate resources.

The 2-hour QPR Training at Georgia Tech includes an hour of didactic instruction, followed by role-playing exercises, and time for questions and discussion. Take the first step in saving lives by signing up for a QPR training today.

To register, please visit https://endsuicide.gatech.edu/content/wednesday-february-9-9am-11am

Additional Sessions

February 15th: https://endsuicide.gatech.edu/content/tuesday-february-15-10am-12pm

February 21st: https://endsuicide.gatech.edu/content/monday-february-21-7pm-9pm

March 10th: https://endsuicide.gatech.edu/content/thursday-march-10-12pm-2pm

Additional Resouces can be found here: https://endsuicide.gatech.edu/

Despite cleaner air, pollution disparities for people of color remain across the US

Despite cleaner air, pollution disparities for people of color remain across the US

 and 

UW News

air quality

UW researchers investigated disparities in exposure to six major air pollutants in 1990, 2000 and 2010 by comparing models of air pollution levels to census data.Joel Muniz/Unsplash

Air pollution is linked to multiple health conditions, including heart disease, cancer and cognitive decline. These effects vary depending on the source of air pollution. And not everyone is equally exposed to poor air quality.

University of Washington researchers investigated disparities in exposure to six major air pollutants in 1990, 2000 and 2010 by comparing models of air pollution levels to census data — including where people live, their racial/ethnic background and their income status.

The team showed that while overall pollutant concentrations have decreased since 1990, people of color are still more likely to be exposed to all six pollutants than white people, regardless of income level, across the continental United States.

The researchers published these results Dec. 15 in Environmental Health Perspectives.

“This is the first time anyone has looked comprehensively at all these main pollutants and watched how they vary over time and space,” said senior author Julian Marshall, UW professor of civil and environmental engineering. “This paper is a chance to recognize that, while every community is unique, there are some factors that play out over and over again consistently across our country. If we go state by state, there’s no place where there are no environmental justice concerns.”

Previously the researchers showed that Americans of color were exposed to higher concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), an outdoor pollutant from cars and trucks, in two census years: 2000 and 2010.

Now the team has expanded that research to look at five additional pollutants that are harmful to our health: carbon monoxide(CO), ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and particulate matter — both larger particles, such as dust or pollen (PM10), and smaller particles, such as molecules from vehicle exhaust (PM2.5). For all pollutants except for PM2.5, the researchers also expanded the census years studied to include 1990, in which the Clean Air Act was revised to tackle air pollution and emissions.

 

“There have been so many improvements,” said lead author Jiawen Liu, UW doctoral student in civil and environmental engineering. “But we still see these disparities persist, even after two decades.”

See related stories in The Washington Post and The Guardian.

To get air pollution data for each year, the researchers used models that incorporate pollution estimates from multiple sources, including data from satellites and Environmental Protection Agency monitoring stations. These levels were then mapped onto census demographic groups — including four race/ethnicity categories (Black, Asian, Hispanic and white) and income — to determine estimated exposure to each pollutant for each group across states in the contiguous U.S. and Washington, D.C.

For each location, the team calculated both absolute and relative disparities. For absolute disparities, the researchers subtracted pollution exposures for each group from the average exposure for the state. The team determined relative disparities by dividing the absolute disparity by the average exposure across the country.

“Relative disparities allow us to compare across pollutants,” said Liu, who is also a UW master’s student in biostatistics. “Each pollutant will have a general range of exposure, but when you divide by the average it gives you a basis for how big or small that exposure disparity is.”

Disparities varied from location to location, but for all years and pollutants, a racial/ethnic minority group had the highest level of exposure. This trend continued in 2010, despite cleaner air overall.One limitation to this approach, the researchers said, is that the pollution models reflect national averages, so they might not be as good at catching unusual pollution events in some communities.

“Essentially, our research is showing these disparities exist,” Liu said. “We’re trying to catch people’s attention and show what is happening now. We hope this information will motivate change.”

“We have to document this,” Marshall added. “This might be new to the scientific literature, but it is not new to the communities that are most impacted by air pollution. These communities have been saying this message for a long time. And it’s important to bring humility to our research.”

Other co-authors on this paper are Lara Clark, who completed this research as a UW civil and environmental engineering postdoc; Matthew Bechle, a UW postdoctoral researcher in civil and environmental engineering; Anjum Hajat, a UW associate professor of epidemiology, Lianne Sheppard, UW professor of environmental and occupational health sciences as well as biostatistics; Adam Szpiro, UW associate professor of biostatistics; Sun-Young Kim, associate professor at the National Cancer Center-Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy; and Allen Robinson, professor at Carnegie Mellon University. This publication was developed as part of the Center for Air, Climate, and Energy Solutions, which was supported under an Assistance Agreement awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information, contact Marshall at jdmarsh@uw.edu and Liu at lhae15@uw.edu.

Grant number: R835873

Tagged with: , , ,