Heritage & Cultural Celebrations

 

AS PART OF NATIONAL LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH, TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER STRIVES TO REMOVE BARRIERS FOR MARGINALIZED INDIVIDUALS IN AN EFFORT TO CREATE GREATER ACCESS TO HIGH˜QUALITY CARE AND TO ELIMINATE HEALTH DISPARITIES. 

MONDAY, JUNE 13

Virtual Screening of Cured with a Post-Film Discussion
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. •  ZOOM

Five years in the making, Cured, illuminates a pivotal yet largely unknown chapter in the struggle for LGBTQ equality: the campaign that led the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to remove homosexuality from its manual of mental illnesses. Join us for a virtual screening and post-film discussion with co-director and producer Patrick Sammon and learn more about a crucial turning point in the movement for LGBTQ rights. Also joining the discussion will be Dr. Richard Pillard, psychiatrist and researcher featured in the film. This program is supported by National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation. 

• Click here to join the virtual screening and discussion.

TUESDAY, JUNE 14

Helix Diversity Series: Practicing Allyship for LGBTQ Identities
2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. • ZOOM LINK HERE
DALLAS CAMPUS ROOM 745 • IN-PERSON RSVP HERE

This session will focus on the experiences and perceptions of LGBTQ people along with opportunities for providing support to this population in your respective role at TTUHSC.

TUESDAY, JUNE 28 ***NEW DATE*** 

LGBTQ Health Townhall
1 p.m. - 3 p.m. • ZOOM LINK HERE • Registration Required

Students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in the LGBTQ Health Townhall that will bring awareness to health disparities for LGBTQ people, engage in discussion around issues related to the health of LGBTQ people and more. The townhall will feature Dr. Ron Holt.

THURSDAY, JUNE 16 

Diversity Resource Fair and T-Shirt Distribution
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. • TTUHSC ACADEMIC CLASSROOM BUILDING (LUBBOCK)

Learn more about programs and services available to students, faculty and sta˛ while celebrating diversity. OUT for Health at TTUHSC t-shirts will be available on a first-come, first-request basis. Students, faculty and sta˛ who are unable to attend (i.e., online learners, campuses, etc.), may email diversity@ttuhsc.edu to request a t-shirt be mailed.

Student Organization Programming
All Day • More Info: Visit Events & Announcements

• Download the Flyer

Hispanic Heritage Month

TTUHSC will be providing opportunities to engage in educational and social programming that the Campus & Community Engagement Workgroup of our HSI Committee has diligently organized. These opportunities are for all team members and is an opportunity to intentionally demonstrate a greater appreciation for Hispanic culture and identities: one of the many facets of the HSC community that makes us a stronger team.

Download the 2022 Hispanic Heritage Month Zoom Background:

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Below are opportunities for engagement, inclusive of select programs taking place in-person at various TTUHSC campuses.

September 14

Defining Servingness in Practice at Hispanic Serving Institutions - 
Keynote Address by Dr. Gina Garcia, Professor at the University of Pittsburgh
A Collaboration with Texas Tech University
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Frazier Alumni Pavilion & Via Zoom Webinar (Register for Virtual Participation Here)

Opening Space: Voces Latinas
Hosted by the Office of Global Health
12:00 - 1:00 PM
Virtually via Zoom Meetings Pro
Register Here

Join us in September as we commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month with panelists Felix Morales, MD, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Admissions, TTUHSC School of Medicine; Ricardo H. Martinez, CCP, Director, Compensation Administration, TTUHSC Office of Human Resources; and Leslie C. Sotomayor II, PhD, Visiting Assistant Professor, TTU Women's & Gender Studies.

The event will include conversation around arts, humanities, and STEM topics, involving individuals— students, faculty, staff and community partners —specializing in these topics and situating themselves within these identities, and in dialog between and across their fields of expertise and experience, always seeking bridges and points of connection between and among our campus community members.

Assessing Servingness Workshop - Educational Training with Dr. Gina Garcia
A Collaboration with Texas Tech University
Limited Seats Available - Contact Matt Hernandez for details.
1:30 - 3:00 PM
Frazier Alumni Pavilion

September 15

Global Perspectives Film Series
Screening of No Más Bebés
Hosted by the Office of Global Health
12:00 - 1:00 PM
Academic Classroom Building 230 or via Zoom (Click here to join)

No Más Bebés tells the story of a little-known but landmark civil rights case, Madrigal v. Quilligan. In 1975, a small group of immigrant women sued county doctors, the state, and the U.S. government after they were sterilized while giving birth at Los Angeles County - USC Medical Center during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Led by an intrepid, 26-year-old Chicana lawyer and armed with hospital records sevretly gathered by a whistle-blowing young doctor, the mothers faced public exposure and stood up to powerful institutions in the name of justice. Click here to view a trailer of the film.

Free pizza provided to the first 25 in-person guests! This event is free and open to the public. No RSVP is required. For more information about the film series, please email  the Office of Global Health or visit their website. 

El Grito Celebration
A Collaboration with Texas Tech University
7:00 - 9:30 PM
Urbanovsky Park

Celebrate and honor the start of Hispanic Heritage Month with performances, food, flag presentation from 19 Latin American countries and dancing.

September 21

¡Investigación! Understanding Research in the Hispanic Community
12:00 - 1:00 PM
Virtually via Zoom Webinar

View Recording Here

This session will provide an overview of different levels of research (individual level to population level) and then two of our Latinx researchers -- Dalia Martinez-Marin and Sharilyn Almodoar -- will present their research.  The discussion will be followed by an opportunity for Q&A with researchers and faculty in the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population & Public Health.

September 23

Odessa Celebración
11:30 - 1:30 PM
Odessa Campus

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) by participating in the Odessa Celebración, which will feature a number of resources available to Odessa Team Members. The Odessa Celebración will feature the Hispanic Heritage Month T-Shirt Distribution*, food trucks, and opportunities to build community with TTUHSC Team Members.

*T-shirts will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. 

September 26

Dallas Celebración
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Dallas Southwest Building - Front Parking Lot

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) by participating in the Dallas Celebración, which will feature a number of resources available to Team Members*. The Dallas Celebración will feature the Hispanic Heritage Month T-Shirt Distribution, food, and opportunities to build community with TTUHSC Team Members.

*T-shirts will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. 

September 27

Bailando: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Through Dance  
Sponsored by the Office of Student Life
7:00 - 8:00 PM
Virtually via Zoom Meetings Pro

Come learn about role that dancing plays in Hispanic heritages. Specifically, this event will introduce participants to the Cumbia dance—that has roots from Columbia and is quite population in Chile, Mexico, and other Latin countries. Traditional Cumbia music engages a blend of African, Amerindian, and European style of music and instruments—including drums, flutes, maracas, and accordions.  Have you ever felt the beat of Cumbia music and wanted to join in? Now you can!

Presented by Román Ramírez, Senior Director of Operations, Office of the Provost (pictured right). 

Román was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, but raised in Fort Worth, Texas.  He is a college graduate, majoring in Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resource Management, and Early Childhood Education.  He is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree.  Roman was also a member of the United States Army and served for ten years. 

Besides the above, Román also has a great interest in dance and his culture.  He is co-founder of SOL Ballet Folklorico, a Mexican folk dance company to offer children from his community an avenue to gain a sense of pride, self-esteem, and self-confidence, encouraging them to work within the community as catalysts for positive changes.  The members of SOL Ballet Folklórico have united their love and passion for Mexican folkloric art to maintain the heritage and history of México.  Through dance, they tell the history of the people who embraced a life filled with diversity in nationality, language, dress, religion, and culture. 

September 28

Mental Health y Tú
12:00 - 1:00 PM
Virtually via Zoom Webinar

View Recording Here

This facilitated dialogue -- open to all TTUHSC Team Members -- will focus on analyzing mental health statistics for Hispanic/Latinx communities. Information on strategies for improving mental health outcomes from Hispanic/Latinx students will be provided in addition to a conversation on support services for students, staff, and faculty at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

September 29

Lubbock Celebración
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
University Center First Floor Lobby

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) by participating in the HHM Resource Fair at the Lubbock Celebración, which will feature a number of student organizations and departments from the Lubbock campus who are committed to excellence and 'servingness.' The Lubbock Celebración will feature the Hispanic Heritage Month T-Shirt Distribution*, food trucks, and opportunities to build community with TTUHSC Team Members.

*T-shirts will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. 

October 5

Cultural Responsiveness in Curriculum Design
12:00 - 1:00 PM
Virtually via Zoom Webinar
Register Here

This session will focus on identifying gaps to improve curriculum designs based on cultural needs, opportunities, professional competencies, and strategies to improve curriculum and didactic learning. 

Facilitators: Dr. Lisa Campbell, Dr. Alec Cattell, Joe Ferrer, Dr. Rosalinda Jimenez, Dr. Pat Francis-Johnson, and Dr. Lauren Sullivan.

October 11

Abilene Community Open House
6:00 - 8:00 PM
1674 Pine Street
Abilene, Texas 79601

Join students, staff, and faculty at the TTUHSC Abilene campus to learn about programs and services available to the Abilene community. Campus tours, information sessions, photo opportunities, and food trucks will be available to participants. This event is open to the Abilene community.

Cocinando: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Through Cooking
Sponsored by the Office of Student Life
7:00 - 8:00 PM
Virtually via Zoom Meetings Pro
Register Here

“Comer es vivir” (Food is life.) In this event, you will have the honor and privilege to hear about a traditional food in a number of Hispanic cultures—the empanada. The empanada dates back to the 1500s, with origins in Spain and Portugal; today a number of varieties are found through Latin countries and cultures. During this program we will hear from two community members that are well known for their empanadas and the culture behind them. Join us if you want to learn how to make empanadas and how they are made in different Hispanic countries. Let’s get cooking!

October 12

Abilene Celebración
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
School of Nursing/Julia Jones Matthews School of Population & Public Health Foyer

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) by participating in the Abilene Celebración, which will include a lunch cooked by TTUHSC team members, music, and community. The Abilene Celebración will include the Hispanic Heritage Month T-Shirt Distribution* for Abilene team members. Join us for a live screening of a TTUHSC Hispanic Heritage Month program, La Voz Hispana (details below) in ABSON 2000 (second floor of the School of Nursing). 

*T-shirts will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

La Voz Hispana: A Conversation with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center's Hispanic Community 
12:00 - 1:00 PM
Virtually via Zoom Webinar
Register Here

When it comes to 'servingness,' what are some of the core tenets TTUHSC should focus on? Join us in a facilitated conversation with TTUHSC team members in a discussion on lived experiences and opportunities to continue enhancing our practice of 'servingness' for minoritized communities. Panelists will reflect on a time TTUHSC impacted them in positive ways and will identify resources at the institution that they feel are useful for Hispanic team members.

October 13

Amarillo Celebración
5:00 - 7:00 PM
TTUHSC Amarillo - Pharmacy Academic Center

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) by participating in the Amarillo Celebración, which will feature a number of resources available to Team Members and those in the Amarillo community. The Amarillo Celebración will offer food and opportunities to build community with TTUHSC Team Members. 

November has been recognized as Indigenous Peoples’ Month.  This is a time to celebrate and embrace the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of Native Americans and First Nations.  And an important part of this recognition is acknowledging the important contribution of Indigenous peoples; a time to educate the general public about native culture, to raise awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which they have worked to overcome these challenges. 

At TTUHSC, Indigenous peoples succeed and thrive across our many campus locations. It is our hope that 2022 Indigenous Peoples Month will be a time for honoring these histories and the present, to educate our community and to call to action.  This is a time to be proactive in our communal learning and growth. 

Register for an upcoming Indigenous Peoples' Month program below:

Screening of Geronimo and the Apache Resistance

November 17 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM | Register Here

Highlighting Indigenous Excellence Panel Discussion

November 28 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM | Register Here

Letter from Dr. Jody C. Randall, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) will observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 16, 2023. MLK Day, as it is commonly referred to, celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. King taught us many things, including his approach to navigating social, political, and economic hardships through a philosophy of nonviolence. He reminded us that we can and must strive for a society where injustice ceases and equality, love, and respect triumphs.

We confront ignorance and misunderstanding every day. The world continues to struggle with violence and hate. And, while we have made such tremendous progress in how we see each other, recognize our unique experiences, and affirm each other, we resolve in Dr. King’s teachings. We must continue do the work required of us to make our communities inclusive for all of us. As Dr. King shared in Strength to Love, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” 

Let this MLK Day remind us that TTUHSC reflects who we are --- a community of learners and team members, clients and patients, partners and problem solvers. A community deeply committed to our values-based culture where One Team, Kindheartedness, Integrity, Visionary, and Beyond Service are not treated casually, but are integral parts of our purpose.

On MLK Day, TTUHSC will be closed. Please consider making it a day of action and/or service to others. Many people use this day to volunteer in the communities where we live, work, and study. Social connectedness is a determinant of health. Let’s continue to take our work into the communities we serve this MLK Day and make such important change.

Thank you for your commitment to our institution, communities, and each other.

Sincerely,

Jody C. Randall, Ed.D. 
Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

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MLK Day of Service

The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Jan. 16, 2023, marks the 29th anniversary of the day of service that celebrates the Civil Rights leader’s life and legacy. Observed each year on the third Monday in January as “a day on, not a day off,” MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. 

Lubbock Day of Service
Join Student Life and the Student Ambassadors for Diversity and Inclusion as they come together to celebrate the MLK Day of Service by volunteering at Lubbock Impact. We will be working in their Clothes Closet, organizing, sorting, tagging and hanging donated clothing. Please contact Doris Hereford at 806-743-6489 if you have any questions.

Amarillo Day of Service 
Join Team Members from the TTUHSC Amarillo campus through participatin in the MLK, Jr. Parade and Citywide Celebration. The parade will begin at 11:00 a.m. from North Hughes Street to Bones Hooks Park, where TTUHSC students from the Refugee Health Screening Project will be conducting health screenings. 
 

Black History Month at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is an initiative being led by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion along with the Black Faculty & Staff Association. As part of this celebration, individuals at each campus will be provided with opportunities to engage in educational programs, service activities, and a number of other programmatic initiatives that highlight Black history.

February 1
Keynote Address - Billie Caviel 
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Watch the Recording Here
Alfred and Billie Caviel were the first African-American husband and wife in the United States to own and operate their own pharmacy, in the eastside “Flats” neighborhood of Lubbock, Texas. Caviel’s Pharmacy operated at the corner of Avenue A and 17th Street in Lubbock for 49 years, from the early Civil Rights era in 1960 to 2009.

Billie will provide insight into her experience as it relates to her identity during a tumultuous time for Black health professionals. She will specifically highlight her experience as a resident of Lubbock and the contributions she made to Black history in West Texas.

Amarillo T-Shirt Distribution & Keynote Viewing
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
AM SOM 4713

Join team members for a live screening of the Black History Month Kickoff & Keynote event from Billie Caviel in SOM 4713. Black History Month t-shirts will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and lunch will be provided for participants during the program.

February 2
Office of Global Health Global Perspectives Film Series 
Screening of Owned: A Tale of Two Americas (2018)
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM via Zoom

OWNED is a fever dream vision into the dark history behind the U.S. housing economy. Tracking its overtly racist beginnings and its unbridled commoditization, the film exposes a foundational story that few Americans understand as their own. For more information about the film, including a trailer, please visit the following website: https://vimeo.com/259100910. 

February 7
Lubbock Resource Fair
Academic Classroom Building | First Floor Lobby
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Join team members at the TTUHSC Lubbock campus to celebrate Black history and culture. On February 7, the Resource Fair will feature departments and student organizations at TTUHSC in addition to community organizations and an opportunity to register yourself to vote in Lubbock County. Black History Month t-shirts will be distributed (while supplies last) at the Resource Fair. Light refreshments will also be available on a first come, first-served basis.

Note: T-shirts will be distributed on a first come, first served basis; only one shirt per participant.

Dallas Arts & Culture Program 
Dallas SW 730
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Join team members at the TTUHSC Dallas campus for a performance by Jordan Jones (pictured, right), a cellist who graduated from the first African American high school in the area: Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She will play jazz, funk, blues, and pop from celebrated Black artists. Team members will have the opportunity to become familiar with local arts, culture, and history from the Dallas area and their relationships to the health sciences. Light refreshments from local businesses along with Black History Month t-shirts will be distributed on a first come, first-served basis.

February 8
Screening & Discussion of the 1972 Special Report: "Tuskegee Experiment"
Sponsored by the Office of Student Life
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM via Zoom
Questions for Consideration

The “Tuskegee Experiment”, a study of untreated syphilis in Black males, was an ethically abusive study conducted between 1932 and 1972 by the United States Public Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The purpose of this study was to observe the natural history of untreated syphilis. This has led to years of distrust of the medical community throughout the United States. Join us as we watch a special report when the experiment was finally brought to light forty years after it started. A discussion will follow allowing attendees to reflect on what they learned and discuss our role moving forward.

Abilene T-Shirt Distribution & Screening of the 1972 Special Report: "Tuskegee Experiment"
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
ABSON 2000

Join team members at the Abilene campus as members across the TTUHSC community watch and discuss the "Tuskegee Experiment." The screening is sponsored by the Office of Student Life. Free pizza and Black History Month t-shirts will be provided to participants while supplies last.

February 10
Celebrating Black History Fair
11:30 AM - 2:00 PM
TTUHSC Odessa Campus

Join team members at the TTUHSC Odessa campus to celebrate Black history through music, food trucks, a Black History Month t-shirt distribution (while supplies last), and a gift basket drawing.

February 15
Global Health Open Space
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM via Zoom
Join the Office of Global Health in the feature of voices speaking about their dual identities as native Africans and Black Americans with panelists David Baba, Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing; Rosemary Walulu, Associate Professor in the School of Nursing, and George Kitaka, doctoral student in te TTU Department of Music Education. 

This event will promote conversation among individuals -- students, faculty, staff, and community partners -- who specialize in the arts, humanities, and STEM topics. By sharing a dialogue between and across their fields of expertise and experience, we highlight the bridges and points of connection between and among our campus and community members. 

February 22
Lubbock Voter Registration
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Academic Classroom Building - First Floor Lobby

Black history and voting rights are inextricably linked. Excercise your right to vote by registering yourself here in Lubbock County. You can also learn about significant actors throughout history in gaining the right to vote. Stop by the first floor of the Academic Classroom Building in Lubbock to learn more!

February 27
Healthcare Dialogues in the Black Community
Featuring TTUHSC Team Members
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM via Zoom Webinar

Structural racism continues to be a driver of disparate health outcomes in communities of color. In this discussion, team members from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center will discuss the upstream determinants of health within the Black community along with the ways health inequities are manifested over time. These inequities can be a direct result of racism, implicit bias, and the prevention of intentional access to quality health care. This discussion will also highlight the advances in health care that are attributed to Black physicians, scholars, and practitioners. 

 

Download TTUHSC's AAPI Zoom Background Below:

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Office of Global Health Opening Space: AAPI Voices
May 3, 2023 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Virtual via Zoom Webinar

Opening Space is a Zoom-based series, co-hosted by the TTUHSC Office of Global Health and the TTU Vernacular Music Center, that elevates unheard oices and emphasizes representation, agency, empowerment, and inclusion. The series seeks to create opportunity for dialogues by and among underreoresented groups, acknowledging sources of silencing, and affirming our shared connections. 

Join us in May as we highlight Asian American and Pacific Islanders' voices with panelists Chris Esperat, Profesor in the TTUHSC School of Nursing; Tiva Kasemsri, Associate Professor in the TTUHSC School of Medicine; Yuan Shu; Associate Professor of English in the TTU College of Arts & Sciences; and Sangmi Yoo, Professor in the TTU School of Art.

Asian Heritage Day
As part of our commitment to highlighting the experiences of all Asian communities, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is proud to support senators from the TTUHSC Student Government Association in recognition of Asian Heritage Day. This day of recognition -- the first Wednesday of each April at TTUHSC -- is intended to provide awareness of the diversity that exists within Asian communities at our institution and throughout the world. 

SGA Senators Stephen Davies, Mitej Dongarkar, Sarah Neal Horne, Natalie Jameson, Avantika Mallik, Naresh Sah, and Muhammad Usman authored SGA Senate Resolution 23.06: Stating thesentiments of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Student Senate regarding the formal dedicaiton of an Asian Heritage Appreciation Day. 

Start with a tour of the Online Asian Art Museum, part of the Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture.