Schedule

Happening Throughout The Day (1-3:30 p.m.)

Art as Action

1:00 – 2:00 p.m., Weigand Gallery, Hogan Copy Center, Hogan 1
Facilitated by: Christi Rinklin, Mae-Chu O'Connell ‘19, Margaret Goddard ‘19, Rachelle Beaudoin, Susan Schmidt
Session Description: Student Art Society will be holding an interactive art installation ongoing throughout the day, titled "On This Campus," in the Hogan Copy Center. Participation only requires a brief stop, so that no attention is detracted from the workshops. There will be a series of posters displayed which will pose questions that invite participants to leave anonymous stickers on any of the posters they identify with. The questions seek to reveal the prevalence of discrimination/assault/harassment on campus, such as "Have you seen/experienced discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity?" This project will serve to create a visual representation of the extent of these issues on campus. The installation will debut at the Summit but will remain up as part of SAS's upcoming reACT art show in the Copy Center Gallery.

Session 1 Events (1-2 p.m.)

 The Hill, The Closet, & The Spaces Between
– An Engage Summit LGBTQIA+ Event

1:00 – 2:00 p.m., Dinand Main Reading Room
Facilitated by: Scott Malia and community members
Session Description: This session will pair readings from In, Out & About on the Hill (a compendium of accounts of LGBTQIA+ alums whose stories span 1980 – 2003) with readings from “Breaking the Closet” (a collection of monologues/readings from students first performed on campus in 2017).  The goal is to pair readings together to stimulate discussion rooted in two overarching questions: what aspects of Holy Cross life have changed for LGBTQIA+ people over the nearly four decades covered by the readings….and which ones have not?

Starting, Failing, Learning: An Allies Panel

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Rehm Library
Facilitated by: Chaplains' Office and Partners
Session Description: Allyship is a lifelong process of building relationships of trust, consistency, and accountability with marginalized groups and individuals. A panel of people attempting to be allies speak from their experiences of coming to understand power and privilege, of unlearning hurtful systems, of failing, and of re-committing to the work of being allies.

Listening to Each Other

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Hogan Suite B/C
Facilitated by: Josep Alba-Salas, Beth O'Connell-Inman
Session Description: The listening sessions will be structured so that everyone is able to contribute anonymously an answer to one of the following questions.
What do you want other people to know about:
1.  Ways in which you personally experience the Holy Cross campus as safe or not safe?
2.  Ways in which you do or do not feel fully part of the Holy Cross community?
3.  How your race, gender, social class, sexual orientation, disability, first-gen status, nationality, or other aspect of your life and/or identity impact your particular Holy Cross experience?
We will be asking people to not include names on the answers, so that they can be read out loud anonymously.

Empowerment through Theatre: Responding Together

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., The Pit, O’Kane Basement
Facilitated by: Ian Bannon
Session Description: Ian Bannon, an artist-in-residence this week with Arts Transcending Border’s upcoming performances of "the little match girl passion" by Figures of Speech Theatre, invites students, faculty, and staff to join him in processing the recent report of anti-LGBTQIA+ violence on campus and its impact on our lives and campus culture. Ian will host an hour-long session using devised theater techniques to explore the events and our reactions to them. Participants will weave together bits of text, gesture, and voice, coming together to physically unpack the recent events and begin the shift to a place of empowerment. There is no expectation of sharing our final “performance” with an audience, though one may be possible; we’ll decide this together. No previous theatre experience required; just come ready to move and feel in a safe space.

No Judgment: I Actually Don't Know Why this Summit is Happening.

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Stein 316
Facilitated by: Love Wallace
Session Description: Some of you may be confused as to why classes have been cancelled and we are being asked to attend sessions on inclusivity. This session is meant to be a judgment free explanation on some tensions that have been occurring with different students (groups) on campus. We will talk about some of the issues and some ways to be in the loop about how different students on campus are affected by campus and world events.

Engaging the Community on the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Hogan 408(09)
Facilitated by: Tracy Kennedy, Cheryl Rogers (Title IX office)
Session Description: As the first stop in our listening tour, we will be holding open listening sessions during the Summit.  We want to hear from the campus community on how we can better address the needs of the community.  We look forward to learning from your experiences.

The Understanding Process: Engaging, Listening and Finding Common Ground

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Stein 133
Facilitated by: Lisseth Chavez Cruz '20, Bethania Jimenez '21, Victoria Nash '21, Zain Tirmizi '21
Session Description: This session will explore how we engage in dialogue with others who might disagree with us. Participants will explore deeper listening and reflection skills, and ways that we might be able to work towards common ground.

A Few Steps to Becoming an Ally

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Stein 223
Facilitated by: HC Pride Student Organization
Session Description: The training that Pride seeks to provide will focus on basic LGBTQIA+-related terminology, specific concepts (such as sex v. gender, heteronormativity and cisnormativity), and ways to combat microaggressions to create a more inclusive and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ folks.

Welcome to My World: "Foreign" Students Share Their Stories

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Stein 118B
Facilitated by: Christina Chen, Jimena Collingwood, Evan Megan ‘19, Chantal Umuhoza ‘20, Christopher Van Booven, Joshua Whitcomb ‘19, Cheng-En (Emmanuel) Wu ‘19, Seung Eun Stella Yang ‘21, Xiani (Ani) Zhu ‘22
Session Description: International students at Holy Cross on visas and those who studied abroad last year will share their stories of being a “foreign” student.  In what ways is our community welcoming? What challenges do students face when crossing borders of culture and language? What can each of us do to help international students feel valued, safe, and welcome?

March for our campus

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Science Cafe Atrium
Facilitated by: Ann Sheehy
Session Description: Modeled after the poster parties that sprung up in anticipation of the Women's March in Washington D.C., January 2017. Come and make a poster that you would carry in a march for solidarity.  Brainstorm what you will artistically create to convey your thoughts on a poster board.

The Danger of a Single Story

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Beaven 118
Facilitated by: Isabelle Jenkins, Ginny Ryan
Session Description: We will view Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TED Talk "The Danger of a Single Story" and work in small groups to reflect on what we all lose when we tell single stories about any person and any group, including ourselves.

Being a Racially Minoritized Female at Holy Cross: Young Alumni Perspectives

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Beaven 125
Facilitated by: Michelle Sterk-Barrett, Funmi Anifowoshe ‘17, Kiara Sanchez ‘18
Session Description: Recent alumni, Funmi Anifowoshe '17 and Kiara Sanchez '18, will share their perspectives on the challenges associated with being a racially minoritized female at Holy Cross and their thoughts on what concrete steps could lead to improved campus climate. Student participants will also be invited to share stories of challenges they have faced and ideas they have for improvement.  Michelle Sterk-Barrett will provide context by sharing research findings related to the experiences of racially minoritized students on predominantly white campuses.

Healthy Masculinity

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Stein 124
Facilitated by: Ryan Grant
Session Description: An engaging workshop, utilizing activities, videos, and small group sharing, to discuss the concepts of healthy and toxic masculinity, how the intersectionality of privilege affects masculine expression, and how we may observe this on campus.

Dear White People/Dear Straight People @ HC

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Stein 208
Facilitated by: Nadine Knight
Session Description: We will view clips from Justin Simien's lauded satire of life at a PWI, Dear White People. We will use this as the basis for a discussion of the power of social satire--as well as whether we see the HC community reflected in this depiction of contemporary college life, particularly as it pertains to race relations/homophobia on campus.

Employees "Take the Pledge"

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Stein 217
Facilitated by: Kate Kilby, Deb Paquette
Session Description: Employees "Take the Pledge". Fr. Boroughs asked us to commit to doing something outside our comfort zone that we would not normally do -- to participate in an activity that puts in to action empathy and respect, to stand in solidarity against hate and intolerance against those not like us. Join a brainstorming session where we will consider your suggestions on what you might do to advance this cause and pledge to do it.

People for and with People

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Haberlin 219
Facilitated by: Votey Luong ‘19, Marcellis Perkins ‘19, Maria Claudia Schubert-Fontes ‘19
Session Description: This is a discussion of the current language of the Holy Cross mission statement and the Jesuit legacy. The issues of today: concerning gender, ethnic, racial identities, and the like motivate us to address and take action in modifying the language in the mission statement to fit all identities in our community and to have everyone feel they belong here on Mount St. James.

Commodifying Queerness

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Smith Labs 155
Facilitated by: Hanna Ballantine ‘19, Mithra Salmassi ‘19
Session Description: Our event will be a seminar/discussion on the ways in which LGBTQIA+ students have been treated as commodities in order to appear non-threatening and palatable. Our aim is to find ways to make queer students feel comfortable and safe on campus by engaging with topics such as: visibility politics, coming out narratives, and the tokenization of gender and sexual minorities.

A Walk in Others' Shoes

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Meet at Café Babel, Stein (then walk to Stein 212)
Facilitated by: Danilo Antonio Contreras
Session Description:
The walk:
Participants meet at Café Babel. They place their shoes at the center of a circle and wear the shoes belonging to someone they don't know. Participants then walk silently to a meeting space on campus.
The workshop:
At the meeting space, Stein 212, participants would first reflect on their experience walking in others' shoes. They would then reflect on the extent to which our campus is empathetic, what conditions limit consistent displays of empathy, and what concrete steps we might take individually and as a community to make our campus more empathetic to the different experiences of others.

The Ignatian Plus Sign - Presupposing the Good

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Stein 307
Facilitated by: William Campbell, S.J. '87
Session Description: What can Ignatian spirituality teach us about engaging in difficult conversations?

Speaker of the Faculty Listening Session

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Smith Hall 201
Facilitated by: Miles Cahill
Session Description: The Speaker of the Faculty will listen to concerns and ideas for engaging the governance process in addressing our cultural and structural concerns.

Saying NO

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Smith Hall 210
Facilitated by: Shawn Maurer
Session Description: This workshop will begin by reading a short essay that explains how women's being conditioned to "be nice," to not draw attention, to not make waves, can lead to difficult and sometimes dangerous situations.  We will then spend the remainder of the session practicing saying NO.

Empathy 101

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Dinand Faculty Lounge, 2nd floor
Facilitated by: Counseling Center
Session Description: The Counseling Center is offering an open discussion on how to cope in the aftermath of bias incidents and hate crimes. This will include discussion about building empathy for self and others, identifying ways to support those we care about who are struggling, as well as how to prioritize self-care.

Dare to be Different

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Stein 314
Facilitated by: DREAM (Elizabeth Keleher ‘21, Angelin Lucas ‘20, Maggie O'Hagan ‘21), Neal Lipsitz, Amy Borggaard
Session Description: Elizabeth will give her speech entitled "Dare to be Different" based on her experience growing up with a learning disability. We will then facilitate a conversation about inclusion.

Who Am I? Sharing Our Stories

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Stein 319
Facilitated by: Brenda Hounsell Sullivan, Bill Gibbons, Declan Cronin ‘19, Gabrielle Caceras ‘20
Session Description: As a member of the Holy Cross community students have been asked to contemplate the question “Who am I?” Listen to the personal stories of leaders. Engage in dialogue about finding ways for more students to open up and share their true selves with others. The deeper we dig into understanding each other, embracing and recognizing difference, and building authentic relationships, a better place this will be.

Transgender 101

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., The Hub, Hogan Basement
Facilitated by: Steph Crist, K. J. Rawson, Nikki Tantum
Session Description: Do you have questions about what it means to be transgender? What the experience is like? How to support people who are transgender in this community? This will be an open, discussion-based session guided by participant questions. Moderators will include a trans-identified person, someone partnered with a trans person, and an ally to the trans community.

Friendships in Turmoil

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Beaven 113
Facilitated by: Paul Irish, Liam Prendergast ‘19
Session Description: How do I respond when a friend and classmate has been accused of sexual misconduct or another serious offense? What if I am also friends with the accuser? Holy Cross is a small and intimate community, when someone is accused of serious misconduct it can affect friends, roommates and classmates. How can I reject the behavior and still be supportive? This session will engage attendees in the discussion, identify tensions, and introduce possible strategies to navigate this challenging issue.

On Achieving Diversity Without Backlash: What Philosophy Has To Offer

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Stein 202
Facilitated by: Joe Lawrence
Session Description: Professor Joe Lawrence will talk for 20 or 30 minutes on why he believes that a philosophical understanding of diversity is inclusive in ways that an ideological understanding of diversity cannot be. He will then open the session to a general discussion. Those with a strong ideological commitment to diversity are strongly encouraged to attend.

Gender, Sexuality, and Race

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Stein 205
Facilitated by: Robert Green, Jadis DeShong-Venay ‘20
Session Description: This listening session will focus on issues about Gender, Sexuality, and Race and will provide students a space to offer solutions on how campus culture can become more open to sexual and racial minorities. Hopefully, we will have something to report back to the administration and Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies.

A Discussion of Edward Jones' story, "The First Day"

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Stein 215
Facilitated by: Stephanie Reents
Session Description: "On an otherwise unremarkable September morning, long before I learned to be ashamed of my mother, she takes my hand and we set off down New Jersey Avenue to begin my very first day of school."
We will read and talk about Jones' remarkable story -- about the nature of the narrator's shame and her mother's sacrifice, about the love and intimacy between the two characters -- before reflecting on firsts in our own lives. "

Ask Powerful Questions: Creating Conversations that Matter

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Hogan 403
Facilitated by: Justine Fisher
Session Description: Adapted from a training led by Chad Littlefield, co-founder of We and Me, Inc., this workshop incorporates a series of self-reflection questions that the audience will use to practice asking powerful, open-ended questions that foster conversation and dialogue. The workshop will also include a platform for small group discussion/reflection on how to build a community that supports and celebrates all its members.

Political Science Open House

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Fenwick 330 & Political Science Faculty Offices
Facilitated by: Political Science Faculty
Session Description: Our goal is to create and opportunity for students to tell faculty about Student Life on the Hill. As faculty, we know little about the good things, the ugly things, and the opportunities that students encounter during their 4 years living in our campus. There is an invisible wall between the academic and the social worlds, bridged only occasionally by specific and formal activities, panels and events. Pizza and refreshments will be served.

"Where I'm From" Writing and Dialogue Workshop

1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Campion House
Facilitated by: Chaplains' Office & Residence Life
Session Description: Get creative with us and discover a new way of telling your story! This workshop begins with a writing exercise to help each participant tell their story through important images, places, moments, and emotions. We'll incorporate a circle conversation to foster a greater sense of community and understanding among participants.

Session 2 Events (2:15 – 3:15 p.m.)

The Hill, The Closet, & The Spaces Between
– An Engage Summit LGBTQIA Event

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Dinand Main Reading Room
Facilitated by: Community Members, led by Scott Malia
Session Description: This session would pair readings from In, Out & About on the Hill (a compendium of accounts of LGBTQIA+ alums whose stories span 1980 – 2003) with readings from “Breaking the Closet” (a collection of monologues/readings from students first performed on campus in 2017).  The goal is to pair readings together to stimulate discussion rooted in two overarching questions: what aspects of Holy Cross life have changed for LGBTQIA+ people over the nearly four decades covered by the readings….and which ones have not?

Listening to Each Other

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Hogan Suite B/C
Facilitated by: Estrella Cibreiro, Pau Cañigueral Batllosera
Session Description: The listening sessions will be structured so that everyone is able to contribute anonymously. Participants will be invited to answer the following questions.
What do you want other people to know about:
1.  Ways in which you personally experience the Holy Cross campus as safe or not safe?
2.  Ways in which you do or do not feel fully part of the Holy Cross community?
3.  How your race, gender, social class, sexual orientation, disability, first-gen status, nationality, or other aspect of your life and/or identity impact your particular Holy Cross experience?
We will be asking people not to include their names on the answers, so that the responses can be read out loud anonymously.

How an Instagram Account Started a Dialogue: Sexual Assault on the Hill

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Stein 133
Facilitated by: Ara Francis, Stephenie Chaudoir
Session Description: In this session, we will read posts from the @SexualAssaultOnTheHill Instagram account, discuss the issue of sexual assault on our campus, and process how we work together to change campus culture.

The Dilution of Ethical & Legal Culpability on College Campuses

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Stein 120
Facilitated by: Kendy Hess, Gary Senecal
Session Description: The first step to diluting moral culture in a community is to take the hierarchy of discipline and diffuse it amongst a community. In other words, when criminal, illegal, or simply immoral behavior occurs on campus, there is no single body that is responsible for addressing the injustice. Our argument will center on the premise that despite good intentions, because our campus continues to foster a culture where power is diffuse, certain illegal and unethical behaviors are immune from proper adjudication. Consequently, students with antisocial tendencies do not face a proper deterrent and are tacitly reinforced to indulge those instincts in the "safe space" (ironic, of course) of college campuses.

Luminary on the Hoval

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., The Hoval
Facilitated by: The Counseling Outreach Peer Educators (COPE)
Session Description: Together we will illuminate 494 paper bags on the Hoval to represent the number of students who have sought supportive services at the Center over the past year. Guest Speaker Leah Nelson from the Jordan Porco Foundation will share her reflections on supporting one’s mental health. A student's experience of mental health will also be shared. Come show your support of mental health and well-being on campus.

Starting, Failing, Learning: An Allies Panel

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Rehm Library
Facilitated by: Chaplains' Office and Partners
Session Description: Allyship is a lifelong process of building relationships of trust, consistency, and accountability with marginalized groups and individuals. A panel of people attempting to be allies speak from their experiences of coming to understand power and privilege, of unlearning hurtful systems, of failing, and of re-committing to the work of being allies.

Social Activism Through Theater

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., The Pit, O’Kane Basement
Facilitated by: Helen Freear-Papio, Ellen Lokos
Session Description: Join Professors Freear-Papio and Lokos and members of Uni2ACT, Holy Cross's Bilingual Theater Troupe, as we learn how to come together around the issues of concern on this campus and in the world through artistic expression.

No Judgment: I Don't Know Why this Summit is Happening

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Stein 316
Facilitated by: Love Wallace
Session Description: Some of you may be confused as to why classes have been cancelled and we are being asked to attend sessions on inclusivity. This session is meant to be a judgment free explanation on some tensions that have been occurring with different students (groups) on campus. We will talk about some of the issues and some ways to be in the loop about how different students on campus are affected by campus and world events.

Engaging the Community on the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Hogan 408(09)
Facilitated by: Tracy Kennedy, Cheryl Rogers (Title IX office)
Session Description: As the first stop in our listening tour, we will be holding open listening sessions during the Summit. We want to hear from the campus community how we better address the needs of the community. We look forward to learning from your experiences.

Intersectional Identities in Action

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Stein 118B
Facilitated by: Grace Mascha ‘19, Lillian Piz ‘19
Session Description: Exploring intersectional identities which can represent identities that fall both within the majority and the minority. We will brainstorm ways in which we can take action and leverage our privilege in order to improve to our campus climate.

The Danger of a Single Story

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Beaven 118
Facilitated by: Isabelle Jenkins, Ginny Ryan
Session Description: We will view Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TED Talk "The Danger of a Single Story" and work in small groups to reflect on what we all lose when we tell single stories about any person and any group, including ourselves.

Being 'For and With Others' Both Off-Campus and On-Campus

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Beaven 125
Facilitated by: Madalyne Buco ‘21, Angel Carillo ‘19, Courtney Esteves ‘19, Madeline Jankowski ‘19, Izzi Lambrecht ‘19, Jerome Siangco ‘19, Michelle Sterk Barrett, Mia Yee ‘19
Session Description: As part of the AJCU Mission Examen Process, a group of students came together for a dinner conversation to reflect upon our institutional strengths and weakness related to service.  In this session, we will re-enact that conversation to highlight powerful insights that were initially brought forth and expand the dialogue to focus on campus solidarity and activism.

Seeing the Unseen and Naming the Unnamed: Tolerance, Acceptance, and Heteronormativity on the HC Campus

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Brooks 454 (4th floor of Fenwick Hall at the end of the hallway closest to the St. Joseph Chapel, past the Visual Arts department)
Facilitated by: Stephanie Yuhl, Dan DiCenso
Session Description: This workshop aims to break down the obligatory, but largely meaningless narratives of "tolerance" and “acceptance” of LGBTQIA+ communities at Holy Cross, while seeking to see and name actions of exclusion. Participants will work in teams to name the specific ways that privilege and exclusion operate on this campus. Notes (without names attributed) from the workshop will be compiled and then shared with the administration and the Holy Cross community.

Community Healing

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Stein 124
Facilitated by: Laura Garcia ‘19, Maria Claudia Schubert-Flores ‘19
Session Description: This event seeks to promote dialogue amongst various communities, to identify and move forward in healing our community’s wounds. Through the use of discussion, we will encourage students to vocalize their concerns. We hope that this workshop will bring together students of varying identities in order to hone in on what our wounds may be rooted in.

Making the Invisible Visible: Augmented Reality Memorials

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Stein 208
Facilitated by: Rachelle Beaudoin
Session Description: Inspired by Paul Harfleet's The Pansy Project and Sara MacKenzie's '12 final digital art project, we will use a simple Augmented Reality App to create visual markers of locations on campus where bias-based attacks or hostilities have taken place. Viewers will then be able to stand in the location of the incident and learn about it; making the invisible visible.

How I (Don't) Fit: Sharing Our Experiences at Holy Cross

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Smith Labs 155
Facilitated by: Josep Alba-Salas
Session Description: Listening session structured so that all participants are able to share anonymously their answers to several discussion questions.

Empathy: Using the Entrepreneurial Model to See Another’s Perspective

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Stein 212
Facilitated by: Joe Egan ‘19, Paul Wiley ‘20, Members of the Ignite Incubator
Session Description: Students from The Ignite Incubator will teach their methods of empathy in researching a certain audience. Participants will pick a problem on campus at the beginning of the lecture and use empathy to provide a solution at the end.

Crosscultural Experience: Africa Asia <=> USA; Chicago NY<=> Holy Cross

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Stein 307
Facilitated by: Jim Stormes, S.J., Lawrence Fernandes, S.J., Fr. Kifle Wansamo, S.J., Fr. Leszek Gesiak, S. J.
Session Description: Discussion of opportunities and challenges in understanding international cultures other than one's own and applying those experiences to coming to Holy Cross

Welcome the New

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Smith Hall 201
Facilitated by: Katelyn Campbell
Session Description: This session will focus on the advantages of being a new employee and the fresh perspective that we can bring to a scary situation. Additionally, I will be discussing the power of empathy and compassion for both the survivors and the aggressors.

Jews, Christians, and “Other-ing”—Across the Country and at Holy Cross

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Smith Hall 210
Facilitated by: Alan Avery-Peck, Noel Cary
Session Description: We’ll brainstorm on these thoughts:
“What happens when ""othering"" gets enabled in civil society? What does the history of antisemitism, including last week’s shooting in Pittsburgh, teach us about this issue?”
“As Christians and as Jews, how should we interpret Biblical passages about Jews? Do anti-Judaic ideas have an impact, conscious or subconscious, on some people's attitudes towards Jews and Judaism?”
“As a non-Catholic, I’ve sometimes wondered how I fit in at Holy Cross. Everyone seems to know the culture of the place in a way that I do not. Maybe this is (not) just my problem …?”

Literature and Belonging: Books and their Impact on Your Identity

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Dinand Faculty Lounge, 2nd floor
Facilitated by: Janis DesMarais, Laura Wilson
Session Description: Drop in event where two librarians listen and engage in conversation about books that had an impact on attendees' lives in relation to their identity.

Bridging the Gap: Holy Cross Students and Department of Public Safety

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Stein 314
Facilitated by: Dorean Asuako ‘21, Yulianna Ocampo ‘21, Sgt. Melkonian
Session Description: We would like to facilitate a discussion that promotes the visibility of Public Safety officers on campus. Also, the discussion will ask students to brainstorm ideas to build a positive relationship with public safety. The goal of this discussion is to have students feel like public safety is a resource on campus that is approachable and accessible.

Transgender 101

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., The Hub, Hogan Basement
Facilitated by: Steph Crist, K.J. Rawson, Nikki Tantum
Session Description: Do you have questions about what it means to be transgender? What the experience is like? How to support people who are transgender in this community? This will be an open, discussion-based session guided by participant questions. Moderators will include a trans-identified person, someone partnered with a trans person, and an ally to the trans community.

Natural Variation in the Biology of Sex and Sexuality

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Swords 302
Facilitated by: Alo Basu, John Axelson, Rob Bellin, Geoff Findlay, Julia Paxson, Jodi Rymer
Session Description: The biology of sex and sexuality, including embryonic development, anatomy, physiology, and behavior, is highly variable. In addition to psychological and sociocultural perspectives, biological findings also challenge the concept that sex and sexuality are binary/dichotomous. Outward expression of variation is therefore expected in a free society. How do common assumptions about the biology of sex and sexuality affect our lives?

Writing Workshop With and Without

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Beaven 113
Facilitated by: Susan Elizabeth Sweeney
Session Description: Using Chen Chen's poem "Self-Portrait With & Without" as a model, we will create brief self-portraits in words to introduce ourselves to each other; create, share, and discuss brief verbal descriptions of how we do and do not feel a sense of belonging at Holy Cross; and use a few words from each participant's writing to compile a collaborative poem that brings our disparate experiences together.

Writing Interventions: Avoiding Discriminatory Terms & Adopting Inclusive Language

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Dinand Writer's Workshop, 2nd floor
Facilitated by: Caroline Ambrose ‘19, Samantha Garrity, Gabriella Grilla ‘19, Sibgha Javaid ‘20, Emily Kulp ‘19, Izzi Lambrecht ‘19, Natalia Luna ‘20, Kristina Reardon, Katherine Santoro ‘19, Jorge Santos
Session Description: Writing is a place where discriminatory language can appear, but it is also a place where interventions can happen. This workshop is presented as an intervention. Discussion of the power of language will be accompanied with an invitation to attendees to contribute to handouts which will be made available in the Writer’s Workshop about inclusive language in writing and speech.

Race, Ethnicity, and Inclusion at Holy Cross

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Stein 202
Facilitated by: Emily Campbell
Session Description: This is an interactive and generative activity on race, ethnicity and intercultural competence and inclusion. In small groups and as a full group, we will think through race and ethnic inclusion in three main domains: classroom culture, student spaces and social life. Notes (without name attribution) will be shared with the community and administration.

A Listening Session with Members of the College Bias Response Team

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Stein 203
Facilitated by: David Achenbach, Mable Millner, Amit Taneja, Elizabeth Small
Session Description: A chance for community members to hear about the role of the Bias Response Team and the applicable College Policies that govern its work, and share their feedback & suggestions with Team members

An Invitation to a Sociological Consideration of Current Campus/Societal Challenges

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Stein 304
Facilitated by: Susan Cunningham
Session Description: A sociological framework provides an analytical approach for understanding social issues, in particular the kinds of challenges infecting both college campuses and our society.  Utilizing a combination of structural, institutional, and individual levels, sociology enables us to incorporate simultaneously dynamics of societal structures, cultural factors, and the impact that dysfunctional arrangements visit on individuals.  A synthesis of Ritzer's work on McDonaldized institutional arrangements, Derber's two works on the Wilding of America and Bully Nation, plus Elliott's research on "mattering," demonstrate how we have socially constructed institutions that work for some but not for many others.  The consequences of such structures and cultural values for the latter groups can often motivate anti-social and/or self-destructive behaviors.  An analysis of this sort ultimately can contribute to a more effective orientation to both intervention (individual level) and prevention (societal level) of some of our most pressing problems.  Implicit in this approach is the fact that a healthy society/campus would place value on both collective and individual welfare.

WTF! (Where's The Fear): How to Eat the Purple Elephant in the Room

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Hogan 403
Facilitated by: Rob Jones
Session Description: This session will explore the reasons, rational or otherwise, that prevent folks from crossing the often self-imposed boundaries that keep us from building relationships, making friends, attending events, trying new things, dealing with uncomfortable situations, etc.

Engaging Day to Day

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Beaven 105
Facilitated by: Katherine Barahona ‘22, Jany Gonzalez ‘22, Olga Grzebyk ‘22, Isabella Ramos ‘22,
Session Description: We, the students, are responsible for creating the culture of this college. We witnessed homophobia, racism, and sexism in our community through recent events this fall. However, these issues have always been on this campus since its’ foundation. We will discuss how we as individuals can take an active role in our everyday lives.

"Where I'm From" Writing and Dialogue Workshop

2:15 – 3:15 p.m., Campion
Facilitated by: Chaplains' Office, Residence Life
Session Description:  Get creative with us and discover a new way of telling your story! This workshop begins with a writing exercise to help each participant tell their story through important images, places, moments, and emotions. We'll incorporate a circle conversation to foster a greater sense of community and understanding among participants.To participate in this session, please sign use this link.

Session 3 (3:30 – 4:30 p.m.)

Community Dialogue: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

3:30 – 4:30 p.m., Kimball
Facilitated by: Amit Taneja & Mithra Salamassi ‘19
Session Description: All ENGAGE summit participants are invited to a collective dialogue centered around the theme of the summit: Where do we go from here? Participants are asked to bring a pen and a web-enabled device (such as a phone, tablet or computer).