Fall 2020 Dynamic Student Dialogues
Bixa Travesty Documentary Virtual Viewing
presented by Keweenaw Pride, the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), the Inter-Residence Housing Council (IRHC) and CDI
Friday, October 2, 2020
Content Warning: Vulgar Language and Nudity
This is not an ordinary documentary – it's confrontational, subversive and raw. Come
immerse yourself in Linn da Quebrada's colorful and provocative film portrait in Bixa
Travesty. This extraordinary film is an inspiring exploration of identity, friendship
and queer solidarity.
From the favelas to the stage, public and private life blend, as a self-described
"Bixa Travesty" (Tranny Fag), da Quebrada uses their body as a site to explode gender binaries, challenge Brazil's
machismo punk scene, and break down the terms of being a "fag," Black, trans and working-class
individual in modern Brazil.
Da Quebrada speaks directly with their friends, family and the audience, using their
power in music and performance to present an alternative queer activist and artist
– someone always outspoken and proud to be on the margins.
The Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) invites you to join our virtual community
in viewing Bixa
Travesty, a meditative film portrait told in the present.
Suicide 'n' Stuff Podcast LIVE
presented by mental health podcasters Dese'Rae Stage and Jess Stohlmann-Rainey, Keweenaw Pride, the Michigan Tech Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being, the Inter-Residence Housing Council (IRHC) and CDI
Sunday, October 7, 2020
Content Warning: Suicide, Trauma, Mental Health topics
Queer joy as a form of resistance is an opportunity to be activists within your own
narrative. As disenfranchised identities, LGBTQIA+ individuals' existences are often
invalidated. To not only find the courage to exist as your authentic self, but to
find joy in your LGBTQIA+ identity is a revolutionary act.
The Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) invites you to join queer mental health
activists and popular podcasters, Dese'Rae Stage and Jess Stohlmann-Rainey in a live
podcast taping of Suicide 'n' Stuff on mental health in the LGBTQIA+ community and how to practice queer joy as an act
of resistance and activism.
Ya llegó la hora. Vamos a hacerlo! Chicanas en Movimento
presented by Colorful Colorado Collaborations, the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), Residence Life, the Inter-Residence Housing Council (IRHC) and CDI
Monday, October 19, 2020
Chicana Feminism, also referred to as Xicanism, is a philosophy that challenges what is to identify as a Mexican-American woman.
Alicia Trujillo and Celesté Martinez, Chicanas en moviemento, have taken this Xicanism ideology and brought to life a collective, Colorful Colorado Collaborations, based in collaboration, creativity, and commerce that aims to bring together BIPOC
musicians, artists, entrepreneurs and local businesses in Denver, Colorado.
They are radical, wild, and passionate activists shaping the Chicana narrative. The
Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) invites you to join Alicia and Celesté as
they discuss the ways in which they have taken their Chicana identities as power to
uplift the underrepresented voices of their community while challenging the systemic
lack of visibility and lack of voice of individuals across lines of gender, ethnicity,
class, race, ability, and sexuality through their collective, Colorful Colorado Collaborations!
Meet our speakers!
Alicia "Bruce" Trujillo is a Chicana feminist from occupied Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapahoe
land, in what's now called Colorado - raised on the Western Slope, and currently in
Denver. Bruce has been working in community and public media since 2012, with a mission
to uplift and amplify voices of those who are currently under-heard and underrepresented,
with a focus on independent and locally made music and art.
She currently hosts nights on Colorado Public Radio's new music service, Indie 102.3, and is the creator of Especial, a weekly, hour long dive into new and independent Latiné-made music from around
the 'Americas' and in Colorado.
She's also the founder and host of Whiskey, Women and Song, which pairs local female-identifying
musicians with locally crafted whiskies for performances, interviews and whiskey tastings.
She sometimes writes for Denver Westword, with focus on local art. You can see her
weekly Band Shirt of the Week and more on her Instagram @surlybruce
Celesté Martinez is una hija de Aztlán - born in Santa Cruz, CA, raised in San Antonio,
TX and now calling Denver, CO home for almost a decade. Celesté identifies as a Queer
Chicana Womxn of Color and is the jefa of Celestial Alegría igniting joy through transformation
through her array of services which include: life coaching, facilitation, organizational
development and training programs. Her experience from working as an organizer to
nonprofit director has taught Celesté invaluable lessons, which she often calls upon
to meet the needs of her clients and create innovation programs through her business.
In addition, Celesté is also a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist with a BIQTPOC feminist
colectivo TúLips.
Celesté committed her education to receiving a dual Bachelor's of Arts in Philosophy
and Peace and Justice Studies from Regis University. She worked with organizations
such as El Centro Humanitario para los Trabajadores, Together Colorado and United
for a New Economy (UNE) in varying roles and capacities.
Celesté is currently a member of Good Business Colorado, participant in the Standing
in Our Power Train the Trainer program and serves on the Board of Directors for Center
for Health Progress. She is also a proud 2019 fellow of Transformative Leadership
for Change.
Do People Like Me Study Abroad? Underrepresented Student Study Abroad Panel
presented by Darnishia Slade, Vienna Leonarduzzi and CDI
Thursday, November 5, 2020 - 5:30PM EST via ZOOM
Study abroad programs offer great potential to benefit all students in an increasingly
internationalized world and in future career aspirations. Recently, a wide discussion
among educators about the benefits of diversifying study abroad has developed, but
underrepresented and minority students interested in participating in study abroad
experiences may face many constraints in this pursuit, many of which are not faced
by their majority student peers.
The Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) invites you to join current and past
underrepresented Tech students who have studied abroad and Pavlis Honors College Study
Abroad program's Darnishia Slade and Vienna Leonarduzzi in a student panel discussion
about alleviating the constraints faced and opening the study abroad opportunities
to enhance your educational experiences and future career prospects.
Medicine through Expression with Audiopharmacy
presented by the Indigenous hip-hop collective Audiopharmacy, the Provost's Office, the State of Michigan's King-Chavez-Parks Initiative and CDI
Monday, November 16, 2020 - 7PM EST via ZOOM
Audiopharmacy is a live world hip-hop ensemble that inspires to make music that is
unique, avant-garde, yet always speaks the language of the people. Extending its repertoire
beyond the genre, Audiopharmacy intricately fuses together inspiration from all corners
of the earth with global musical styles, live instrumentation, turntablism, electronics,
soulful poetics and technical lyricism that stirs insight, healing and consciousness.
This live music ensemble uses globally infused indigenous hip-hop to inspire social
change.
The Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) invites you to join Audiopharmacy on
a diverse and engaged dialogue on ways that expression is a channel for medicine and
activism.
This program/lecture is partially funded/sponsored by the Visiting Professor Program
which is funded by a grant to the Office of the Provost from the State of Michigan's
King-Chavez-Parks Initiative.