Editor鈥檚 note: This is part of a monthly series of campus updates on diversity, equity and inclusion that will continue throughout the year.
University, city of Boulder celebrate Juneteenth
The Juneteenth Flag flies below the Stars and Stripes during a flag-raising ceremony at the Penfield Tate II Municipal Building in Boulder. (Photo by Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado)
From left:听Philip DiStefano, chancellor of CU Boulder; Junie Joseph, Boulder city councilwoman; and Sonia DeLuca Fern谩ndez, senior vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion at CU Boulder, chat before a June 17 raising of the Juneteenth flag at the Penfield Tate II Municipal Building in Boulder. (Photo by Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado)
CU Boulder and city of Boulder leaders and residents gathered on June 17 for a flag-raising ceremony to mark Juneteenth, Colorado鈥檚 newest official state holiday.
Chancellor Philip DiStefano and Senior Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Sonia DeLuca Fern谩ndez were among the university and community leaders in attendance.
Earlier this month, CU Boulder critical ethnic studies doctoral student Shawn Trenell O鈥橬eal spoke about during a June 8 meeting of the Boulder Chamber鈥檚 Business Women鈥檚 Leadership Group.
, traditionally celebrated on June 19, recognizes and celebrates the freedom and self-determination of African Americans and the end of slavery following the Civil War. It became in 2021, providing all Americans with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the nation鈥檚 collective and diverse history.
颁辞濒辞谤补诲辞听 in May designating Juneteenth an official state holiday, recognizing the importance of the date, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day and the second Independence Day.
For the 2022 fiscal year, qualifying university employees are eligible to take a personal observance day to mark Juneteenth before Dec. 31 in consultation with supervisors. Learn more about Juneteenth as听a floating holiday and how it will听impact the campus community.
Read more:听Four things to know about Juneteenth
Celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride in June鈥攁nd all year long
CUPD Chief of Police Doreen Jokerst, Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs JB Banks, and Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold celebrate Pride Month at a recent Boulder County Pride Week event.
Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold, left, and CUPD Police Chief Doreen Jokerst gather with members of the Boulder community during a parade to mark Pride Week, June 6鈥�12.
Pride Month occurs each June to honor the and to celebrate the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals across the United States.
However, recognizing and supporting students, staff and faculty who identify as LGBTQ+ is a yearlong commitment at CU Boulder, and the campus offers services and resources for anyone who needs support, wants to connect with others or would like to learn more about LGBTQ+ history, communities, resources and activities on campus and beyond.
Campus resources and support services are available to students, staff and faculty through the university鈥檚 Pride Office in the Center for Inclusion and Social Change.
University Libraries offers a Pride Month research guide for campus community members who want to connect with local LGBTQ+ organizations, attend local programming, become an ally or learn more about LBGTQ+ history and communities.
Beyond the campus, Boulder County marked Pride Month June 6鈥�12, a celebration that drew the participation of CU Boulder community members and campus leaders.
In addition, CU was among the dozens of sponsors of the annual Denver PrideFest June 23鈥�26, which included a parade, a 5K race, a rally and other activities.
According to , Denver PrideFest, which drew 525,000 people in 2019, hosts the sixth-largest Pride celebration in the United States after New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston and Houston. New York City held the largest WorldPride festival in 2019, drawing an estimated 5 million people.
Read more:听
UndocuAlly sessions set for the summer
The Center for Inclusion and Social Change has scheduled summer UndocuAlly Zoom sessions for staff, faculty and students with administrative or teaching roles.
Participants will learn more about the makeup of the campus鈥檚 undocumented community and the history of U.S. immigration and gain a greater understanding of the challenges, opportunities and resources available to undocumented students.
Participants will also learn more about the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals () and Colorado鈥檚 Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow () and how these programs affect CU Boulder students.
The remaining summer session will take place from noon to 2 p.m. on July 22.
More information about how to register is available on the ODECE website.
Sustaining our practice of inclusion
Campus efforts and investments to address pressing and painful inequities at CU Boulder are only a beginning. Creating a culture of belonging will take each member of our community practicing sustained personal work to truly embrace and support diverse perspectives and identities in our community.
This year, Chancellor Philip DiStefano and other campus leaders urge every member of our community to join in learning more about diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism and to work continuously together to address these challenges more actively and in ways that can help authentically transform our campus culture in the coming year.
Campus resources
- Center for African and African American Studies (CAAAS): Provides a focal point for Black community and culture at CU Boulder and a multipurpose space where scholars, students, artists, activists and allies come together to study Africa, African Americans, and the African diaspora. to learn more.
- Center for Asian Studies: Strives to be a space of community, curiosity and respectful engagement with Asia, views the area studies endeavor as a necessary yet distinct complement to disciplinary knowledge, and recognizes the historic and geographic centrality that Asia has and continues to play in the human venture.
- Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies (CNAIS): Promotes collaborative research focusing on local and global Indigenous knowledge and fosters projects that aspire to open conversations in Colorado and the world.
- Center for Teaching and Learning: Offers programs focused on creating inclusive classrooms and supports CU鈥檚 community of educators through free consultations, teaching resources, programs, seminars, workshops and other events.
- CU Boulder History Project: Seeks to share CU Boulder鈥檚 history based on intersectional perspectives to demonstrate our commitment to inclusive excellence and to deepen our institutional memory.
- Latin American Studies Center: Provides an institutional space for research, teaching and discussion on Latin America and Latinx/Latina/Latino studies.
- Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement: Supports programming, events and campuswide initiatives for students, faculty and staff that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. Subscribe to the office鈥檚 newsletter to learn more.
- Research and Innovation Office (RIO): Offers resources focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion in research and innovation.
- : Provides a rich assortment of diverse reading materials and other resources, events and initiatives for students, faculty, staff, alumni and Colorado residents.
- Wrap-up of the campus鈥檚 2020鈥�21 DEI initiatives is available online and includes additional campus resources.
In case you missed it鈥�
- Indigenous rights leader and Nobel nominee Sheila Watt-Cloutier to speak at climate change summit
- CU Boulder history professor named a 2022 Asian American hero of Colorado
- How the end of Roe v. Wade could shape women鈥檚 futures
- US life expectancy still falling; Native Amerians hardest hit
- Colorado law students gain powerful lessons providing free legal services to immigrants
- Tips for talking to students about gender and sexuality