Social Justice Teach-In

• Ray Carman — Chair of the Faculty Senate
• Welcome by President Enyedi 
• Mayor Chris Rosenquest providing what does Black Solidarity Day mean for the City of Plattsburgh
• VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Allison Heard providing thoughts on the meaning of Black Solidarity Day
• Student Association Representative Peculiar Joseph providing the importance of Black Solidarity Day for the student association and the study body

Concurrent sessions will run from 9 a.m. – noon and 1 p.m. – 4:45 p.m., throughout campus

• Lectures; dialogues; workshops; poster presentations; and more led by students, staff, and faculty
• Highlighted Sessions:
  
  • Understanding Internalized Racist Oppression
  • Black Scientists You Should Know
  • But who Cares about the Caregivers?
  • Racial Bias in Photography
  • Social Justice Advocacy: Enhancing the Work of Educators
  • Social Justice Issues in Forestry and Natural Resource :00Management

• Food Trucks Student Performances in Amitié Plaza
• Entrepreneur/Black-owned business showcase in ACC
• Hot Chocolate and Cider Station
• Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir Performance
• Student Group Performances

Join us for a talk, activism workshop and Q&A with Dr. Nicky Hylton-Patterson, “Community DEI: Lessons from the Field”

About Nicky Hylton-Patterson
Nicole “Nicky” is not a diversity trainer. She is not an inclusion specialist. She is a Black queer activist scholar and community organizer, who has spent the last 25 years working with marginalized and minoritized communities around the world to seek justice. Today, she continues to draw inspiration from the wisdom of her ancestors, who helped guide her quest to attain an undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College, multiple master’s degrees from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and Syracuse University, and a doctoral degree in Women and Gender Studies from the School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University. Her education is only eclipsed by an extensive career in the U.S. foreign service, a racial justice officer for the YWCA, Elmira, human rights coordinator for the Chemung County Legislator, and an academic who has taught courses in critical race and Black feminist theories, queer of color critique, Pan African studies and Africana philosophy. She continues to mobilize and deploy the entirety of her personal, political, and professional experiences. Her mission: To equip communities in the North Country with the tools, strategies, language, and VOICE needed to dismantle systemic racism and structural oppression.

Activist and former SUNY Old Westbury professor Carlos Russell created Black Solidarity Day in 1969. He was inspired by Douglas Turner Ward’s play, “Day of Absence.” The plot focuses on a fictional town where the Black residents suddenly disappear resulting in the white residents realizing how much of their lives rely on Black labor. As part of this annual day and to highlight their contributions to society, Black people were encouraged not to work and not to shop as a form of economic protest. Instead, they were encouraged to engage in educating and enlightening their communities (Price, 2018). Since 1969, members of college campuses have recognized Black Solidarity Day by convening panel discussions, educational workshops, rallies, and other culturally enlightening forums.

This has been a student-driven initiative. Shiyiheeim Nartey-Tokoli, the former treasurer of the Student Association wrote the proposal to have SUNY Plattsburgh recognize this day as a holiday. The proposal was revised and re-submitted by Mac-Olivier Lalanne, a former senator of the Student Association. Ohemaa Owusu-Poku, the former Student Association executive board and the coordinator of student affairs and diversity, and Ahmed Metwaly, the former president of the Student Association worked with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee to develop a plan for how the campus could recognize Black Solidarity Day. After the proposal was endorsed by the Faculty Senate and endorsed by the administration in Spring 2022, Black Solidarity Day is now a part of the SUNY Plattsburgh academic calendar, to be held annually on the first Monday of November.

In recognition of Black Solidarity Day, our campus will host a social justice teach-in featuring programming for the Plattsburgh community about racial justice, anti-racism, and social justice broadly defined. A teach-in is an organized event typically hosted on a university campus focused on raising awareness and developing knowledge for addressing inequities and social justice issues. The overarching goal is to support the educational empowerment of students, staff, faculty, and community members who participate and to honor the diverse voices who contribute to our community. A social justice teach-in aligns with Dr. Russell’s vision for Black Solidarity Day to engage in educational empowerment. Social justice teach-ins were held in 2017 and 2019 on our campus. Institutionalizing the teach-in as something that happens annually is, we think, a meaningful way to recognize Black Solidarity Day.

The Social Justice Teach-In will be a full-day event. Starting at 8 a.m. in Yokum 200, we will host a kick-off ceremony led by President Enyedi, Mayor Rosenquest, VP of DEI Allison Heard, Faculty Senate Chair Raymond Carman and SA representative Peculiar Joseph. During the morning and afternoon, students, staff, faculty, and community members can choose from over 55 breakout sessions ranging from workshops, readings, performances, discussions, and presentations on a diverse range of issues related to social justice. During lunchtime in the ACC 1st floor and outside in Amitie Plaza, there will be food truck vendors to buy lunch, free hot chocolate provided by the DEI Office, and entertainment provided by campus dance groups and a local DJ. Multicultural businesses, student entrepreneurs, and community groups will also host tables to share more about their organizations. At 5:30 p.m. in Yokum 200, we will cap off the day with a keynote presentation by Nicky Hylton-Patterson, a Black queer activist scholar and community organizer. Her keynote is entitled, Community DEI: Lessons from the Field. Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to attend as many sessions as possible.