Social Justice Teach-In

• Bridget Haina, 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
• Shaniah Fairweather and Angelina Briggs from Black Onyx

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Concurrent sessions will run from 9 a.m. – noon and 1 – 5:30 p.m., across campus. See schedule of events for details.

• Lectures, dialogues, workshops, poster presentations and more
• Led by students, staff and faculty

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• Food trucks and student performances in Amitié Plaza and Warren Ballrooms including a performance by the Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir
• Entrepreneur/Black-owned business showcase in ACC
• Coffee and cider station and baked goods in Warren Ballrooms

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Join us for a presentation and Q&A with Dr. Ricardo Nazario y Colón

Dr. Ricardo Nazario y Colón — SUNY’s Senior Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer.

Dr. Nazario y Colón was born in the South Bronx, New York, and raised in the highlands of Puerto Rico. He is an accomplished administrator with over 30 years of experience in various industries including higher education, business, the U.S. Military and state government. He was the inaugural chief diversity officer at Western Carolina University, a role he held for seven years.

Dr. Nazario y Colón’s research interest focuses on African American faculty and staff retention, Black culture centers and multiracial identity development. His current board involvement includes the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, past president of the Appalachian Studies Association, Appalachian Regional Commission’s Leadership Institute, and the University Press of Kentucky Appalachian Futures: Black, Native, and Queer Voice advisory board. His other board experiences include former chair of Governor Cooper’s Advisory Council on Hispanic Latino Affairs, the Fort Bragg Renaming Commission, the Kentucky Native American Commission, the NASPA Latinx Knowledge Community state representative for Kentucky and North Carolina, and the University of North Carolina System Racial Equity Task Force.

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Rain location Warren Ballrooms

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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. During the morning and afternoon, students, staff, faculty, and community members can choose from over 50 breakout sessions ranging from workshops, readings, performances, discussions, and presentations on a diverse range of issues related to social justice.

During lunchtime, 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.

We will cap off the day with a keynote presentation. Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to attend as many sessions as possible.