Social Justice Programming

Thunderbird Dialogues

This semester, Student Life & Leadership will be introducing Thunderbird Dialogues: Students Having Real Conversations About Real Issues. Thunderbird Dialogues are student-led discussions in which students can engage in constructive and respectful dialogue while sharing their views and experiences.

What students can expect:

  • Learn how to create communities of belonging
  • Build cross-cultural relationships through meaningful dialogue
  • Engage in active listening, empathy, and perspective-taking
  • Build skillset to understand cultural differences and similarities
  • Recognize ways in which others’ cultural and social identities differ from their own and how they see and experience the world differently.

The students in Paul Harasha's Gender and Society class (SOC 212) will be leading the Thunderbird Dialogue discussions this semester. Please share with students. Staff and faculty are invited to listen.

Topic: Dating During the 2020s
Wednesday, February 24 at 12 pm
Meeting Link: https://tinyurl.com/T-BirdDialogues

Topic: Objectification of Women in Media
Wednesday, April 7 at 12 pm
Meeting Link: https://tinyurl.com/T-BirdDialogues

Topic: Gender Disparities in Healthcare
Wednesday, April 21 at 12 pm
**Part of the Thunderbird Wellness Fair. Link coming soon!

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. To request accommodations or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Beth Ann Wright at bethann.wright@mesacc.edu.

Virtual Tunnel of Oppression

Paul Harasha's Race and Ethnic Relations class (SOC 241), along with Student Life & Leadership, will be hosting a virtual Tunnel of Oppression on Tuesday, May 4, from 10:30 am - 2:15 pm via WebEx. Three different virtual tours will be offered (10:30 am, 12:00 pm, and 1:30 pm). Please register for the event HERE.

The Tunnel of Oppression is an experiential virtual tour that exposes participants to many different types of oppression and inequality in our society. The experience will last 45 minutes and will end with a reflection. A link to access the event will be emailed to you a few days before the event date.

Goals of the Tunnel of Oppression

  • Provide underrepresented students an opportunity to express their lived realities and experiences of systemic oppression
  • Educate on the systemic nature of oppression and its impact on dominant and non-dominant groups
  • Construct an evolving project that meets the needs of students
  • Create awareness about the intersections of oppression

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. To request accommodations or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Beth Ann Wright at bethann.wright@mesacc.edu.

1st Annual Cultural Science Department Virtual Conference

Title: “Historical Presence of Marginalized Populations in Arizona”
Dates: April 13-15, 2021
Event Link:https://tinyurl.com/culturalscience2021

This conference will center on ‘historical presence’ that connects to visibility (of self and our ancestors). Also, the idea of “taking up space”, meaning that students need to become aware that they belong and are a part of this institution. Thus, validating them and their experiences as racialized beings who belong here.