Mercy Summit on Equity and Inclusion
Mercy Summit on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Friday, April 12
Creating an Inclusive Community for All
One of the signature events sponsored by the Salve Commission on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the annual Mercy Summit on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion offers the Salve Regina community an opportunity to listen, to engage and to understand more fully the scope of issues related to diversity and inclusion on college campuses.
Learning Goals
Each participant will:
- acquire inclusive communication strategies to foster a sense of belonging and inclusivity in our community.
- explore cultural differences through regular intercultural engagement.
- examine inclusive campus leadership through roles or initiatives that foster diversity, equity, and inclusion within the campus community.
- engage in creating an inclusive learning community through a nonjudgmental exchange of ideas, perspectives, and experiences with others.
Please note: When registering for the summit, participants should also register for two of the educational sessions listed below.
Summit Schedule
Unless noted otherwise, all events take place in the Bazarsky Lecture Hall.
- 8:15-8:45 a.m. – Optional continental breakfast
- 8:45 a.m. – Invocation by Dr. Theresa Ladrigan-Whelpley, vice president for mission integration
- 8:50 a.m. – Welcome and goals by Dr. Kelli J. Armstrong, president
- 9 a.m. – Keynote address by Jack Halberstam: "Trans* after Trans"
- 10:15 a.m. – Breakout discussions on measurable personal commitments in O'Hare classrooms
- 11 a.m. – Report on measurable personal commitments
- 11:30 a.m. – Intercultural competence development program presentation and award ceremony
- 12 p.m. – Lunch in the O'Hare lobby (lunch provided)
- 1 p.m. – Educational concurrent sessions in O'Hare classrooms
- 1:50 p.m. – Transition break
- 2 p.m. – Educational concurrent sessions in O'Hare classrooms
- 3 p.m. – Debrief reflection
Educational Concurrent Sessions
Session 1: Salve Dance Talks Jazz and Justice
Presenters: Dr. Lindsay Guarino with Livia Armstrong '25, Ashley Blake '26, Morgan Dubay '24 and Jala Settles '25
Location: O'Hare 103
Jazz, an American art form with Black American roots, is democracy in practice. Lindsay Guarino and dance students will discuss how understanding the values inherent in jazz within their historical and cultural contexts has helped students to develop an awareness of identity and culture while building authentic community.
Session 2: Situating Toxic Masculinity, Disrupting Gender Violence: Theory and Practice
Presenters: Dr. Laura O’Toole and Dr. Theo Greenblatt
Location: O'Hare 107
We present an analysis of gender and power by exploring how toxic masculine identities and practice are situated in both social structure and lived experience. We focus on how the hegemony of masculinity and heteronormativity - as well as subordinated gender identities and practices - are reproduced in hyper masculinized spaces and show how one prototypical space – the U.S. Navy – is committing values education, advocacy and training resources toward promoting DEI - and disrupting sexual violence within its ranks.
Session 3: Developing Culturally Responsive, Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist Teachers
Presenters: Dr. Kimberly Behan, Dr. Holly Moore and Dr. Tracy L. Pelkowski
Location: O'Hare 110
Salve Regina faculty members from early childhood, elementary and secondary education discuss ways they work to develop future teachers' anti-bias, antiracist and culturally responsive capacities. Specific course topics and pedagogies, curriculum mapping and research findings within and across the three education programs will be shared, followed by ways we seek to collaborate across our education programs and with the University's current diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Additionally, participants will discuss what has been meaningful in their own experiences or practices with culturally responsive pedagogy.
Session 4: PWI (Predominantly White Institutions) vs. HWCU (Historically White Colleges and Universities): What is The Difference and Why it is Important
Presenter: Dr. Victoria Gonzalez
Location: O'Hare 118
Typically, when we refer to institutions with a majority white population, we are inclined to use the acronym PWI. However, in this talk, Gonzalez will argue that we need to change our terminology and shift our thinking to the structural implications of being a part of an HWCU: Historical White College and University. This change suggests the need for a paradigm shift in how we approach issues of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
Session 5: Move Your Mind, Move Your Feet
Presenter: Rose Albert, Associate Director, Office of Multicultural Programs and Retention
Location: O'Hare 206
In this workshop, participants will continue learning and reflecting on the impact of diversity, equity and inclusion on campus. Committing to ongoing learning, self-reflection and personal growth in understanding and addressing race dynamics and white supremacy. This involves seeking out diverse perspectives, engaging in critical dialogue and challenging oneself to confront biases and assumptions.
Session 6: Pronouns and Gender Diversity
Presenter: Emily Haggett, Student Engagement and LGBTQ+ Resource Coordinator
Location: O'Hare 209
This session will cover the importance of sharing and using pronouns, as well as diverse gender identities such as the transgender and non-binary umbrellas. This training is ideal for any faculty, staff or student that wants to learn how to be more inclusive in their language, and how to properly include the usage of pronouns in their daily life.
Session 7: Gender Identity and Mental Health
Presenter: McKenzie McNamara, Program Manager for Health Education and Prevention
Location: O'Hare 217
Review a national study that explored the relationship between gender identity, challenges experienced by students, psychological distress and suicide behavior for undergraduate students in the United States of America. Using the framework from the national study, we will discuss risk factors and causes for challenges among gender diverse students at Salve. Content warning: Psychological distress, suicide, sexual harassment, discrimination, hazing, intimate relationships.
Session 8: A Snapshot of the Male Perspective at Salve
(Please note this session has been cancelled)
Presenter: Sean Sullivan
Location: O'Hare 218
A conversation involving what it is often like to be male on a predominantly female campus like Salve, including feedback received from both male students and male employees. While reviewing the perspectives of both male Salve students and staff and faculty, as well as recent research in the "gender gap" on many of today's colleges and universities, we will discuss how the female/male ratio may affect college life...at Salve and beyond.
Session 9: Using Queer and Trans* Pedagogy Tools in the Classroom and Research
Presenters: Dr. Donna Harrington-Lueker, Dr. Tara Brooke Watkins, Dr. Kathleen Muirhead and Dr. Matthew Ramsey
Location: O'Hare 262
What does applying a queer pedagogy in the classroom look like in practice? How has Jack Halberstam's work influenced Salve faculty research? How might an embrace of trans* experiences open up possibilities for student creativity, performance, classroom engagement and research? Each panelist will share their thoughts and experiences on these topics. We encourage students and faculty both to join us to share their own experiences of how successful classroom cultures have impacted their learning.