Upcoming DEIB Resources & Events | Fall 2024
Resources
KU Community
Campus Cupboard
The Campus Cupboard is a food pantry for KU students, faculty, staff, and affiliates. It was created to address and reduce food insecurity among our campus community. The Campus Cupboard is located on Level 4 of the Kansas Union and accessible from both the Student Involvement and Leadership Center and the Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center.
Get Involved! Join Faculty & Staff Councils
KU offers several self-governing councils for staff and faculty to network, find support, and advocate for their needs at the university. Find out more about each group and how to participate:
- Asian & Asian American FSC
- Black Faculty Staff Council
- Faculty Staff Council for Disability Inclusion
- First-Generation Faculty Staff Council
- International Faculty & Staff Council
- Jewish Faculty Staff Council
- Latinx Faculty Staff Council
- Native Faculty Staff Council
- Sexual & Gender Diversity Faculty Staff Council
- Women of Color Support Network
Apply for DEI Training Funds Through Staff Senate
Would you like to sharpen your professional skills or expand your knowledge, including within the DEI space? Staff Senate offers funding for external conferences, webinars, and other educational opportunities. Most awards range from $250-$500, and you must have been employed by KU for at least six months at the time of application. Learn more!
Request a Career Coach Through KU’s Human Resources Management
KU’s Human Resources Management team now offers free coaching services to help you achieve your career goals. Coaching topics include communication, conflict resolution, decision-making and problem-solving, goal setting and strategic thinking/planning, leadership and team development, organization and time management, and teamwork and relationship building. These one-on-one sessions can be held in person or via Zoom. Note: Some assessments related to coaching needs may charge fees. Contact hrdept@ku.edu or 785-864-4946 for more information.
Heritage Months
Throughout the year, certain identities and backgrounds are amplified and celebrated. The Office of Civil Rights & Title IX offers this list to “amplify the KU community's understanding of the intersectional nature of cultures, histories, scholarship, and people.”
Lawrence Community
Just Food
1000 E. 11th St.
Just Food is the food bank of Douglas County, supplying over 30 partner agencies with fresh produce, dairy products, meat, bread and pantry staples. Tuesday through Friday, Just Food operates a food pantry out of our main building serving 300-600 families daily. We are a team dedicated to our guiding principles and listening to our shoppers and community to serve the larger needs of our neighbors facing hunger.
Sunrise Project
1501 Learnard Ave, Suite E
Sunrise Project serves Douglas County by providing space and opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to build an equitable community through education, good food, and social connection.
Community Meals are on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 5-7 p.m. Stay and dine-in or take your meals to-go. Donations accepted, but never required. Everyone is welcome! Need a delivery? Please email melissa@sunriseprojectks.org or text/call 785-865-1618.
The Porch Pantry is always open and always free. Take what you need, leave what you can. No questions asked.
Ballard Center Pantry
Ballard’s Pantry services are FREE and available to anyone and everyone, providing clothing (including a professional closet), food, and household basics. Call 785-842-0729 to make an appointment to access services, or complete the Volunteer Interest Form to volunteer at the Pantry.
Honor Moon Period Pantry
1312 W. 6th Street (Pantry #1) and 616 Kentucky Street (Pantry #2)
Honor Moon is an inclusive period pantry providing free access to menstrual products. It's accessible for anyone and everyone who menstruates to get the products they need, free of judgment and charge. Both pantries are filled regularly and accessible 24/7. If you are looking to benefit from Honor Moon in donations of larger amounts, reach out to us by email at honormoonlfk@gmail.com.
Perfectly Queer Little Library: Donation Catalog
After spending time curating, the Raven Bookstore has officially launched its Perfectly Queer Little Library (PQLL) project. Young readers ages 8 to 17 who identify as queer or who are questioning can visit the store and get a free book. The library features queer romance and coming-of-age novels, science fiction stories with queer lead characters, books about queer identity terminology and more. There was also intentionality to represent Indigenous queer and Two-Spirit identities.
Events
An asterisk (*) indicates a recurring event.
November
Should the Electoral College be Abolished?
November 14, 7-8:30pm, Lawrence Public Library
What’s the history of the Electoral College? Can anything be done to change this system at the state level? Among our guest panelists will be Diana Carlin, retired KU professor of communication studies and former administrator and a professor emerita of communication at Saint Louis University known for her work on presidential debates and women in politics.
Ladies Day Out
November 16, 12-5pm, White Tail Run Winery
You’re invited! Enjoy a fun day with friends. Not only will we have drink specials but we have invited K Spencer Collective, Fuse Candle Bar and Throw in the Towel to join us!
Native Fashion: Ribbonwork Artist Panel
Saturday November 16, 1-3pm, Spencer Museum of Art, Brosseau Learning Center
Learn about ribbonwork from artists Jancita Warrington, Leona Antoine, and AJ Holder, whose work is featured in the exhibition Native Fashion. Following the discussion the artists will be in the galleries to answer questions and show examples of their work, including samples to touch. Visitors can also stop by the Art Cart between 1-4PM to make their own ribbonwork-inspired art.
Admission to this event and to the Spencer is free for everyone, always. Free parking is available in designated spaces on the first level of the Mississippi Street garage across from the Museum. Check in at our Welcome Desk with your license plate number for parking validation.
Chair Yoga
November 19, 1-2pm, Lawrence Public Library
Try a free yoga class using the support of a chair. Amy will teach this inclusive class. Beginners are welcome. Questions? Email Theresa at tbird@lplks.org. No experience or registration needed.
Educate & Act - Why Vote: What Informs the Decision to Vote (or not)?
Tuesday, November 19, 5:30-6:30pm, Kansas Union, Jayhawk Room
The Educate & Act series features panelists speaking on topics of current relevance to civic action and engagement. Programs in this series feature presenters from across campus, as well as specialists beyond the University.
- What are barriers to participation in U.S. elections today?
- What factors do voters consider if they opt to vote third party?
- How are voters’ approaching decisions to prioritize local elections over federal?
- What informs peoples’ decision of whether or not to vote?
Trans Craftivism Club
*Wednesday, November 20, 11:30-1:30pm, Burge Student Union, Discovery Room (1025)
Craftivism is a form of activism that uses crafts to create social or political change. For trans people, community-building and self-care are political acts and crafting is proven to foster togetherness and personal wellness.
With Trans Craftivism Club, the Student Engagement Center welcomes transgender, nonbinary, gender non-conforming, and Two Spirit people to come together to create crafts and a community for social justice.
Join us biweekly on Wednesdays, from 11:30 am - 1 pm, in the Burge Union's Discovery Room (1025) for Trans Craftivism Club. During each session, you are encouraged to work on any creative project of your choice, or you are invited to get inspired by our optional theme.
The 2024 Post Election Conference: Kansas Panel
November 20, 4-5:15pm, Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics
Join Dole Fellow Jonathan Shorman as he moderates the Kansas Panel of the 2024 Post Election Conference. Shorman will lead a panel that will provide an overview of elections throughout Kansas this year, including the race to become the next representative of the Kansas 2nd Congressional District, and political realignment that has led eastern Kansas into becoming one of the nation’s leading battlegrounds.
The Power of Imagery and the Civil Rights Experience
November 23, 3-4pm, Lawrence Public Library
Since its inception, photography has been used for raising awareness of social issues, provoking emotions and thoughts, and reshaping our perceptions of the world. This presentation will delve into the impact of photography on the civil rights movement in the aftermath of the landmark Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education, tracing the evolution of how Black individuals and communities have been portrayed from historical beginnings to the era of Brown v. Board and up to the present day. Presented by Lawrence artist and freelance photographer Ann Dean.
December
'Homo Sovieticus' at War: How Historical Myths Kill
Thursday, December 5, 12-1pm, Bailey Hall, 318
There are many well-known examples of totalitarian regimes that justified aggressive actions using historical, ethnic, racial, or religious myths. Today, these ideas continue to provoke conflicts in different parts of the world. However, the technologies used for their dissemination and objectives have changed significantly. The story of the lost "communist paradise" is one such myth and still has many apologists, including people who never lived in the USSR. They are often stereotypically described as "homo sovieticus". However, this definition is too simple. This presentation will discuss the phenomenon of the popularity of this myth and its dangers.
Sistah Circle
*Thursday, December 5, 6:30-8pm, Burge Student Union, Forum A
Join the Emily Taylor Center for Women & Gender Equity, in collaboration with G.E.M.S. (Gifted Empowered Motivated Sisters), for Sistah Circle, a monthly space dedicated to centering the health and wellness of Black women and femmes.
Queens of Country Christmas
December 6, 8pm, Lucia Beer Garden + Grill
Betsy O & The Hollaback Boys present: Queens of Country Christmas on Friday, December 6! Put on your dancin’ boots and kick off your holiday season with a celebration of our beloved classic country music queens…Dolly, Loretta, Tammy, Patsy and more!
This event is a fundraiser for the ALS Association.
Queer Book Club
*Sunday, Dec. 7, 4-5 pm, Lawrence Public Library, Meeting Room A
Each month, this book club will discuss books in a variety of genres, from fantasy to contemporary fiction, memoirs to graphic novels, and more! What these stories share in common is that they center authors or characters with queer identities. This club's main goal is to chat about books, but also provide a safe space for anyone in the LGBTQIAP+ community who deserve to see a version of themselves within the pages of a book. We also welcome allies wanting to expand their bookish horizons.
Photos with Krampus
December 14, 12-2pm & 3-5pm, 1313 Mockingbird Lane, 1027 Massachusetts St
Have you been naughty or nice??? Let Krampus decide.
The Krampus is a horned anthropomorphic figure who, in the Central and Eastern Alpine folkloric tradition, is said to accompany Saint Nicholas on visits to children during the night of 5 December, immediately before the Feast of St. Nicholas on 6 December. In this tradition, Saint Nicholas rewards well-behaved children with small gifts, while Krampus punishes badly behaved ones with birch rods.
Inclusive Winter Market
December 21, 11-6pm & 22, 12-5pm, Lied Center of Kansas
We will be back bigger than ever for 2024's Inclusive Winter Market with a two-day event on December 21st (11 AM - 6 PM) and 22nd (12 PM - 5 PM) at The Lied Center of Kansas!
This event is about celebrating makers, artists and small businesses who lean on their craft to support their families and their dreams. It's important for me to create an event that is a joy to attend by all walks of life and continues to foster the community we've carved out.
BLACK Lawrence Open Mic Night
*January 3, 7-8:30pm, Lawrence Arts Center
BLACK Lawrence is excited to host monthly open mics in collaboration with the Lawrence Arts Center. Open mics are scheduled for every First Friday of these months: September, October, November, January, February, March, April & May, 7-8:30 pm.