Wayne State’s Office of Multicultural Student Engagement (OMSE) will once again host its popular “What’s Going On?” summer dialogue series. The series, named in a nod to Marvin Gaye’s Motown classic, was introduced in June 2020 to continue meaningful conversation following the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, and the protests that followed at home and around the world.

The series is intended to provide safe spaces for the Warrior community to discuss, learn and listen to issues related to racism, equity, social justice and inclusion. Sessions feature people from across campus talking about issues that are important to them and/or the work they do on campus.

A full schedule is available online. Sessions will run from June through August. The June sessions include:

• Finding Your Place in the Fight
  • Tuesday, June 8, 1 to 2 p.m.
  • The session will help students understand that we all have a part to play in social justice and in our community. However, it is okay for everyone to have different roles. This discussion will explore those roles and help students identify their potential roles.
  • Facilitated by Praveen Loganathan, junior/senior coordinator, Warrior VIP, and Dwight McDonald, Lewis Latimer Scholars Learning Community

• We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know: Asian American Studies and Anti-Racist Pedagogy and Advocacy
  • Wednesday, June 9, 1 to 2 p.m.
  • This session combines a brief presentation and interactive discussion on key frameworks, concepts and practices for Asian American Studies as we address race, immigration, intersectionality, globalization and activism in metro Detroit and beyond.
  • Facilitated by Roland Sintos Coloma, Ph.D., professor, division of teacher education, and Min, Yu, Ph.D., associate professor, division of teacher education

• Social Justice and Interprofessional Collaborations
  • Tuesday, June 15, 1 to 2 p.m.
  • Participants will learn to apply social work principles to questions of social injustice in areas such as aging, child welfare, criminal justice, environmental justice, housing, policy, community practice and mental health. There will be an emphasis on the relationship between social justice and interprofessional collaborations at the micro, mezzo and macro levels.
  • Facilitated by Shantalea Johns, Ed.D., LMSW director, Office of Continuing and Interprofessional Education and Takisha Lashore, Ph.D., LMSW director, Office of Field Education, School of Social Work

• Code Switching, Is It Necessary?
  • Thursday, June 17, noon to 1 p.m.
  • Join in a discussion on the art of code switching. We’ll talk about the history of code switching and the space it takes up in today’s world.
  • Facilitated by Kristin Johnston, advisor for student engagement, OMSE

• Identifying Identities Within Our Lived Experiences
  • Tuesday, June 22, 1 to 2 p.m.
  • Join in an inclusive dialogue as we break down various identities and how they shape lived experiences.
  • Facilitated by Lynita Taylor, diversity and inclusion program manager, MPREP Scholars, and Lauren Scott, Ph.D., university counselor, MPREP scholars

• Advancing our Actions as White/non-BIPOC Supporters of Racial Justice
  • Wednesday, June 23, 1 to 2 p.m.
  • Join us to enhance your role in the racial justice movement as a non-BIPOC. Be prepared to engage in both self-exploration and group dialogue to advance your action in the fight for racial rights.
  • Facilitated by Angela Zanardelli, associate director, Study Skills Academy

• What’s Going On Internationally: Supporting International Students Through a Global Crisis
  • Thursday, June 24, 1 to 2 p.m.
  • Wayne State is one of the most diverse institutions in Michigan, with students from more than 80 countries. As students navigate a global crisis, both new and continuing international students are contending with a variety of unique obstacles related to COVID-19 regulations, border closures, grief and isolation, among the everyday stressors of being a college student. In this session, representatives from the Office of International Programs will discuss “what’s going on” in the most popular sending countries of international students so the campus community can gain a better sense of how to best support them during this difficult time.
  • Facilitated by Fareed Y. Shalhout, associate director of student programs, and Gabby Strzalkowski, project coordinator for educational outreach and international programs
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• Supporting Men of Color Within and Outside of Higher Education
  • Tuesday, June 29, noon to 1 p.m.
  • Join us for a panel discussion on how to best support men of color on campus from leaders on and off campus.
  • Facilitated by Leonard Savala, Ph.D., director, OMSE

For more information, please email OMSE at omse@wayne.edu.