UK Happenings

VIP Center to Host Webinar on Racial Climate Programs

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 28, 2016) — The University of Kentucky Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Center is proud to host "Racial Climate Programs: Campus Strategies for Success," a webinar with Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington. Washington is the founder and president of the Washington Consulting Group, a multiculutural organizational development firm, and a co-founder of the Social Justice Training Insititute.

Washington's event will be shown from 2-4 p.m. Thursday, June 30, in the UK Athletics Auditorium of the William T. Young Library. The event is free and no RSVP is required.

UK VIP Center Bias Incident Response Coordinator Carol Taylor-Shim believes this webinar is a key component to shifting culture on and off campus.

"Given the climate on our campus and campuses across the nation around race, inclusion, and belonging, programming is an integral part of shifting the culture so marginalized students feel a strong sense of connection and belonging," Taylor-Shim said. "In order to do that our language, conversations, behaviors and perspectives must change. It is also critical that we engage members of privileged identities in this work as well. It will take all of us working in solidarity to make the change."

This particular webinar will identify programs that work to foster inclusion and equity among the defining principles of institutions. In addition, the webinar will provide concrete best practices and strategies that faculty, staff and students can implement on our campus.

"We must engage in courageous conversations about how marginalized and minoritized students, staff and faculty experience UK and how that impacts every member of our community. This webinar will help guide our programming as we work to create a culture where these conversations are the norm," Taylor-Shim said.

As part of their charge to address incidents of bias, hate and identity-based violence and support those targeted, the VIP Center has hosted webinars on hate crimes and the Clery Act, microaggressions, black men and mental health, and how to prepare staff to respond to racial climate challenges.

"We will continue to offer a variety of capacity building opportunities for students, staff and faculty as we continue on our path to becoming a more affirming and inclusive learning environment where people feel wanted," Taylor-Shim said. "We all have a part to play in making this campus all it can be for students, staff, faculty and the Commonwealth of Kentucky."

UK is the University for Kentucky. At UK, we are educating more students, treating more patients with complex illnesses and conducting more research and service than at any time in our 150-year history. To read more about the UK story and how you can support continued investment in your university and the Commonwealth, go to: uky.edu/uk4ky. #uk4ky #seeblue

MEDIA CONTACT: Blair Hoover, 859-257-6398; blair.hoover@uky.edu