The MCLA Day of Dialogue is a campus-wide alternative day of education, with suspended day classes to ensure
full campus participation by students, faculty, and staff. This year’s event, held
on Wednesday, October 19, will occur virtually with some in-person engagement to allow for the greatest participation.
This year's theme is Racism is a Public Health Issue. The 2020 social unrest and protests and disproportional deaths of Black and Brown
people during the pandemic was an overdue catalyst for the need for the American
people to have serious dialogue about racism and the systems that have contributed
to longstanding health and economic disparities. Over the last 2 years, cities, counties,
states, and community partners across sectors have declared racism a public health
crisis.
Framing racism as a public health issue forces us to look at how racism permeates
the lives of racially minoritized people from conception to death. It is abundantly
clear that racism is lethal to Black Americans, Indigenous people, and other people
of color. It kills in obvious ways and by fueling more subtle socioeconomic conditions
(e.g., inequitable access to education, housing, employment; environmental injustice;
bias in the judicial and criminal justice system) that, in turn, contribute to serious
health issues such as increased risk of diabetes, stress, maternal mortality, hypertension,
asthma, mental health conditions, and heart disease. These factors, along with other
realities into which many racially minoritized people are born and live, work, and
play are key drivers of unfair and unavoidable health inequities that, too often,
result in illness and premature death.
The Day of Dialogue program committee is seeking panels, experiential workshops, and facilitated dialogues that both showcase and allow for dialogue around the many ways in which we understand
racism as a public health issue, including historically, scientifically, and through
policy.
Day of Dialogue sessions are expected to meaningfully address the following participant learning outcomes. Most sessions address 2-3 outcomes. While attending the Day of Dialogue, participants will:
Presenters are expected to design their session and materials to be fully accessible. Presenters should consult with Academic Technology for support and may refer to these guidelines for accessible presentations.
If you are interested in organizing a session for this year’s Day of Dialogue, please complete this application by Friday, September 23.
