Messages
Messages sent to the Siena Community on racial justice.
Siena strives to embody the vision and values of St. Francis of Assisi, including his commitment to building a world that is more just, peaceable, and humane. We must recommit to strengthening the bonds of racial justice to fulfill that mission and ensure people of color in our community feel safe, accepted, appreciated and affirmed. This effort starts with education and conversation. It requires action.
Focus Areas
After several listening sessions and town halls with students, faculty and staff, President Gibson identified several areas of focus for this initiative.
As these messages have been shared with the community, many of you have reached out to share your stories, perspective and ideas. In July 2020, President Gibson said that pursuing justice will be a priority for his administration. Your input is valuable and important to informing the initiatives to come. For additional resources, click here.
2022/2023 events
Please email communications@siena.edu if you have an event you would like added to this list.
- On Wednesday, August 31, the Council of Administrators hosted its annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workshop open to all staff and administrators. The workshop was hosted by Dr. Laura Quiros, associate professor of social work at child advocacy at Montclair State University. Dr. Quiros is also an author and highly regarded facilitator. Her training and workshops focus on interdepartmental community building, implicit bias, whiteness, trauma-informed practice from a DEI lens, allyship, inclusive leadership, and radical self care.
- J Baptiste - Intersectional Transgender Identity and Self Care
- Women, Life, Freedom: Iran Uprisings Discussion
- Harvard social psychologist Dr. Robert Livingston led "A Conversation About Racism" on Tuesday, Oct. 25 in the Maloney Great Room. The event was hosted by NewsChannel 13 anchor Elaine Houston and sponsored by the College's Spirit of '68 Endowment. More than 325 members of the Siena and Capital Region community attended the event.
- The much-anticipated Martin Luther King III keynote lecture took place on May 3 at UHY Center. MLK3 adopted the theme “Strengthening the Bonds of Racial Justice” for his speech and as part of the annual Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King Lecture Series on Race and Nonviolent Social Change festivities, the College presented MLK3 with an honorary degree.
- Timothy Tyson is the 2023 Keynote Speaker for The 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King Lecture Series on Race and Nonviolent Social Change. The title of his speech is "Love, Power, and Nonviolence: The Utterly Unacceptable Philosophy" and the event is scheduled for January 25, 2023 at 7 p.m. in the Sarazen Student Union.
Damietta Cross Cultural Center:
- Diversity Training for Saints, Community Assistants, and Commuter Transition Specialists
- Damietta Center Open House
- Orientation and Training for new and returning Damietta student leaders
- Borderless Dreams with Samantha Ramirez-Herrera - Latinx Heritage Month
- Uniting with Ukraine: Music, Dance, and Song
- Women of Color in Media Panel
- Fall Fusion - Multicultural Talent Show
Do you have an event you would like to include in this initiative? Download the official Strengthening the Bonds of Racial Justice at Siena logo below and include on your promotional items.
