TRAILBLAZER:LizaCariaga-Lo,PhDVicePresidentforAcademicDevelopment,DiversityandInclusionatBrownUniversity

Diversity SPEAKS!

A newsletter brought to you by the Diversity Mentoring Workgroup

Welcome to the 4th issue of our diversity newsletter. We hope this newsletter will inspire conversation and action to promote diversity of perspectives and experiences in the

pursuit of academic excellence in training, research, teaching and service. The Diversity SPEAKS newsletter is sponsored by the Diversity Training Committee of the Brown Clinical

Psychology Training Consortium and the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies.

Trailblazer …………………………………………………………………………… 1-2 Recruiting for Diversity Mentoring Program …………………………………… 3 Lifestyles …………………………………………………………………………… 4-5 Suggested …………………………………………………………………………… 7 Reading

Newsletter Highlights

TRAILBLAZER: Liza Cariaga-Lo, PhD Vice President for Academic Development,

Diversity and Inclusion at Brown University

Please provide relevant background information about yourself. Tell us about yourself and your role at Brown as the Vice President for Academic Development, Diversity and Inclusion. While I've lived in New England now for half my life, I grew up in northern California and have also lived in North Carolina and Virginia. I'm relatively new to Brown, having arrived here close to 4 years ago from Harvard. As a developmental psychologist by training, I'm very interested in the coping and adaptation of students (K-16) from historically underrepresented groups, especially as their intersectional identities influence participation, engagement and their well-being in academic environments.

In my role at Brown, I oversee diversity and inclusion efforts across the university--from faculty recruitment and retention, resources and support, policies and procedures, curriculum development, training and program development which helps the university create and sustain environments which are truly inclusive of the diverse perspectives and ideas of individuals so that we can all learn, work, and engage one another in the work of the university. I see my role as a facilitator for capacity building for our diversity and inclusion efforts.

What initiatives have you introduced or have you been working on in your current role? I guess the largest initiative has been the development and now of course implementation of the Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan for the university. Over the last few years, we've also developed new resources and guidelines for recruiting and hiring diverse faculty. Our office has expanded to meet the needs of ensuring that we have robust policies and procedures that ensure a safe and equitable environment for all who work here (e.g., Title IX). We've created new programs and professional development opportunities for faculty, staff and students to meaningfully engage in issues across difference (e.g., the Transformative Conversations@Brown project). We've developed new networks for historically underrepresented groups to be able to network and meet one another (Faculty of Color Network), new convenings at Brown for learning more about the scholarship and best practices of effective diversity and inclusion programs in higher education (National Diversity Summit), and created opportunities for supporting young scholars (Presidential Diversity Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, Young Scholars Conferences).

Have these initiatives been well received? These initiatives have been very well received, and I think there is a lot of excitement and interest in participating in these programs.

What have been the biggest challenges? I think the challenge in sustaining these initiatives is so much dependent on our ability to have sufficient staff and resources to meet the increased demand.

Are there any lessons learned? Can you share any advice for departments looking to implement initiatives regarding diversity and inclusion? Diversity and inclusion work in any environment is complex and very personal. It is a developmental process that is on-going. It asks of each of us to step into this work with a willingness to listen to others with an open mind and generous heart, to engage in self-reflection and deep learning about how our identities and experiences have influenced our work in the academy, to embrace learning new ideas and new approaches to thinking about how we can more effectively support the needs of ever more diverse learners and ever more complex problems in our disciplines/fields.

What keeps you motivated to continue working on these initiatives when encountering challenges? I always remind myself that at the heart of this work are the students who entrust their lives to us when they come to Brown, with the expectation that we would do all we can to ensure that they will thrive here, that they will be given opportunities here to fulfill their goals, and that they are valued as essential and active contributors to the work we do as an institution in research, teaching and service to the local/global communities to which we belong. Brown Clinical Psychology Training Consortium Diversity SPEAKS!

Diversity Mentoring Program Recruiting new mentors! Recruiting new mentees!

For the last six years, the Diversity Mentoring Program for the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (DPHB) and the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies (CAAS) has matched their trainees and junior research and clinical faculty with DPHB and CAAS research and clinical faculty in a diversity mentoring goal. This program is designed to promote diversity and inclusion of trainees and junior research and clinical faculty from diverse backgrounds and/or to facilitate mentoring for trainees and faculty interested in working with populations of diverse backgrounds. For our purposes, diversity is defined broadly to include, but is not limited to, issues of gender, religion, cultural, age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, nationality, disabilities, and socio-economic background. The Program also hosts social and educational events throughout the year to which diversity mentors and mentees are invited to attend. The main objectives of the Diversity Mentoring Program are to:

• Facilitate networking in career development among trainees and junior faculty • Offer trainees and junior faculty opportunities to discuss clinical, research, and

professional issues related to diversity in a supportive collegial environment If you are interested in participating in our sixth cycle of the Diversity Mentoring Program as a mentee OR as a mentor, please take a few minutes to fill out a form on survey monkey to help us pair mentees with appropriate mentors. Mentors please click on the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9H5VJ26

Mentees please click on the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9PCCMZ8

Here’s what recent diversity mentees said about the program: “As a minority trainee, the diversity mentoring program was such a blessing and just what I was wanting in my training. To have a mentor who is sensitive and thoughtful to all the unique challenges that face minorities/women in academia was amazing. And what I especially appreciated from my mentor was an openness to discuss both diversity related and non-diversity related barriers. My diversity mentor provided a space for discussions, which has definitely made me grow as a women of color in academia and I am truly appreciative for this experience.” “I feel like I was able to learn new things about myself and evolve in the way I approach different professional and multicultural experiences.” “Learned about myself more. Learned more about the system. Learned more about the grant process. Learned how to market myself and network. Learned about to be an advocate for myself’

Here’s what recent diversity mentors said about the program:

“The more I act in the role of the mentor, the more comfortable I feel as a mentor. It increases my confidence that I could be making an impact.” “[I] continued to learn about the process of uncovering unconscious bias; continued to enjoy learning about people’s diverse life stories; continued to learn about the challenges associated with privilege and status.”

Brown Clinical Psychology Training Consortium Diversity SPEAKS!

Ingredients

Preparation

1. Place water and ham hocks in a large pot of water with a tight fitting lid.

Bring water to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

2. While the water boils prepare and clean the collard greens. Collards should

be rinsed 3-4 times in cold water to remove dirt or sand. Cut out all thick stems

and discard them. Chop the greens into 1 inch thick strips.

3. Add cleaned collard greens to pot with water and ham hocks. Add red

pepper flakes if desired. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring

occasionally.

4. Add vegetable oil and simmer covered for 30 minutes.

Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 3 hours You can’t travel to the south without having collard greens! This version uses ham hocks but you can substitute equal amounts of nearly any smoked meat (turkey legs, bacon, or pork shank). Vegetarians don’t despair—collard greens are also fantastic when served with tomatoes, onion and garlic!

• 3-4 lbs of Collard Greens

• 1 ½ Quarts Water

• 1 ½ Pound Smoked Ham

Hocks

• Salt and Pepper to Taste

• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

(optional)

• ¼ cup vegetable oil

Featured Recipe: Southern Collard Greens with (or without) Ham Hocks

LIFESTYLES

Brown Clinical Psychology Training Consortium Diversity SPEAKS!

RECOMMENDED EVENTS:

Rhode Island International Film Festival 2016 Presented by Rhode Island International Film Festival at Downtown Providence, Providence August 9 - August 14, 2016 http://www.film-festival.org/index07A.htm WaterFire Providence (see website for specific dates throughout the summer) http://waterfire.org/ Slave Trade Walking Tour Linden Place Museum hosts a walking tour of Linden Place Mansion and downtown Bristol, focused specifically on Bristol’s DeWolf Family and their involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. The DeWolf family, Bristol’s premier family in the 18th and early 19th centuries, was once one of the largest traders of slaves in New England. The guided tour will begin at Linden Place, the Federal-style mansion built by architect Russell Warren for George DeWolf, before continuing through the center of historic Bristol and down to the waterfront on Thames Street, pointing out significant sites tied to Bristol’s lengthy and profitable involvement in the slave trade. The tour ends at the historic DeWolf Tavern, once a DeWolf waterfront warehouse, where tour-goers will enjoy a rum cocktail and ask questions. https://lindenplace.org/tales-of-the-slave-trade-walking-tours-2016/ Rhythm & Roots Rhythm & Roots at Ninigret Park is THE place to be on Labor Day Weekend! This long-running festival is a destination event f...or thousands of music and dance fans from all of the U.S. and Canada. R&R features award-winning roots music artists on the Main Stage and at two big tented dance floors, plus intimate one-of-a-kind workshops, smaller stages and many family-friendly activities. The theme for this year’s Fest will be new, newer and newest as two-thirds of the acts will be appearing at R&R for the first time. Debuting at R&R will be Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers, hot on the heels of their new release, “Rehab Reunion,” coming out this summer. Lucinda Williams, nominated for Artist of the Year and Album of the Year by the Americana Music Association, will be showcasing her songwriting talents at Ninigret for the first time as well. Another newcomer to R&R is The David Grisman Sextet, with their unique blend of acoustic jazz and bluegrass dubbed “Dawg Music.” Taj Mahal will be returning to R&R with his trio, celebrating his 50th year of performing roots music. http://www.rhythmandroots.com/ws/pages/home.php

LIFESTYLES cont.’

Brown Clinical Psychology Training Consortium Diversity SPEAKS!

In the Darkroom by Susan Faludi

Book Review

Movie Review

The film, the Danish Girl, is a fictionalized version of the true story of Lili Elbe, a trans woman living in Copenhagen, Denmark in the early part of the 20th Century. Lili Elbe (played by Eddie Redmayne) began life as Einar Wegener, an acclaimed landscape painter, happily married, who was one of the first-known persons to undergo sexual reassignment surgery. The film traces Lili’s passage to become, as she says, “entirely myself,” and to be recognized by those who love her. Lili has to struggle against a society, including physicians, who label her as a freak, insane, and in need of medical treatment. Gerda, his wife (played by Alicia Vikander) is a portraitist, who supports her husband’s protracted and painful transformation to be her true self. A. O Scott of the New York Times views this film as “a welcome tribute to a heroic forerunner of the current movement for transgender rights.”

In the new novel by Susan Faludi, the feminist writer explores trans issues. Susan Faludi, well known for her first book, Backlash: The Undeclared War against American Women, now explores the concept of identity on multiple levels. In examining her volatile and complicated relationship with her father who undergoes sex reassignment surgery at the age of 76, Susan Faludi “challenges some of our most fundamental assumptions about transsexuality, most notably by suggesting that the decision to change sexes may sometimes involve more than gender identity questions alone”(New York Times critic Jennifer Senior). “A compelling, exhausting, messy and provocative book, In the Darkroom seems like especially pertinent reading in these, our own dark times, when questions of identity keep coming to the fore, as matters of life and death,” is the conclusion reached by Maureen Corrigan of NPR in her review of the book

Brown Clinical Psychology Training Consortium Diversity SPEAKS!

The first article synthesizes strategies for recruitment and retention of diverse faculty – in

this case, racial and ethnic diversity – at U.S. medical schools. Mixed methods are used to

derive strategies used across U.S. medical schools. The second article explores

organizational aspects of enhancing diversity – in this case, gender diversity. The article

underscores the need for administrative and policy support for enhancing diversity and to

ensure that metrics of achieving desired diversity goals go beyond headcounts.

These two articles are sure to stimulate thoughts regarding recruitment and retention at

Brown, Happy reading!

Peek, M., Kim, K., Johnson, J., Vela, M. (2013). “URM candidates are encouraged to

apply”: a national study to identify effective strategies to enhance racial and

ethnic faculty diversity in academic departments of medicine. Acad Me 88(3):405-

12.

Su, X., Johnson, J., Bozeman, B. (2015). Gender diversity strategy in academic

departments: exploring organizational determinants. Higher Education. 69 (5): 839-

858.

SUGGESTED READING Thinking about enhancing recruitment and retention strategies to ensure more diversity?

Diversity Mentoring Workgroup, as part of the Diversity Committee

Tina Boisseau, Maria Coutinho, Judelysse Gomez, Lynn Hernandez, Michelle Kovacs,

Caroline Kuo, Jessica Peters, Daniella Palermo, Heather Hunter Rooney, Sneha Thamotharan, & Caron Zlotnick

Newsletter Contributors

Brown Clinical Psychology Training Consortium Diversity SPEAKS!