Neelam Chand

If stock photos could speak, they’d probably say nothing. So why do we keep using them? How do we stop tokenizing? And what should we be doing instead?

The Rostrum sat down with Neelam Chand, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Office for Equity and Diversity; Tawanda Owens, Executive Director for Diverse Student Advocacy; and Lori McDonald, Dean of Students, to discuss the topic of white supremacist propaganda on campus. We get into what happened, how it is tied with national trends, how to effectively confront this speech, and what the university has done over the past few years.

I am a diversity marketing and communications director for a higher education institution — in Utah. Here’s what I’ve learned (and still trying to figure out).

Strong community, resilient history and vibrant traditions are key elements of the Pacific Islands culture. These same elements are the foundation of a Pacific Islands Studies initiative at the University of Utah—and a new $600,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will allow major acceleration of this effort.

Black Lives Matter, MeToo, anti-Islamophobia, LGBTQIA+ rights, pro-choice, sanctuary cities and many others are examples of unified resistance groups seeking civil rights today. These movements are primarily led by our youth and influenced by our current social, economic, political and environmental climate. But if we were to take a trip back into history, what types of collective movements would we find? Were resistance tactics similar to today’s? And who were the young voices behind these… Show more

Black Lives Matter, MeToo, anti-Islamophobia, LGBTQIA+ rights, pro-choice, sanctuary cities and many others are examples of unified resistance groups seeking civil rights today. These movements are primarily led by our youth and influenced by our current social, economic, political and environmental climate. But if we were to take a trip back into history, what types of collective movements would we find? Were resistance tactics similar to today’s? And who were the young voices behind these movements? Jud Newborn, a New York-based author, historian and the 2018 U Remembers keynote speaker, will draw lessons and parallels of the Holocaust and the resistance in today’s current events. Show less

Columbus Day – a day that honors Christopher Columbus and his arrival to the Americas in 1492. A federal holiday established for people to express their patriotism with parades, fairs, costumes and for some, even a day off from work. But what are we really celebrating?

Environmental racism. You might have heard the term in a documentary, through social media or on the news. Whether you know very little about the subject or are an active member of an environmental justice organization, it is an important concept to understand. Environmental racism has been a trending topic since the early ‘50s and today communities are still fighting for justice. So, what exactly is environmental racism?

The University of Utah celebrated Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's life and legacy with its annual MLK Week Celebration. This year's events included a "marade" (march/parade), panel speakers, spoken word and a keynote address by Rev. Jesse Jackson. To learn more about the U's annual MLK Week, visit http://diversity.utah.edu/Martin-Luther-King

Promoting TTV Utah's Community Shopping Night

From coffee to handicrafts to flowers, many consumers look for the fair trade label to insure that the producers of these goods in developing countries are not being exploited. But does fair trade really work to lift farmers and artisans out of poverty?

Guests:

Patrick Byrne, Overstock.com
Neelam Chand, Ten Thousand Villages, Utah