UA Health Sciences Highlights Minority Health Month with Diversity Matters Series on April 5

As part of the University of Arizona’s Never Settle strategic plan, which calls for an inclusive, diverse and safe community, the UA Health Sciences Office of Diversity and Inclusion will host its Diversity Matters... Series on April 5 at the UA College of Medicine.

“The Micros: Aggressions and Affirmations” is the Diversity Matters…Series discussion meant to inform, create awareness and an understanding of what it takes to produce positive, inclusive interactions and environments and is part of activities to highlight National Minority Health Month at the UA Health Sciences campus.

The discussion will be led by Kadian McIntosh, PhD, an educational assessment and higher education expert at the UA Center for the Study of Higher Education at the UA College of Education, and Shannon Collins, an MD-PhD student at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

The Diversity Matters…Series talk, a program of the UAHS Office of Diversity and Inclusion, will be held on Tuesday, April 5, noon to 1 p.m., at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson, Room 3117. The event is open to UA faculty, staff and students, with lunch provided. Please RSVP at: https://diversity.medicine.arizona.edu/diversity-matters-RSVP

Both “microagressions” and “microaffirmations” influence well-being and performance.  Microaggressions, unconscious bias or social snubs, come in many forms and can be intended to be complimentary but contain an insulting/mixed message for the recipient, pointing out what is different about an individual, and can lead to a sense of feeling unwelcomed. Microaffirmations, small acts that foster inclusion and support, including the acknowledgement of experiences, listening to feedback and supporting others, also will be discussed, with suggestions how to incorporate microaffirmations to promote positive interactions.

“Research shows that while increasing the diversity of a campus community is a good first step, it is not sufficient to create a positive campus climate that expands the sense of community or advances intergroup relations and a sense of belonging”, said Dr. McIntosh. “New ideas are stalled or new perspectives don’t make it to the table if people are invalidated or isolated, thus education suffers and communities can’t progress.” Dr. McIntosh is a researcher who studies teaching, learning and student development and access and success in higher education.

Collins, who is co-presenting, is the 2015 Difference of One University of Arizona Dean of Students Awardee for his outreach work with underrepresented students. He also was awarded the Initiative to Maximize Student Development Fellowship by the National Institutes of Health for 2013-2014. Collins has been engaged in encouraging undergraduate African-American students to pursue careers in medicine and in life sciences, while working to create an environment of inclusion.

April is National Minority Health Month, with the theme of accelerating health equity for the nation.  The UA Health Sciences promotes a wide variety of programs and initiatives to address health disparities, diversify the health sciences workforce and to better cultivate a culture of inclusion among health professions students and practitioners. Please Note: You can follow National Minority Health Month activities on social media using #NMHM16.

Noting the ideological and social conflict around diversity and inclusion issues making news and shaping college activism today, the discussion aims to empower UA students, faculty and staff to help create a more open learning and working environment.

About the University of Arizona Health Sciences

The University of Arizona Health Sciences is the statewide leader in biomedical research and health professions training. The UA Health Sciences includes the UA Colleges of Medicine (Phoenix and Tucson), Nursing, Pharmacy and Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, with main campus locations in Tucson and the growing Phoenix Biomedical Campus in downtown Phoenix. From these vantage points, the UA Health Sciences reaches across the state of Arizona and the greater Southwest to provide cutting-edge health education, research, patient care and community outreach services. A major economic engine, the UA Health Sciences employs almost 5,000 people, has nearly 1,000 faculty members and garners more than $126 million in research grants and contracts annually. For more information, please visit uahs.arizona.edu.

Release Date: 
04/01/2016 - 3:15pm
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