Support Spaces After Yesterday's Shooting, and Other Events and Opportunities, 4/13-4/26

Dear Students,

We know many of you are processing yesterday's tragic events. In addition to the resources shared yesterday, please be aware of the following support spaces:

• Columbia Health (In-Person): Lerner 8th floor conference room. Masks are required. Wednesday, April 13, 6:00-7:00 PM.
• Student Health on Haven (Virtual): Please email [email protected] for the link. Wednesday, April 13, 5:00-6:00 PM.

All events listed below are free of charge and open to all students unless otherwise noted.

University Life Events (All events in ET)

• Campus Conversations (Hybrid). Connect with students from across the University and engage in meaningful, student-facilitated dialogue about identity and inclusion. Make friends, have real conversations, and build community. Snacks and University Life swag will be provided. Now through Thursday, April 28, with in-person and virtual options available. Register here for Monday, April 18 or here for Wednesday, April 20.
• Drag Bingo (In-Person). Join the University Life Events Council for a fabulous night of Bingo hosted by Lagoona Bloo from RuPaul’s Drag Race and The Voice. Learn how to play the game, compete to win prizes, and enjoy the show! This event is in partnership with the GS Alliance and Columbia Queer Alliance. Tuesday, April 19, 7:00-8:00 PM. Register here.
• Awakening Our Democracy: Future Present: Building Community & Advancing Equity in a Digital World (Hybrid). Hear from a panel of experts tackling the most challenging questions around digital citizenship, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), the rise of social media, and the ways in which our choices online impact the world around us. Wednesday, April 20, 3:30 PM. Register here.
• Becoming a Mentee: The Roles of Coaches, Sponsors & Mentors (Virtual). Join us for a workshop focused on finding and cultivating relationships with your professional mentoring team. Our facilitator will provide an introduction and strategies for using the three modes of one-on-one professional development. This workshop is part of the Graduate Initiative for Inclusion and Engagement and is in partnership with the Columbia Alumni Association. Thursday, April 21, 4:00-5:00 PM. Register here.
• IGB Executive Board Applications. Get involved and make an impact at Columbia! All students are now eligible to run for positions on the The Interschool Governing Board (IGB) Executive Board. Apply by Sunday, April 24 at 11:59 PM.
• Student Conduct Navigators - Applications Now Open. Are you interested in supporting fellow students going through the University's student conduct process? If so, consider becoming a Student Conduct Navigator. Learn more and apply here. 

• Yoga Class (In-Person). Religious Life offers free yoga classes in Earl Hall every Tuesday evening this semester. No pre-registration is required. Please bring your own mat and arrive 5-10 minutes early to sign in and set up. Tuesdays, 7:00-8:00 PM. Learn more.

Racial Justice Mini-Grant Program Events:

• Financing and Measuring in Global Health: A Case Study Discussion on Racial and Social Myths in Practice (virtual). This three-part seminar series will grapple with the racial and social myths that underlie global health education and their practical implications. At each event, DrPH students Joanne Michelle Ocampo and Alejandra Paniagua-Avila will moderate a conversation focused on a practical case study. April 13, 20, and 27, 12:00-1:00 PM. Register here.
• Dismantling Racism and Decolonizing Ourselves Through Art (virtual). This poetry slam event aims to address racial traumas through the art of poetry and performance. Artists, students, and community members will have an opportunity to share stories and lived experiences on racial trauma, Harlem and racialized gentrification, the War on Drugs, Black joy, and more. Thursday, April 14, 6:30-8:00 PM. Register here.

University-wide Events and Opportunities

• Disability History (and Present) of New York City (in-person). Join Multicultural Affairs and Disability Justice @ Columbia to explore the disability history (and present) of New York City! We'll be joined by Warren Shaw, creator of DisabilityHistoryNYC.com, who will share his work to document the history of the disability movement in the city and will discuss current issues at the forefront of contemporary disability activism. Wednesday, April 13, 6:00-7:30 PM. Register here.
• Carlo Ginzburg: "Texts, Images, Reproductions: On the Shoulders of Walter Benjamin" (virtual). Carlo Ginzburg, Italian Academy Fellow 2022–23, will discuss Walter Benjamin’s essay “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” as well as his unfinished project on Parisian arcades. Thursday, April 14, 12:00-1:30 PM. Register here.
• The Nonbinary and Gender Nonconforming Experience on Historical Women’s Colleges (virtual). The 16th Annual Jeanne Clery Lecture features Dean Spade (he/him) for a discussion about what really makes students feel safe on campus, what the queer and trans community experiences teach us about power-based violence, and how mutual aid builds safety for everyone. Thursday, April 14, 7:30-9:00 PM. Register here.
• Blueprints for Undercommons: Local and Global Wildness (hybrid). A three day series of work study groups, presentations, film screening and musical performances showcasing, studying and discussing global events and movements that have been understood as wild, incomprehensible, forms of ‘acting out,’ or as instantiating periods of disorientation. April 14-16. Register here.
• Social Enterprise Conference, Capital for Good: Closing Keynote Sessions (hybrid). Keynotes include Reversing the Great Resignation: How Criminal Justice Reform Can Revitalize Our Economy and Reduce Intergenerational Poverty and Reimagining Private Equity and Small Business Investing: Providing Equitable Access to the American Dream. Friday, April 15, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Register here.
• Environmental Justice Summit (In-Person). Building upon the past 12 Columbia Climate Conversations focused on climate and social justice, this event invites individuals to learn more about representation and inclusivity from Leah Thomas, founder of Intersectional Environmentalist. Friday, April 15, 1:00 - 4:00 PM. Register here.

2022 Commencement Opportunities. 

• Share Your Columbia Memories. Submit a photo or video of your favorite Columbia memories for a chance to be part of the University’s Commencement celebration!
• Volunteer for Commencement. The Commencement Office is looking for volunteers to help celebrate the success of Columbia’s graduates! Volunteers will receive a special commencement volunteer t-shirt and hat. Interested? Visit the Commencement Volunteer page for more information or email [email protected].

Visit University Life’s website, Instagram and Facebook for more information and events, and please reach out to [email protected] with any suggestions or questions.

Take care,

Joseph Defraine Greenwell, Ed.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs
University Life
Gender Pronouns: He/Him/His

Ixchel Rosal
Associate Vice President for Student Life
University Life
Gender Pronouns: She/Her/Hers