ADDI Update – November 2021

Dear Friedman School Community,

Here is this month’s update on progress toward the Friedman School’s Anti-Racism Action Plan:  

Culture and Environment

• In continuing to promote an inclusive physical space, Orsolya Szabo is working on displaying framed photos and other items, such as decorative objects, that are related to work and studies at the School. Please reach out to her if you have items you would like displayed: Orsolya.szabo@tufts.edu. 
• There is also a new monitor at 75 Kneeland St. to display the images that you’ve been contributing. More changes are in the works at 75 Kneeland! 
• The Social Justice, Inclusion, and Diversity Committee hosted Yolanda Smith, Tufts’ new executive director of public safety, at their monthly meeting on 4 November. Ms. Smith described choosing Tufts because she wanted to be part of national conversation about policing, and to make sure social justice included as a key component of public safety. 

Compositional Diversity

• The Scholarship Challenge, which provides donors with an opportunity to create endowed scholarships that support doctoral students or those that build the diversity of our student body, is now up to $3 million in commitments. This includes a $1.2 million gift for the Barry J. Rosenbaum and Renee L. Underwood Native American and Indigenous People Scholarship, which will provide a full doctoral scholarship.  

Public Impact

• On 2 November, Dean Mozaffarian spoke before a Senate committee on the state of nutrition in 2021, in support of a bipartisan bill to convene a second national White House conference on food, nutrition, hunger, and health. He outlined actions in six priority domains to create a healthier food system and improve health and health equity. View his testimony here. 
• In the research realm, we are actively searching for a new faculty position in Food and Nutrition Equity. The position is posted on the Friedman School website and on Interfolio. Please share the position with your networks! Any questions should be directed to Will Masters, chair of the search committee (William.Masters@tufts.edu).
• Danielle Krobath and Salima Taylor, two doctoral students, published a book review of Engaging Black and Minority Ethnic Groups in Health Research: ‘Hard to Reach’? Demystifying the Misconceptions by Natalie Darko. The review was just published in the Journal of Public Health Policy: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41271-021-00311-z.

University

• Lisa Fenn joined Tufts on the 22^nd as the ​​new Program Director, Antiracism Initiative.  Lisa will work at the university level and with the schools to help develop, implement, review, and evaluate key diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. 

STUDENT OPPORTUNITY

Applications are now open for the 2021 – 2022 Mozaffarian Family Grant for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Friedman School students, clubs, and organizations are eligible to apply. Grants will support efforts to lead projects that will assess, enhance, expand, and support diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice in the Friedman School, university, and/or the community.  These projects may explore and/or involve, for example, communication, curriculum and pedagogy, research, advocacy, community engagement, etc. For 2021-2022, the awardee will receive $500.  Applications are open until 15 December 2021 (projects should be completed by August 31, 2022). For more information and questions, please contact Matt Hast, Assistant Dean, Student Affairs, matthew.hast@tufts.edu. 

EVENTS

1^st December, 5-6 PM: The Tufts School of Medicine PHPD DEAR Council is sponsoring a talk by Dr. Change Anderson on The Impact of Identity: How it affects mental health and what it means to be minoritized. Register here. 

3 December, 12-1 PM: The next Social Justice, Inclusion, and Diversity Committee’s discussion group will be held on Friday. The discussion will center on Ezra Klein’s podcast from November 16^th, guest-hosted by Nicole Hemmer and entitled Are We Witnessing the Mainstreaming of White Power in America? You can listen wherever you get your podcasts or through this link: Opinion | Are We Witnessing the Mainstreaming of White Power in America? – The New York Times (nytimes.com) A summary of the podcast will be integrated into the discussion, so feel free to attend even if you haven’t had the chance to listen. Everyone in the Friedman School community is welcome to attend and meet colleagues, classmates, and friends while engaging in open discussion. Register here. 

Sara C. Folta, PhD