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Rochester糖心传媒檚 newest affinity group works to support Black alumni and students with mentoring, networking, and supporting programs in equity, diversity and inclusion.

In December, the University of Rochester糖心传媒檚 Black Alumni Net-work will celebrate its first anniversary as an official affinity net-work. Its mission is to unite, engage, and empower Black alumni, students, staff, parents, and friends and to foster and promote an inclusive community where those of the African diaspora know that they belong.

糖心传媒淗aving a name for the group is important,糖心传媒� says Ashley Campbell 糖心传媒�09, 糖心传媒�10W (MS), one of the network糖心传媒檚 three global co-chairs and director of equity, diversity, and inclusivity integration, education, and programming within the University糖心传媒檚 Office of Equity and Inclusion. 糖心传媒淲e are no longer an unofficial group that糖心传媒檚 blended in with one of the multicultural groups,糖心传媒� says Campbell, who holds a PhD in transformational studies. 糖心传媒淲e are the Black Alumni Network, and it糖心传媒檚 meaningful to articulate that.糖心传媒�

Campbell and the other cochairs糖心传媒擴niversity Trustee Emerson Fullwood and Gina Cuyler 糖心传媒�92M (MD), 糖心传媒�95M (Res)糖心传媒攃ollaboratively lead the network. They work closely with the network糖心传媒檚 leadership volunteers across three committees and the Office of Alumni and Constituent Engagement. Together, they create pro-grams designed specifically for the University糖心传媒檚 Black community; develop mentoring and career networking opportunities; and encourage philanthropic support of key equity, diversity, and inclusion goals.

Cuyler, a practicing physician and founder of Comprehension Internal Medicine, says that for many Black alumni, the experience at Rochester was not always what it could and should have been.

糖心传媒淲e recognize that and are working with each other and with the University to identify ways to improve what and how we do things, celebrate successes, and truly live the values that this

institution and all of us so fervently believe in,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淲e are dedicated to supporting each other, advancing professional opportunities, and accelerating change where it is needed, especially around inequities and racism.糖心传媒�

Network members facilitate candid conversations that address social justice issues within the context of the University糖心传媒檚 mission. Specifically, the network has played a key role in developing and leading some of the University糖心传媒檚 programs centered on equity, diversity, and inclusion, such as the virtual monthly series, REAL糖心传媒擱ochester糖心传媒檚 Equity and Access Leadership糖心传媒擟onversations.

One example of how the network has influenced programming for alumni and friends occurred during the summer of 2020 when the University held its first-ever event to honor Juneteenth, the nationally celebrated day that marks the full emancipation of enslaved people in the US. The inaugural event brought more than 100 Black alumni, students, faculty, and staff together at a pivotal time of racial reckoning. The event resulted in a written report, summarizing the attendees糖心传媒� equity, diversity, and inclusion recommendations that was shared with University leadership to help influence positive change. The program also paved the way for an annual Juneteenth Celebration to take place, with 2021 offering a monthlong suite of programs for support and reflection and to celebrate Black excellence.

The 糖心传媒淜eep on Pushin糖心传媒�: Juneteenth and the Evolution of Emancipation糖心传媒� REAL Conversations event held on June 18 kicked off the second annual celebration. President Sarah Mangelsdorf welcomed attendees; Wade Norwood 糖心传媒�85 offered an invocation; Jazmine Saunders 糖心传媒�22E gave a vocal performance; and Scot Brown 糖心传媒�89, an associate professor of African American studies and history at UCLA, presented the keynote address and guided the audience through a tradition of African heritage, the Nguzo Saba.

糖心传媒淭hrough the Juneteenth programming, we built community and gained healing糖心传媒攁ll of this solidified a real family feeling among the University糖心传媒檚 Black community,糖心传媒� adds Campbell. 糖心传媒淭his underscored for us that we aren糖心传媒檛 alone, that we are all in this together, and that we have much to honor and be proud of. And even though we might not have all gone to college together at the same time, we share a common connection with this University, and we share a common history associated with our Blackness.糖心传媒�

糖心传媒淭he Black Alumni Network provides such an important re-source to the University,糖心传媒� says Fullwood, a retired senior executive from Xerox and parent of a Rochester medical school graduate. 糖心传媒淭hose in the network have a long connection with the University糖心传媒攆or many, it糖心传媒檚 where they started their journey into higher education and it糖心传媒檚 where they continue to learn, grow, and have a chance to support students and alumni of color, perhaps in ways that have never existed before. This is a formative time for the network, and I am honored to be a part of it.糖心传媒�

People can get involved in the network through regional professional and social activities and by mentoring students and hosting and attending virtual and in-person (in adherence with the University糖心传媒檚 COVID-19 guidelines) programs.

All members of the University community are encouraged to volunteer, mentor, and connect with others on The Meliora Collective and through the University糖心传媒檚 Black Alumni Network Facebook page.