TAMIU Launches Black History Month with Virtual Lecture on Social Justice Post-George Floyd
Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) will launch its observation of Black History Month Thursday, Feb. 10 with a Diverse Cultures, Diverse Humanities Series virtual lecture focusing on social justice post George Floyd.
Dr. Lorenzo M. Boyd, Stewart Professor of Criminal Justice and Community Policing at the University of New Haven, will present his virtual lecture titled, "Social Justice Post-George Floyd: Lessons Learned and Pathways Forward" Thursday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. To register, visit: https://go.tamiu.edu/diversity-boyd
Dr. Boyd is a nationally recognized expert in police-community relations and an authority on urban policing. Prior to his current position, he served as the University of New Haven's vice president for Diversity and Inclusion and as former director of the Center for Advanced Policing. His 14-year service as a deputy sheriff in Boston informs his 20-year career in higher education
He effectively translates research and theory into practice, making him a sought-after consultant, trainer, and speaker for departments and communities across the country.
Boyd conducts professional development training with a central focus on building levels of empathy, lived experience, and cultural competence among police personnel. He works with police leaders around the country to determine training needs and develops interactive professional development sessions that include real-life scenarios and role play.
He also regularly appears on local, regional, national, and international media outlets to discuss policing in the aftermath of high-profile cases. He is the former president of the Academy of Criminal Justice Science and a life member of National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. Boyd earned his doctorate from Northeastern University. He also holds a master’s and bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts.
The Diverse Cultures, Diverse Humanities Series, funded by a Humanities Texas Grant, is a seven-part virtual speaker series sponsored by Humanities Texas and hosted by TAMIU. It aims to provide a space for ongoing conversation about issues connected to diversity and inclusion by inviting top humanists and creative writers to share their experiences and expertise with the community.
TAMIU's Black History Month events also include:
Wednesday, Feb. 16, 4:30-5:30 p.m. - STC 230 | Social Justice Leadership Series presents Conscious Coffee Hour presents "Voicing Afro-Latinx Histories & Identities." Guest speaker Allison C. Roman, better known as Alli, is a Black Latina educator, storyteller, and social justice advocate and will share a conversation about Afrolatinidad with the TAMIU community. Open to TAMIU community members.
Wednesday, Feb. 23, 4:30-5:30 p.m. - STC 230 | Social Justice Leadership Series presents an in-person panel discussion, "Black Experiences at TAMIU." TAMIU faculty and students will share their experiences. Guest panelists include Dr. Peter Haruna, professor and director of Public Administration, Dr. Varaidzo Zvobgo, assistant professor of Public Administration, Simileoluwa Odunuga, TAMIU student, and other student leaders. Open to TAMIU community members.
Thursday, Feb. 24, 7 p.m. - Virtual event. Free and open to the public | The Diverse Cultures, Diverse Humanities Series will offer a virtual lecture with Dr. Gretchen Sullivan Sorin. Her lecture is titled, "Driving While Black: African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights." Dr. Sullivan Sorin is Director and Distinguished Service Professor at the Cooperstown Graduate Program, a training program for museum curators, educators, and directors that is part of the State University of New York College at Oneonta. She is also a Fellow of the New York Academy of historians. For the past 20 years Sorin has worked to broaden representation in the museum field for underrepresented groups. To register, visit: https://go.tamiu.edu/diversity-sorin
Tuesday, March 22, 7 p.m. - Virtual event. Free and open to the public | The Diverse Cultures, Diverse Humanities Series will present a Virtual Lecture with Dr. Neal Lester on "Straight Talk about the Nword." Dr. Lester is Foundation Professor of English and Founding Director of the multiple award-winning Project Humanities initiative at Arizona State University. With expertise in African American literature and culture, Dr. Lester has authored or edited seven books and myriad essays and chapters on topics ranging from the race and gender politics of hair, Black masculinities, and African American folklore, to Toni Morrison’s children’s books. In addition to his publications on ntozake shange, Alice Walker, Sapphire, and Zora Neale Hurston, Dr. Lester has done pioneering work on the Nword, having created and taught the first college course on the Nword in the United States. To register, visit: https://go.tamiu.edu/diversity-lester
TAMIU's Black History Month events are presented in collaboration with TAMIU's Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee (TIDE), TAMIU Student Orientation, Leadership and Engagement, and the Diverse Cultures, Diverse Humanities Series.
For more information, please contact TAMIU's Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 956.326.2180, email prmis@tamiu.edu or visit offices located in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.
