Connective Issues: A UMass Chan diversity and inclusion blog

he Diversity and Inclusion Office, in collaboration with the Latino Medical Student Association, the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science and Happy Feet, is planning a vibrant celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Albert Sherman Center multipurpose room. The event will honor the rich traditions and contributions of the Latinx community through an exciting evening of salsa and bachata lessons, cultural games and activities that showcase the lively spirit of Latinx culture and reflect the resilience, resistance and strength of the Latinx community. In advance of the event, read one community member’s reflection on salsa music, below.

This academic year, the Diversity and Inclusion Office will address the ways diversity, equity and inclusion and disability can positively intersect by focusing its speaker series, Centering the Margins, on the theme, “Advancing Accessibility and Inclusion in Health Care for People with Disabilities.” The series will kick off on Sept. 25 at noon online, with the topic “Going beyond the basics: Successful communication between health care professionals and patients who are deaf, late deafened or hard of hearing.” Members of the UMass Chan community are encouraged to attend.