Lori Vermeulen, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Robert Gregg, Dean, School of General Studies & Professor of History
Michelle McDonald, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs & Professor of History

When administrators at Stockton University in Galloway, New Jersey moved the bust of Richard Stockton from its place of prominence at the library entrance, reactions from across the campus, wider community, and the press were immediate, diverse, and impassioned. Some people complained that the university had succumbed to political correctness, while others argued that removing the bust of a slaveholder did not go far enough. The Stockton Exhibition Project chronicles the decision-making process and explores what the Stockton name has meant to members of the campus community and larger public, from the institution’s founding to the present.  This case study session explores the teachable moment that resulted, as well as the university’s plan of action, including: formation of a project committee of campus and community members; a series of proposed programs about the study of history and the processes of memorialization and commemoration; a research initiative to produce a well-documented, comprehensive study about our institution's past; and, most importantly, time and space for multiple perspectives to be heard, discussed, and critically evaluated.

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Dr. Lori Vermeulen has served in her current position since June of 2016. She brings more than 20 years of experience in higher education to her primary responsibility as chief academic officer. In this role, she oversees the work of Stockton’s seven Schools and numerous offices, centers, and institutes that support Stockton’s academic mission.   She currently chairs the Steering Committee for the Stockton Exhibition Project.  Dr. Vermeulen joined the Stockton community after serving nine years as Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at West Chester University of Pennsylvania.  Previously, Dr. Vermeulen was employed at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where she held several administrative and faculty roles, including Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.  She currently chairs the Steering Committee for the Stockton Exhibition Project.  She earned her doctorate in chemistry from Princeton University in 1994.

Dr. Robert Gregg’s research focuses on African American and comparative history and he is the author of Inside, Outside: Essays in Comparative History (MacMillan, 1999) and Sparks from the Anvil of Oppression: Philadelphia’s African American Methodists and Southern Migrants, 1890-1940 (Temple University Press, 1993). Dr. Gregg also brings a strong background in public history to this project. He is also the co-leader of Stockton’s “Reimagining the First Year Initiative,” sponsored by AASCU.  He received his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and has held fellowships from the American Council on Learned Societies and the Shelby Cullom Davis Center for Historical Studies at Princeton University.

Dr. Michelle McDonald has worked for over sixteen years in public and academic history. She has taught in Stockton’s undergraduate programs in History and Africana Studies, as well as its Master’s in American Studies program, and was most recently co-curator for “A Time for Change: Civil Rights in South Jersey,” an exhibition launched in 2016 and developed between Stockton University and the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey.  She holds an M.A. in Museum Studies from George Washington University as well as a Ph.D. in history from the University of Michigan, and has received fellowships from the Fulbright Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, New Jersey Council for the Humanities, Harvard Business School, and McNeil Center for Early American Studies.

Diane Falk, Professor of Social Work
Guia Calicdan-Apostle, Associate Professor of Social Work
Jennifer Dunkle, Assistant Professor of Social Work

This learning lab session presents issues related hate in the United States in policy and community contexts.  The session provides an historical overview of the human rights framework, in particular how human rights have been direct responses to historical incidents of hate and violence and continue to remain a relevant tool to fight hate today. This session also will discuss global issues, including work with overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong.

This session participants will 1) learn about the human rights framework and its potential to combat hate, 2) learn about current conditions both globally and locally where hate and prejudice are interfering with people’s realization of their full human rights, and 3) advocacy tools to combat hate.

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Dr. Diane Falk has taught at Stockton since 1996. She developed and taught a General Studies course, entitled Human Rights in Global Perspective, the syllabus of which has been published in a national collection of model course outlines on international social work.  She was the founding director and served as MSW Program Director. Prior to coming to Stockton, Dr. Falk had a 25-year career in community mental health. She is a New Jersey Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

In 2006, she co-authored NASW’s International Policy on Human Rights. She has presented on human rights and ethics topics locally and in Chile, Australia, and South Africa. Dr. Falk has led international study tours focused on human rights issues in Hungary and Croatia, England and Northern Ireland, and Australia. Her participation in the human rights movement began when she was a university student. She participated in the struggle for civil rights on Chicago’s South Side and in Alabama during the Selma March. She also participated in the Anti-War Movement (including the People’s Blockade) and in the Women’s Movement.  She has a Ph.D. from Rutgers University, an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania, and B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Chicago.

Dr. Calicdan-Apostle teaches Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity in both undergraduate and graduate levels and have been teaching these courses for the past 7 years. She also teaches advanced graduate course on Advanced Cultural Competence to MSW students. Her areas of concentration are spirituality and mental health, school social work, international social work, racism, immigration and cultural diversity issues, public health advocacy (tobacco control). She is a member of Committee on Campus Diversity and Inclusive Excellence and convener of its Social Justice and Education Diversity and Inclusion Committee.  She is advisor to Pilipino-American Students Association of Stockton (PASAS), an organization with over 40 active student membership of first and second generation Filipino and Filipino-American students.  She received Doctor in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania, a Masters in Social Work from the Asian Social Institute in the Philippines, and a Bachelors in Social Work from the Philippine Women's University.

Dr. Jennifer Dunkle academic and research interests include social policy, diversity and aging, diversity in higher education, community health and well-being, and environmental justice.  She received a PhD from Fordham University and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Monmouth University.

Laurie Dutton, Director of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Center
Mico Lucide, Program Assistant, Stockton Center on Successful Aging

As originally intended, Safe Spaces or Safe Zones are terms that were used to indicate that a teacher, educational institution, or student body did not tolerate anti-LGBT violence, harassment or hate speech, thereby creating a safe place for all LGBT students. The Safe Zone training program is designed for the straight community to delve further into how to be an effective ally, including discussions of confusing LGBTQIA+ terminology, different types of hate, negativity, and –phobias that are prevalent around the Queer community, and the difficult process of coming out (CASS).

Individuals who complete a Safe Zone training will be able to mark their offices or workspaces with a Safe Zone placard, showing LGBTQIA+ students that these locations are safe spaces for them. Doing so can also provide a greater sense of safety and support among LGBTQIA+ individuals on campus.

Guia Calicdan-Apostle, Associate Professor of Social Work

This express talk addresses cultural competence as central to effective teaching and learning in the classroom and the community. How do educators and students create safe spaces that promote supportive, diverse and interactive learning groups and communities? This talk will elucidate the meaning and models of cultural competence and the key   variables that will help the attendees think about applying the concepts in their daily lives and in their chosen profession. A synergistic concept to cultural competence, cultural humility, alternatively, is an interpersonal stance that requires critical self-reflection and empowerment in order to benefit others. How do we acquire cultural skills that help prepare Stocktonians to work effectively with diverse populations while also demonstrating cultural humility? Lessons on cultural competence and cultural humility will be illuminated through global stories and human experiences.  Besides storytelling, a short audience participation will be used as a method of encouraging dialogue in the future.

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Dr. Calicdan-Apostle teaches Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity in both undergraduate and graduate levels and have been teaching these courses for the past 7 years. She also teaches advanced graduate course on Advanced Cultural Competence to MSW students. Her areas of concentration are spirituality and mental health, school social work, international social work, racism, immigration and cultural diversity issues, public health advocacy (tobacco control). She is a member of Committee on Campus Diversity and Inclusive Excellence and convener of its Social Justice and Education Diversity and Inclusion Committee.  She is advisor to Pilipino-American Students Association of Stockton (PASAS), an organization with over 40 active student membership of first and second generation Filipino and Filipino-American students.  She received Doctor in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania, a Masters in Social Work from the Asian Social Institute in the Philippines, and a Bachelors in Social Work from the Philippine Women's University.

Dr. Ekaterina Sedia, Associate Professor of Biology
Dr. Adam Miyashiro, Assistant Professor of Literature
Dr. Emily Van Duyne, Assistant Professor of Writing and First Year Studies
Dr. Donnetrice Allison, Professor of Communication & Faculty Senate President

This learning lab session will use faculty members’ direct experience facing racist, sexist, and xenophobic speech in the classroom to articulate the unique challenges of navigating teaching the liberal arts in public higher education in the United States. Each of the three presenters works in the language arts, and often writes about the relationship between language and social justice. The panel members’ personal experiences trying to navigate the line between free speech, while also offering a safe learning space for queer/trans students, BIPOC, and students of various religious affiliations, will be instructive to staff, faculty, and students in best practices for class discussions about so-called “difficult” material. These same experiences will also further our own institutional conversation about these issues, and contribute to our goal of a “bias-free” environment.

The aims of this panel align with two Stockton’s Essential Learning Outcomes oral communication skills and ethical reasoning. Each of the three presenters works in the language arts, and often writes about the relationship between language and social justice. Dr. Miyashiro is a Medievalist who works to decolonize a field historically dominated by white men, and that has traditionally ignored questions of race and racial representations in Medieval texts. Dr. Sedia is a biologist by training, and a well-known and published science fiction and fantasy writer, whose work deals with revolution, oppression, and the darker side of Capitalism. Prof. Van Duyne’s research and writing concerns the relationship between intersectional feminism and precarious labor in higher education, as well as feminist approaches to the critical history of Sylvia Plath.

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Dr. Ekaterina Sedia's interests include history of labor movements and justice issues in the garment industry, along with her research on plant ecology and honey bees.  She is Graduate Director of Professional Science Masters in Environmental Science and a co-chair of the Faculty Senate Taskforce on Hate Speech. She holds a PhD in Ecology and Evolution from Rutgers University.

Dr. Adam Miyashiro teaches Medieval literature, postcolonial theory, and critical race studies.  He is on the Executive Council of the Delaware Valley Medieval Association, and serves on the organizing collective of the Campus Antifascist Network, the US Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, and is a founding member of Medievalists of Color.  He serves on the editorial board of the journal Early Middle English and advises the Literature club, the Literature honors society, and the Stockton chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine.  He received his Masters and Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University.

Dr. Emily Van Duyne is currently working on a book of critical writing about Sylvia Plath.  She is co-editor of the anthology “The Precariat & The Professor,” about precarious faculty in higher education. She is also affiliated faculty in Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies. She is a graduate of the Solstice M.F.A. in Creative Writing, with a concentration in poetry. Her work has appeared in Transtudies, Contrary, Diagram, and Mead. In 2014, her open letter about adjunct labor in American higher education was published by The Adjunct Project, and received national attention from Salon and The New Inquiry.  Van Duyne graduated from Emerson College with her B.F.A. in Literature and Creative Writing, and a minor in Women and Gender Studies.

Dr. Donnetrice C. Allison serves as coordinator/chair of the Africana Studies Program and Faculty Senate President. For the Africana Studies Program, Dr. Allison has coordinated four successful Hip Hop Summits at Stockton since 2007, and the Fannie Lou Hamer Human and Civil Rights Symposiums of 2016 and 2017. In addition to Africana Studies, Dr. Allison has been a Communication Studies scholar for more than two decades.  Dr. Allison has published several articles and dozens of conference presentations on hip hop culture and media portrayals of African Americans – at national and international conferences. In 2016, Dr. Allison served as sole editor of the book Black Women's Portrayals on Reality Television: The New Sapphire, published by Lexington Books; and she contributed an article titled, “The Perpetuation of Racial Stereotypes in American Media,” for the two-volume book set, Race in America: How a Pseudo-Scientific Concept Shaped Human Interaction, published by Praeger Books. In 2017, Dr. Allison’s article on colorism was featured in the Journal of African American Studies special issue on music icon Prince.  She received a Ph.D. in Rhetoric/Intercultural Rhetoric/Intercultural Communication and a Masters in Mass Communication from Howard University.

Joseph Argueta, Complex Director for Housing 1, E-H
Patricia Kelly, Associate Director for Residence Education

Students and professionals across the nation may feel strongly about a social justice issue, but are unaware of the possible avenues for effective action, which could produce change. In this deep dive session, presenters will thoroughly review Bill Moyer’s Movement Action Plan, which is a strategic framework for activism. The session will include a practical application to a real life social justice movement to provide a tangible example (E.X. Dakota Access Pipeline, Black Lives Matter movement).  The Movement Action Plan relies on pursuing non-violent tactics and strategies for social change. Modeled after a narrative of successful movements, Moyer identified eight distinct stages of progress. During this session, participants will have the opportunity to take a True Colors Personality Assessment. The presenters will discuss anecdotal correlation to the traits that Moyer highlights in his Four Role of Activists: Citizen, Reformer, Change Agent, and Rebel.

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Joseph Argueta supervises thirteen resident assistants (RAs) and oversees the Honor’s and upperclassmen communities.  As a firm believer in the mantra, “Always a teacher; Always a learner; Always”, Joseph’s passions stem from student activism; working with students from marginalized communities and balancing advocacy and knowledge without taking the limelight. Joseph offers students a platform to explore their leadership from a critically conscious lens and always encourages students to ask the question, “Why?”  He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Mathematics and Science with a concentration in mathematics from William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ and a Master’s of Science for College Student Personnel from the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, RI.

Patricia Kelly provides overall direction for the residential education program, which currently includes six live-in professional staff, two graduate managers, and one hundred Resident Assistants.  Patricia works to ensure that the residential experience is positive and community oriented in order to support an environment where students report feeling more connected and successful in their college experience.  Patricia values a collaborative environment in order to effectively respond to student behavioral and crisis situations. She and her team are currently focused on initiatives to support social justice experiential opportunities, establish a recovery housing community, and capacity building in preparation for a new residential facility and academic building in Atlantic City, NJ. Patricia Kelly holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Rutgers University in Camden, NJ and a Master’s of Science in Education with a concentration in Psychological Services from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA.

Detective Kim Nelson-Edwards, Montclair Police Department

The Law & Your Community is a nationally recognized hands-on interactive training program for young people, typically ages 13-18, designed to improve their communications with law enforcement officers and their understanding of their federal, state and local laws. Components of the program include:

• Citizenship: The primary purpose of this module is to provide a short but insightful education of how our representative democracy works and the role that citizens play in this system. Emphasis is placed on the power that citizens have to affect the direction of their government by being active participants in the electoral process. Another purpose of the module is to show you why and how laws are made at the local, state, and national levels. A third purpose of the lesson is to stress the importance of laws and their purpose in maintaining the health and welfare of society as well as peace and order.

• Law Literacy: The primary purpose is to increase participants’ knowledge base regarding common crimes that teens and young adults often find themselves charged with. A secondary purpose of the lesson is to influence decision-making such that participants will avoid purposely or inadvertently engaging in criminal activity. The final purpose of the lesson is to help participants analyze, evaluate, and correct behavior that may lead to entanglement into the criminal justice system.

• Law Enforcement Engagement: The purpose is to educate participants on the proper ways to respond during encounters with law enforcement and how to handle police misconduct— during, and after, the time the misconduct takes place. Secondly, we will explore what Community Policing is and is not. Lastly, we will discuss the realities of working in Law Enforcement.

Allison Gunn, MA, Office Supervisor, Wellness Center
Maria Spade, MA, Adaptive Technology Specialist, Wellness Center

This poster session examines how propaganda and hate speech contributed to the execution of genocidal acts in history. For the purpose of this session, our starting point will be the Holocaust, and we will explore additional topics such as the Rwandan Genocide and conflicts in Darfur. We will show how propaganda, hate, speech, and fake news dehumanize targeted groups throughout the world, and how these tactics are important parts of perpetrators’ plans for mass executions.

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to recognize the effects propaganda, hate speech, and fake news have in the destruction of persons. Participants will also be able to identify reliable sources and have tools to use to stand up to hate speech.

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Allison Gunn, MA, is the Office Supervisor for Health Services.  She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Gettysburg College in History and Secondary Education, with a Master of Arts from Stockton University in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and a Master of Arts in Counselor Education from The College of New Jersey. 

Maria Spade, MA, is the Adaptive Technology Specialist for the Learning Access Program, the University’s disability support services office.  She received a Bachelor of Arts in History, a Master of Arts in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and a Master of Arts in Instructional Technology from Stockton University. 

Jerrica Michelle Davis, Undergraduate
Samantha Alip, Undergraduate

This poster session examines a timeline of events related to the Identity Evropa incident at Stockton University during the fall 2017 semester. Identity Evropa is a white supremacy group that illegally posted recruitment flyers on campus. Students in Professor Betsy Erbaugh’s class “Perspectives on Women” responded to the incident by planning “Stockton Marches for Equality”, a rally and march around campus which protested hate, racism, and sexism on campus. The poster includes photos of students, faculty, and community members at the rally and march. The poster also includes Stockton email communications and local news articles documenting the events related to Identity Evropa on campus. Students also were able to help create an archive of this information for the Stockton University library, which will be available to students researching the events for years to come.

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Jerrica Michelle Davis is a junior social work major, who transferred from Cumberland County College in fall 2017.  She works as a unit clerk for Surgical Services at Inspira Health Network.  She also serves on the Inspira Millennial Advisory Committee.

 

Student presenter (TBA)

Gail Rosenthal, Director Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center
Mary Johnson, Adjunct Faculty, Holocaust and Genocide Studies Program

We as educators are challenged to assist in the prevention of bullying, microaggression, and bias acts in education settings. This case study session promotes the strategy of creating a safe environment by discussing case studies of bullying and bias acts. The participants will have time to speak and listen to each other as the case studies are explored.  The presentation will include a discussion about listening and respecting others. The project that is proposed begins with the first step that is needed; a discussion of the presence of bias acts such as bullying and then to strategize a plan for preventing the acts.

It is human nature to gravitate towards those who look and act like yourself. Stereotyping, the labeling of “others,” will be discussed by using identity charts. The concept of “Universe of Obligation” will be shared and discussed among the participants.  This is a valuable technique and teaching approach because those deemed as “different” are usually targets for bullying, microaggression, and bias acts. We will show examples of how those seen as “not normal” to be excluded. Small breakout groups will develop tool boxes for responding to bullying, microaggression, and bias acts. The purpose of this presentation and expected outcome is to develop strategies and sensitivity for taking action when injustice is witnessed against others in an education setting as well as in the community.

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Gail Rosenthal coordinates and leads seminars and workshop for educators and students with the goal of educating future generations about the power of uniting against prejudice and hate. She is a certified early childhood and elementary school educator. As an adjunct faculty member, she offers courses dedicated to Holocaust and Genocide education and in addition supervises an internship course in the Holocaust Resource Center. She received her a Master of Arts in Holocaust and Genocide Studies from Stockton College.

Dr. Mary Johnson is the Senior Historian for Facing History and Ourselves, an international teacher training organization.  She conducts seminars and research on a wide variety of topics including modern genocide, the American Civil Rights Movement, media literacy and human rights.   Currently, she is working on the Nanjing Safety Zone and its contemporary significance. She received a Ph.D. from Temple University.

Joseph Levin, Esq., Southern Poverty Law Center

The Southern Poverty Law Center is dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society. Using litigation, education, and other forms of advocacy, the SPLC works toward the day when the ideals of equal justice and equal opportunity will be a reality.  The SPLC monitors hate groups and other extremists throughout the United States and expose their activities to the public, the media and law enforcement. The SPLC is dedicated to reducing prejudice, improving intergroup relations and supporting equitable school experiences for our nation's children.

The Civil Rights Memorial is located across the street from the Southern Poverty Law Center's office building in Montgomery, Alabama, a city rich with civil rights history.  The memorial was designed by Maya Lin who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  The Civil Rights Memorial Center is adjacent to the Memorial. In addition to exhibits about Civil Rights Movement martyrs, the Memorial Center houses a 56-seat theater, a classroom for educational activities, and the Wall of Tolerance.

A circular black granite table records the names of the martyrs and chronicles the history of the movement in lines that radiate like the hands of a clock. Water emerges from the table's center and flows evenly across the top. On a curved black granite wall behind the table is engraved Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s well-known paraphrase of Amos 5:24 - We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Civil Rights Memorial invites visitors to touch the engraved names. As Lin envisioned, the Memorial plaza is "a contemplative area — a place to remember the Civil Rights Movement, to honor those killed during the struggle, to appreciate how far the country has come in its quest for equality, and to consider how far it has to go."

The Memorial is just around the corner from the church where Dr. King served as pastor during the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955-1956, and the Alabama Capitol steps where the Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march ended in 1965. The Memorial is located on an open plaza accessible to visitors 24 hours a day, every day of the week.

Lori Vermeulen, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

This deep dive session will engage attendees in a discussion about the role and responsibility of public higher education institutions in developing qualities of empathy, compassion, and resilience in its students.  The alignment of these qualities with several of Stockton’s Essential Learning Outcomes such as Adapting to Change, Critical Thinking, Ethical Reasoning, and Global Awareness will be discussed.

Mindfulness practices are reported to support the development of qualities such as focus, creativity, clarity, acceptance, patience, openness, empathy, compassion, and resilience (Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Coming to Our Senses:  Healing Ourselves and the World. New York: Hyperion, 2005).  Participants will consider if and how mindfulness practice could be used to develop such qualities in the secular setting of public higher education in addition to other more traditional approaches.

Upon reflecting on all of these elements, participants will consider the role of higher education as part of a systemic solution to eradicating hate.  This session will be an interactive session where participants will work in small discussion groups and provide reflections back to the entire group.

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Dr. Lori Vermeulen has served in her current position since June of 2016. She brings more than 20 years of experience in higher education to her primary responsibility as chief academic officer. In this role, she oversees the work of Stockton’s seven Schools and numerous offices, centers, and institutes that support Stockton’s academic mission.   She currently chairs the Steering Committee for the Stockton Exhibition Project.  Dr. Vermeulen joined the Stockton community after serving nine years as Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at West Chester University of Pennsylvania.  Previously, Dr. Vermeulen was employed at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where she held several administrative and faculty roles, including Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.  She currently chairs the Steering Committee for the Stockton Exhibition Project.  She earned her doctorate in chemistry from Princeton University in 1994.  Dr. Vermeulen has presented on mindful leadership practices in higher education administration twice at the national meeting of the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences and has served as a consultant in leadership development for a number of campuses.

Niya Calloway, Student-Athlete, Field Hockey
Nicole Pallante, Student-Athlete, Women’s Soccer
Omar Dogbey, Student-Athlete, Men’s Track & Field
Darrell Cleveland, Associate Professor of Education
Michael Rodriguez, Associate Professor of Political Science
Linda Yost, Associate Director Athletics/Senior Women’s Administrator
Greg Ruttler, Head Men’s Soccer Coach
Kevin McHugh, Executive Director of Athletics

The learning lab will examine freedom of speech and hate speech issues as they relate to recent National Anthem protests and the subsequent polemic that began when NFL player Colin Kapernick declined to stand for the playing of the National Anthem, then later kneeled, prior to NFL football games.

Since Kaepernick’s protest, a number of professional athletes have silently protested as well, principally over issues of police brutality and racial inequality. Those protests have been met by some who have called the protesters unpatriotic and disrespectful of the flag, the anthem, the police and the military. The rhetoric against the protesters ratcheted further after President Trump advised NFL owners to say "Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he's fired. He's fired!"  Trump called the players' protest "a total disrespect of our heritage."

The National Anthem protest issue continues to comprise a division across the country about freedom of speech and freedom of expression. It has also spawned debate on both sides of the divide that has often generated what is considered to be hate speech. The panel invites the audience to participate with them in the discussion about these issues.

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Niya Calloway is a sophomore and a multi-seasonal athlete playing both Field Hockey and Lacrosse.  She plans on furthering her studies focused on communications with a concentration in general media. In addition to having a minor in Africana studies, Niya has completed multiple courses that encompass racial history and has spent time in South Africa researching and experiencing diverse cultures. With her interests of creating a future career in communications with the media, freedom of speech and expression, as well as hate speech, all play a role in the career Niya plans to make for herself.  Niya holds these topics close to heart and is passionate on her views regarding such.

Nicole Pallante is a goalkeeper and captain of the women's soccer team. She is a third-year health science major, with a concentration in pre-physical therapy. Nicole is also involved on campus as a member of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, Coalition for Women's Rights, and the Undergraduate Physical Therapy Club.

Omar Dogbey is a senior math major studying to be an actuary.  He is a member of the Osprey track and field team. Omar’s primary events are the sprints and hurdles. Over the course of the past four years, he has been an invaluable worker for the Athletic Department doing much behind the scenes to facilitate events.  Omar is a volunteer coach for his local track club.  Recently, Omar was selected for one of a handful of prestigious NCAA Student Immersion Grants that gave him an opportunity to attend the 2018 NCAA Convention in Indianapolis.

Dr. Darrell Cleveland has taught as a middle school teacher in the School District of Philadelphia, worked with at risk youth, individuals with mental illness, and the drug and alcohol population. He received a Ph.D. in Education from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a M.Ed. in Elementary Education from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA and a Bachelor’s degree in African-American studies from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.

Dr. Michael Rodriguez is Campus Liaison of the Washington Internship Program. He has taught at Stockton since January 2006 and has degrees from Princeton, the University of TX at Austin, and Temple University.

Linda Yost is responsible for NCAA and Title IX compliance, student-athlete success, development and well-being, oversight of sports information and marketing, and intercollegiate sports scheduling. Prior to coming to Stockton, Ms. Yost served as the Associate Director/Director of Club Sports at Rutgers University. She spent 20 years as a head and assistant basketball coach on the collegiate level with stops at Brooklyn College, Rutgers University-Newark, Drew University and Seton Hall University.   Additionally, she spent seven years as an Adaptive Physical Education teacher in the NYC school system. She received a Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education from The Ohio State University and a M.S. Ed. in Sports Management from Brooklyn College.

Greg Ruttler served as the Men’s Soccer Assistant Coach prior to becoming Head Men’s Soccer Coach.  He received a B.A. in Criminal Justice from the University, was a key member of the 2001 National Championship Soccer team and was an All-American.  He played professional soccer with the NJ Stallions of the United Soccer League and the NY/NJ Metro Stars Reserve Team of the MLS.

Kevin McHugh was the Athletic Director at Bates College for ten years and at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) for 20 years.  While at TCNJ, he was named NACDA General Sports Turf Systems Athletic Director of The Year and was inducted into the NCAA Division III Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  McHugh received a B.A. in Latin American Studies from Columbia University where he also wrestled for four years and was captain of the squad his junior and senior year.  He also holds an M.S in Sport Management from the University of Massachusetts.

Victoria Estrada-Reynolds, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Zornitsa Kalibatseva, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Kaite Yang, Assistant Professor of Psychology

In this learning lab session, participants will learn about research on the psychological impacts of racial discrimination and the application of prejudice reduction theories and interventions.

The negative effect of racial discrimination on both physical and mental health is well-documented (Pascoe & Richman, 2009). In particular, individuals who experience racial discrimination report increased levels of stress, depression, anxiety, and psychosis (Paradies et al., 2015). Microaggressions are a less overt form of racial discrimination defined as “daily verbal, behavioral and environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory or negative racial slights and insults” (Sue et al., 2006). This presentation will focus on various types of microaggressions that may be experienced by different racial groups (e.g., Asian, Latino/a, Black, White, and multicultural) and their relationship with mental health. Implications for counseling racially diverse clients will be discussed.

Although overt racial prejudice has decreased in the last half century, subtle forms of prejudice and discrimination still persist, such as hiring and criminal sentencing inequality (Ford, Gambino, Lee, Mayo, & Ferguson, 2004; Gaertner & Dovidio, 1986; Johnson, 2008). Given existing racial disparities and the current negative state of race relations in the U.S. (Pew, 2017), psychological research has more recently focused on reducing racial prejudice and discrimination. A summary of prejudice-reduction techniques will be presented to illustrate the benefits and limitations of practical strategies used to reduce implicit and explicit biases.

According to intergroup contact theory, experiencing positive, egalitarian interactions and friendships with diverse individuals promotes prosocial attitudes and anti-discriminatory beliefs (Allport, 1954). More than 500 empirical studies have produced evidence that frequent positive contact with diverse peers is consistently associated with prejudice reduction (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). Intergroup contact theory was used as a basis for a service-learning project in PSYC 2201 Adolescence. Students in this class engaged in reciprocal interviews and conversation clubs with international students in the ELS English Language Center. Practical applications and extensions of the theory in classrooms and college settings will be discussed.

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Dr. Victoria Estrada-Reynolds’ research is primarily focused on racial stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination, juror decision making, and attitudes towards police officers. Courses taught include Introduction to Psychology, Social Psychology, and Experimental Psychology.  She received her Ph.D. from University of Wyoming and her Masters and Bachelors from the University of Texas at El Paso.

Dr. Zornitsa Kalibatseva’s research focuses on understanding the influence of culture on psychopathology in culturally diverse individuals. In particular, she examines the prevalence, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of depression among racially and ethnically diverse populations and immigrants in the U.S. She also studies the effects of discrimination and microaggressions on minority mental health.  She regularly teaches abnormal psychology, personality psychology, cross-cultural psychology, and culture and mental health.  She received her Ph.D. and Masters from Michigan State University and a Bachelors from Kenyon College.

Dr. Kaite Yang’s primary research interests include examining differences in sensitivity to social feedback, gender and depression, and the psychological consequences of fast and slow thought speed. She teaches Adolescent Psychology, Experimental Psychology, and Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She has presented her service-learning practice and pedagogy at the AAC&U Global Engagement and Social Responsibility Conference, the Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Meeting, and the Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum Conference.  She received her Ph.D. and Masters from Princeton University and Bachelors from Dartmouth College.

Shedia Christopher, Assistant Director of Student Development
Tiffany J. Rice, Complex Director

A canary in a coal mine is an advanced warning of some danger. The metaphor originates from the times when miners used to carry caged canaries while at work; if there was any methane or carbon monoxide in the mine, the canary would die before the levels of the gas reached those hazardous to humans. Microaggressions are often referred to as carbon monoxide. Microaggressions are the manifestation of oppressive worldviews that create, foster, and enforce marginalization.  Since most people regard themselves as decent, honorable and ethical, the enlightenment that we all hold a biased worldview can be discouraging and upsetting. As a result, people tend to deny, explain away or diminish the presence of Microaggressions. In this session participants will learn about microaggressions, develop an awareness of everyday microaggressions, understand the way our communications may (unintentionally) marginalize others, and reflect on ways to address and challenge microaggressions to foster inclusive communication.

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Shedia Christopher is an Assistant Director of Student Development. She started her academic journey in Antigua and Barbuda West Indies and completed secondary school in Harlem, NY. She received her Bachelor’s Degree at SUNY Geneseo and her Master in Counseling with a specialization in Student Development at Central Connecticut State University. Her professional experience ranges from Residence Life, Student Conduct, Access Programs and Campus Life. She prides herself on being student centered, hardworking, innovative, passionate and supportive. This native New Yorker enjoys family, faith, and food. She is also an active member of the Family Church NJ in Voorhees, NJ.

Tiffany Rice supervises a staff of 14 Resident Assistants (RAs) and currently manages the department’s marketing and social media efforts. In addition to supervising her RAs, Tiffany also dedicates her time to advising several clubs and organizations like the Unified Black Student Society and the Stockton Fashion Club. This semester, Tiffany is teaching her first course at Stockton, Africana Male and Female Relations. She is a member of the Historically Black Greek Sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and is actively involved in the local Alumnae chapter. She is also a member of the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) where she is the Public Relations co-chair of the Pan-African Network that is committed to addressing and promoting issues as they relate to people of African heritage in higher education. Tiffany graduated from William Paterson University with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Africana World Studies in 2011 and from Drexel University in 2014, where she obtained her Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration.

Detective Kim Nelson-Edwards, Montclair Police Department

The Law & Your Community is a nationally recognized hands-on interactive training program for young people, typically ages 13-18, designed to improve their communications with law enforcement officers and their understanding of their federal, state and local laws. Components of the program include:

• Citizenship: The primary purpose of this module is to provide a short but insightful education of how our representative democracy works and the role that citizens play in this system. Emphasis is placed on the power that citizens have to affect the direction of their government by being active participants in the electoral process. Another purpose of the module is to show you why and how laws are made at the local, state, and national levels. A third purpose of the lesson is to stress the importance of laws and their purpose in maintaining the health and welfare of society as well as peace and order.

• Law Literacy: The primary purpose is to increase participants’ knowledge base regarding common crimes that teens and young adults often find themselves charged with. A secondary purpose of the lesson is to influence decision-making such that participants will avoid purposely or inadvertently engaging in criminal activity. The final purpose of the lesson is to help participants analyze, evaluate, and correct behavior that may lead to entanglement into the criminal justice system.

• Law Enforcement Engagement: The purpose is to educate participants on the proper ways to respond during encounters with law enforcement and how to handle police misconduct— during, and after, the time the misconduct takes place. Secondly, we will explore what Community Policing is and is not. Lastly, we will discuss the realities of working in Law Enforcement.

Guia Calicdan-Apostle, Associate Professor of Social Work & 2017-2019 International Faculty Fellow

This case study presentation involves a critical analysis of a 35-minute video, An Unlikely Friendship: A Diane Bloom Documentary Film, an extraordinary narrative of the lives of two people who created a pathway to peace during the era of Civil Rights movement.  Through their participation in a program to eradicate poverty in Durham, NC, C.P. Ellis, an Exalted Grand Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan, and Ann Atwater, an outspoken African American community activist experienced personal transformations that lasted a lifetime.   This session will contextualize the meaning of hate and help the audience process an alternative way to combat hate and violence. Session attendees will also be asked to commit themselves to present the video within their spheres of influence, guided by the pre and post procedures distributed during the facilitator’s presentation.

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Dr. Calicdan-Apostle teaches Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity in both undergraduate and graduate levels and have been teaching these courses for the past 7 years. She also teaches advanced graduate course on Advanced Cultural Competence to MSW students. Her areas of concentration are spirituality and mental health, school social work, international social work, racism, immigration and cultural diversity issues, public health advocacy (tobacco control). She is a member of Committee on Campus Diversity and Inclusive Excellence and convener of its Social Justice and Education Diversity and Inclusion Committee.  She is advisor to Pilipino-American Students Association of Stockton (PASAS), an organization with over 40 active student membership of first and second generation Filipino and Filipino-American students.  She received Doctor in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania, a Masters in Social Work from the Asian Social Institute in the Philippines, and a Bachelors in Social Work from the Philippine Women's University.

Adjoe Cofie, Student Senate, Co-chair Faculty Senate Task Force on Hate Speech in Academia and Student Worker, Office of Student Development

This deep dive session explores the meaning and significance of prejudice and bias, where and why these thoughts formulate in our minds, ways to recognize forms prejudice, bias and micro-aggressions, effects (physical, mental, and health) of such issues on public, ways to respond to instances of micro-aggressions, prejudice and bias.  This session covers the importance of diversity in academia and working places, instances where prejudice and bias generate and why, ways to recognize it and become aware, micro-aggressions definitions, interactive exercises for audience to discuss with each other and understand how to recognize micro-aggressions and how perspectives differ among people, use of videos to further support material presented, tips on how to promote diversity and inclusion in working settings/organizations.

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Adjoa Cofie is a junior, pursuing a LIBA degree in Global Sciences of Women’s Health with a concentration in pre-Medicine. She has been an active student on campus, as she currently serves as the Secretary for the African Student Organization, Secretary for Model United Nations, and Class of 2019 Representative for Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society.  She is member of The Activity Leaders of New Students and on the board of the Public Relations Committee on Student Senate, serving also as the co-chair of the Faculty Senate Task Force on Hate Speech in Academia. She was a panelist at the 2017 Diversity Issues in Higher Education Conference hosted by Berkeley College joining other student panelists in discussing how institutions can support inclusiveness and diversity.  Passionate about women rights and education, Adjoa served on the Commission of the Status of Women representing Finland during the NMUN 2016 conference, and will return to NMUN 2018 conference as a delegate for International Organization for Migration (Nicaragua). 

Jill Zinckgraf, MPA, Graduate Student in Organizational Leadership Program & Executive Director of the Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Crisis Center of Warren County

Sexual terrorism is a key social theory that is crucial in understanding how interpersonal violence is portrayed and subsequently responded to in our contemporary society.  Sexual Terrorism argues that we live in an institutionalized system by which males frighten, and by frightening, control and dominate females (as well as other males that do not fight within the social construct of masculinity). This workshop will examine the five (5) cultural components needed to support the objectification and subsequent acceptance of interpersonal violence in contemporary American culture.  These components are ideology, propaganda, indiscriminate and amoral violence, voluntary compliance, and society’s perception of the terrorist and terrorized.  Additionally, we will look at movements of change that have positive impacts towards social justice. This training will assist in understanding the macro level systems that impact people and create barriers for healing and positive forward movement.  Understanding the breadth and depth of misogyny, participants will be able to explore and develop tools to create positive, impactful, and relevant strategies countering sexual terrorism at its root.  Presenter will present information through a different lens when looking at violence against women and challenge what they believe they already know.  This is a dialectical presentation that stimulates thoughtful and thought-provoking conversation among participants.  Many of the exercises presented can be duplicated in participants’ own communities.

This deep dive session will provide participants with an understanding of the foundation that patriarchy exists and thrives and subsequently its impact on our individual communities.  The activities in the training draw heavily from the participant’s experiences, observations and reality within their specific micro-cultures and will give the opportunity for each to look deeply and critically.  This training provides a strong foundational setting to work within this movement and will be relevant in their community.   I are prepared to share all the training materials with participants so it can be duplicated and tailored to meet the needs in their respective communities.

The session has tangible outcomes with changing attitudes and beliefs. This session also provides the opportunity to grow a deeper understanding of sexual terrorism and misogyny, which will better provide for a collaborative effort to develop communities working towards anti-violence.  Participants will be able to understand the dynamics of sexual terrorism, understand how misogyny is institutionalized in our culture, and identify ways to help combat sexual terrorism.

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Jill Zinckgraf is currently serving on the Board of Trustees for the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault as the Treasurer.  She has been working and/or volunteering in the field of violence against women since she was a teenager. Over the past 35 years Jill has focused on the cultural impact of domestic violence and sexual assault as institutional violence and the consumption and production of inequality. Over the last 20 years, she has presented the concept of sexual terrorism throughout New Jersey, including police departments, Administrative Offices of the Court, conferences, etc.  Her focus has been on the empowerment model of moving those impacted by interpersonal violence forward, as well as advocating and inspiring the future generation to reduce the violence against all people.

Travis Love, Activist in Residence

The Story Slam series has been going strong for the last four years, bringing young and old alike to share their stories related to a particular theme.  While we do not censor storytellers, we hold no place for transphobia, homophobia, racism, sexism, nor ableism, at our slams. The audiences who attend the Story Slam reflect a diverse group of voices, appreciate the opportunity to express themselves, and know that they are coming to a safe space.

Travis is a firm believer in what James Baldwin speaks of identity.

“Identity would seem to be the garment with which one covers the nakedness of the self: in which case, it is best that the garment be loose, a little like the robes of the desert, through which one's nakedness can always be felt, and, sometimes, discerned. This trust in one's nakedness is all that gives one the power to change one's robes.” ― James Baldwin, The Price of the Ticket: Collected Nonfiction, 1948-1985

A great deal of our political and social climate is based around the idea that one’s identity is static, nonverbal ques on what’s considered “American” and what’s considered the “Other”. The Story Slam in its own peculiar way attempts to provide a balm to this climate, by uplifting voices that are often marginalized and/or erased completely and offering a space for those who want to contribute to healing our country’s historical divisiveness.

Arno Michaelis, Serve 2 Unite

From hate monger to peacemaker, Arno will engage the audience in his powerful narrative of transformation.  Arno will share his personal story of being transformed into an individual who helps others disengage from and counter hate and violent extremism in their own communities.