April promises to be a busy month for the California Community Colleges, as we celebrate the system’s inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Awareness Month, Financial Aid Awareness Month, Black Student Success Week and the 3rd annual California Community Colleges LGBTQ+ Summit. All month long there will be a number of awareness events, webinars and conversations that will help us all support the Vision for Success and build a system that truly works for all of our students. Please keep an eye on your email, the weekly Vision in Action newsletter and the Chancellor’s Office social media accounts for information about all of these important events throughout April.
This month we are thrilled to kick-off the California Community Colleges’ inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Awareness Month. This is a time for us as a greater community to highlight our commitment to building a more inclusive and equitable culture, and learning environment —and welcome new voices and leaders to join in the work ahead. The Chancellor’s Office invites students, faculty, staff members, institutional leaders and community partners to participate and engage in the conversation at the college level and join key activities taking place throughout the month, including a Chancellor’s Office systemwide webinar April 21.
Financial Aid Awareness Month kicks off April 1, with several community college financial aid offices hosting virtual workshops for students and parents who need help figuring out the types of aid for which they are eligible, including helping students who are applying for FAFSA and helping DREAMers apply for the CA Dream Act Application. Please encourage students and their families to learn more on the I Can Afford College website and find a financial aid workshop.
We are pleased to announce Black Student Success Week is April 26-30. Black Student Success Week will share research insights and innovative approaches for improving student success among Black and African American students at California Community Colleges. Daily webinars will be held throughout the week from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m., where we will engage in discussions exploring this year’s theme Follow the Money: Unapologetically Supporting Black Students.
Other topics throughout the week are April 27’s “The ADT Journey for African American Students,” April 28’s “Black Leadership in Higher Education,” April 29’s “Legislative Briefing and Advocacy Day” and April 30’s ¬“Faculty Diversity.” There will also be a virtual advocacy day on Thursday, April 29.
The third annual California Community Colleges LGBTQ+ Summit is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, April 28 and 29. Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley will open the conference with a keynote address. Breakout sessions include: ‘Before and After COVID-19: How to Initiate and Sustain a Successful LGBTQIA+ Initiative on Campus;’ ‘Challenges and Opportunities in Educating the Educators on LGBTQ+ Experience;’ and ‘Throwing a T-Party: How to Build Trans Spaces On-Campus, and many more important conversations on how to best support our LGBTQ+ students.’ Find more information here.
