The fifth annual Juneteenth Symposium will take place June 20-21 at the Michigan League, showcasing two days of visual art, performances and thought-provoking discussions, all celebrating Black activism and progress.
“Juneteenth represents a pivotal step in integrating Black people as full citizens of the United States. This year’s symposium will explore the power of art to challenge authority and advance equality, sparking discussions about how African American activism and creative expression go hand in hand to advance social justice on our campus and beyond,” said Rachel Dawson, director of OAMI.
Juneteenth is a federal holiday celebrated on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. On that date in 1865, in the aftermath of the Civil War, federal troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, and announced that the state’s enslaved Blacks were free by executive decree.
The U-M symposium will kick off June 20 with a Juneteenth Interfaith Prayer Breakfast at the Trotter Multicultural Center, followed by an Activist Art Display at the Michigan League Concourse and Vandenberg Room.
The opening keynote address, titled “Effective Activism in the Age of Hate and Divisiveness,” will be delivered by Loretta J. Ross, activist, 2022 MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Award recipient and an associate professor at Smith College, in the Michigan League Ballroom. It will be followed by a panel discussion on “The Activist Artist Engaging with Community.”
The evening will feature a Negro League Baseball Display at the Ann Arbor Top of the Park – KidZone Tent and the Activist Art Display at the Ann Arbor Top of the Park Exhibit Tent.
The June 21 closing keynote will feature Debbie Mitchell Covington, director of strategic partnerships and equity initiatives in the College of Engineering, and post-disciplinary artist Damon Davis, who co-directed the documentary “Whose Streets?” about the 2014 uprisings in Ferguson, Missouri. They will speak on “Using Art as an Effective Means of Activism” in the Michigan League Ballroom, followed by “Activist Art in Action Live Performances.”
The event concludes with a Juneteenth Block Party at Regents Plaza.
Besides Ross and Davis, featured speakers include Harold Green, an artist, poet, and event producer; Sherrie Nunn-Berry, a renowned gospel singer; and U-M alumna Erika “Red” Stowall, who will perform an original dance for the event.
“No one in the world knows exactly how much OAMI does,” says Rachel Dawson, the Office of Academic and Multicultural Initiatives’ (OAMI) executive director, attempting to detail the organization’s vast impact. “OAMI’s menu of programs is significant. People participate in our programs all the time, not realizing it’s OAMI work.”
Dawson began her tenure as Director in October 2023 as the organization celebrates its 35th anniversary. She is just the third leader of the organization, a testament to its strength in serving students from a variety of backgrounds across the University of Michigan. In its early days, OAMI focused on supporting prospective students with pre-college programming. Today, OAMI works directly with current U-M students by providing mentorship and tutoring, hosting the annual cultural graduation ceremonies and Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium, providing a space where students can gather among peers, and so much more, including a renewed focus on developing student leaders. OAMI also employs approximately 80 students each year.
First and foremost, though, is a focus on student—and academic—success across all OAMI initiatives. It’s also Dawson’s passion that brought her to the role. Retaining students from underrepresented backgrounds and supporting them through graduation is integral to all current programming.
Dawson, an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan in the early 1990s studying biology and political science, described that the “campus energy was vibrant. There was a strong presence of Black people being very active and visible.” She acknowledges that she reaped the benefits of the student activism of BAM III, which occurred in 1987, as well as the energy and attention that came to campus life with U-M basketball’s famous Fab Five.
“The year I graduated was the highest percentage of Black students [to date]. We had a small Black community; it was very close-knit. It was the pre-technology age. We didn’t have cell phones. We didn’t own computers—we went to the computer lab. So we all knew each other, we supported each other and built authentic, close-knit relationships. I felt included. I felt welcomed.”
Although she did not know of OAMI during her tenure as a student, Dawson said she was very aware of the MLK Symposium, and was a student volunteer for its annual Unity March.
Dawson thinks it’s more difficult now to be a student of color at U-M, with “dwindling enrollment numbers,” and “the divisive times in which we live,” citing “anti-DEI” and “anti-Blackness” in particular. That’s where OAMI comes in. Even though “Michigan has committed so many resources to create a campus climate of inclusion and belonging,” Dawson knows that students of all backgrounds struggle to find these comfortable spaces across a vast and decentralized campus. “We need to make the students feel that they’re caught in a web, a network of resources, and not lost in a circle of confusion. My hope is that the staff and faculty can make this less confusing for them and help them find the resources that are here to benefit them.”
Despite this focus, Dawson notes that the first-generation student population is the largest group of students for whom OAMI provides support. These students, she says, are “mainly white and from rural Michigan,” dispelling the notion that OAMI is only a place for students of color. Those who are Hispanic, Native American, Middle Eastern and North African (MENA), Asian and Pacific Islander, and Undocumented, all have dedicated programs in OAMI. But as a Black woman leading OAMI, Dawson said that Black students are “a population I have concerns about. They are probably the population least engaged by OAMI. I intend to dedicate focused attention to reaching out to our Black students.”
I’m here. I care. I see you. I hear you. I’m here for you. I was once one of you. Let’s build a relationship in OAMI for you.
She says specifically to them: “I’m here. I care. I see you. I hear you. I’m here for you. I was once one of you. Let’s build a relationship in OAMI for you.”
At a time when campus support is needed more than ever for students from a multiplicity of backgrounds, Dawson could not be more energized about the work she has ahead. “OAMI is going to help students be successful at Michigan. We’re going to retain them at Michigan, and improve the graduation rates for students at Michigan. I am very excited to be able to be the voice fighting for our students, for this work, and for programs such as ours.”
To learn more about OAMI, including programs and events, visit oami.umich.edu.
The University of Michigan is gearing up for the milestone 50th “Dance for Mother Earth” Powwow, a vibrant celebration of Native American traditions set to take place on March 22-23 at Skyline High School in Ann Arbor.
Organized by the Office of Academic and Multicultural Initiatives (OAMI) in collaboration with the Native American Student Association (NASA), this event will draw hundreds of Native American dancers, singers, drummers, and artists. The Powwow promises a spectacular showcase of performances and crafts, offering attendees an immersive experience of the rich cultural heritage of Native American communities.
Guests can expect to be immersed in traditional drumming rhythms, the masterful footwork of dancers, and the evocative beauty of Native American songs. Beyond the performances, the Powwow will provide educational exhibitions and storytelling sessions, allowing attendees to deepen their understanding of Native American traditions.
“As we celebrate this milestone of the 50th Powwow event at the University of Michigan, it’s equally important that it recognizes the commitment to cultivating an impactful relationship between Native communities and the University of Michigan over the past half-century,” says Hector Galvan, Assistant Director for OAMI and program coordinator of the Powwow. “The success of this event is in large part to this relationship.”
One of the event’s highlights is the array of vendors and craftspeople offering authentic Native American crafts, jewelry, textiles, and various traditional foods. These vendors play a crucial role in preserving and sharing the cultural heritage, allowing visitors to take a piece of the vibrant culture and its artistic expression home.
The roots of the “Dance for Mother Earth” Powwow trace back to its inception in 1972, and it has since evolved into one of the largest university Powwows in the nation.
Open to the public, this event honors the past and celebrates the present while nurturing the continuing vibrant spirit of the Powwow for future generations.
The “Dance for Mother Earth” Powwow welcomes attendees of all ages, with tickets available at the door. Special discounts are offered for students and seniors. For detailed information about the event, including a schedule of performances and activities, interested individuals can visit powwow.umich.edu.
The University of Michigan community is invited to explore “Transforming the Jangling Discords of Our Nation into a Beautiful Symphony” as the theme of its 2024 symposium honoring civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
As one of the nation’s largest celebrations of King’s life and legacy sponsored by higher education, the annual symposium’s theme will call on the community to grapple with the nature of ongoing discord around the globe, and to examine the role of individuals and members of society to create a world where harmony is possible.
Michelle Alexander, legal scholar, social justice advocate, columnist at The New York Times and visiting professor at Union Theological Seminary, will deliver the memorial keynote lecture at 10 a.m. Jan. 15, 2024, at Hill Auditorium. It also will be livestreamed.
Author of the acclaimed bestseller “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness,” Alexander peels back the curtain on systemic racism in the prison system and offers insights on how to end the racial caste in America.
During her keynote she will explore the myths surrounding the criminal justice system from a racial and ethical standpoint, and offer solutions for combating this epidemic.
This year’s theme focuses on an essential element of the ministry and social justice advocacy of King, and his belief in the transformative power of faith, hope and love to mend the rifts in society.
He articulated his dream of racial equality and social and economic justice in his historic “I Have a Dream” speech, which includes the quote, “With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.”
This statement encapsulates a profound vision of unity, peace and reconciliation in the face of discord and division.
The keynote is co-sponsored by the Stephen M. Ross School of Business and Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives under the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
OAMI Director Rachel Dawson, who assumed the role in October, reflected on the importance of the MLK Symposium to OAMI and to her experience as a student at U-M.
“It is humbling and inspiring to move from an MLK student volunteer who embraced the tradition of student activism at the university to be the director that host this event where I can pass the torch to the next generation of student leaders and honor the traditions of MLK to fight for justice, work for peace, embrace a love for all humanity and eliminate the stain of anti-black racism,” she said.
The event, which is free and open to the public, also will feature a live piano performance by Detroit-based artist and composer BLKBOK.
As part of the campuswide initiative to honor King, departments and units around campus will facilitate a range of activities throughout January. Departments that would like their events featured on the symposium’s website can submit their event information online on the MLK Symposium events page.
Other aspects of the MLK Symposium are still being planned and will be posted on the event page once finalized.
For 35 years, the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives (OAMI) has nurtured students and staff, developing leaders across the University of Michigan. While the organization’s mission is broadly to serve and foster an intellectually and culturally diverse community, cultivating future generations of leaders is embedded in its DNA, with many former participants now leading programs and offices throughout the campus and beyond.
“There was a lot of attention brought to how to do things right, how to develop as a leader, and also how to develop others in their leadership roles,” recalls University of Michigan Athletics Director Warde Manuel, who directed the Wade H. McCree Junior Incentive Scholars Program in the early 1990s for OAMI.
Developing leaders cannot be done without robust leadership in place, and OAMI has benefited from transformative leadership throughout its history.
Founded in 1988, OAMI was created as a result of the Black Action Movement and the United Coalition Against Racism. Dr. John Matlock, who passed away earlier this year, served as OAMI’s inaugural director and assistant vice provost for the University; his influence in developing these future leaders is still widely recognized. He worked alongside the University’s first vice provost for minority affairs, Dr. Charles Moody, in developing many of OAMI’s early outreach initiatives. Gloria Taylor, OAMI’s second director, joined OAMI in 1997 and became executive director in 2013; she retired this fall after a decade at the helm.
For its first 25 years, OAMI focused on community outreach, with a particular emphasis on connecting with future college students in underserved communities. Signature programs included the King Chavez Parks Program (KCP), which today is part of the GEAR UP program through the Center for Educational Outreach, and the annual MLK Symposium. KCP, an outreach program for Detroit high school students that, for many, presented the first introduction to the University of Michigan, as well as to the possibility of attending college, simultaneously served as the introduction to OAMI for many future leaders.
[Panel discussion at the 2023 MLK Symposium, a featured program of OAMI]
“I got involved with OAMI before I even knew about the office,” reflects Ayanna McConnell, president and CEO of the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan. McConnell participated in the King-Chavéz Parks program when she was a student at Detroit’s Renaissance High School. As a U-M undergrad in 1993, she applied to become a student counselor for KCP as a way to “help out the next generation of students.” But what she gained, she says, was “access to the staff who worked [at OAMI] at the time,” as well as a “home away from home on campus, and a community that offered not only employment, but community and resources.”
Dr. Marie Ting, assistant vice provost for equity, inclusion & academic affairs, also got her start with OAMI through KCP. During her undergrad, Ting welcomed participating high school students to the University of Michigan campus. She notes that there were very few Asian-American student leaders in the program, which was particularly notable when a bus arrived on the Ann Arbor campus with Hmong students, a population that, from her understanding, did not send many to college. Connecting with these potential first-generation college students was critical for Ting, as a key element of bringing high school students to the U-M campus was so they could see others like themselves in a college setting.
She noticed this discrepancy, realizing that there was an opportunity to connect Asian-American students. She says she “pitched this idea,” to Dr. Matlock. “He gave me money for a bus and some food, which was amazing and blew my mind. … this was my first exposure to this director changing the course of my life by saying, ‘yes, you have a great idea, and I’ll give you some resources to make this happen.’” Ultimately, Ting created a program for Hmong students from Detroit to visit the University of Michigan, which, she says, “is how I started as a student leader.”
Over time, She went on to become a full-time OAMI employee, eventually designing the Student Academic Multicultural Initiatives (SAMI) program with Matlock, honing her own Asian-American identity and the perception of Asian Americans within diversity work.
What is the students’ role? How can they become more engaged in the design of these programs?
Gloria Taylor
Former Director, OAMI
When Gloria Taylor joined OAMI after working in U-M’s Detroit Admissions Office, she too, was connected with KCP as the director of the King Chavez College Day program. In this position, she hosted over 2,000 middle and high schools annually that attended day and week-long visits in an effort to promote higher education to underrepresented students in southeastern Michigan.
When Taylor became OAMI’s director, the organization pivoted from focusing on the pre-college experience to engaging with students and “student development” once they had matriculated to the University of Michigan. However, the support for students within OAMI never wavered.
“What is the students’ role? How can they become more engaged in the design of these programs?” she recalls asking, echoing her predecessor’s commitment to encouraging students to guide programming.
These undergraduate and graduate students who joined OAMI were often given responsibilities that transcended their experience. Noted Manuel, “At a young age for me, at 22-years-old, they allowed a lot of flexibility in terms of how to develop the programs, how to support the high school students to develop and matriculate and be successful academically,” he said of Drs. Moody and Matlock.
“You give people guidance, you let them develop the programming to how they see it, and then help tweak it. They weren’t micromanaging,” which he notes is something he tries to emulate with his staff today. “I give them a set of expectations and what we’re trying to do, and I ask them how to best solve this issue, as opposed to me as a leader always trying to solve the problem for people.”
One way in which these student leaders were empowered to establish their own initiatives was by leadership, with Matlock providing them with the financial resources and capital to be successful.
“He really loved new ideas,” says Ting. “He nurtured an environment where if you have a great idea, he will find the resources. I think I took that with me working with student leaders. He understood that money should not be the source of suppressing good ideas.”
Dr. Matlock would allow you the space to be creative and to propose new ideas.
Katrina Wade-Golden
Associate Vice Provost, Deputy Chief Diversity Officer, & Director of Implementation for the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategic Plan
Dr. Katrina Wade-Golden, associate vice provost, deputy chief diversity officer, and director of implementation for the diversity, equity and inclusion strategic plan, worked in OAMI’s research arm from 1990 to 2015. It was there, she says, that at the age of 18 she attended her first national conference, gaining access to resources and networks unheard of for young scholars.
Working on the nationally recognized Michigan Student Study, Wade-Golden worked closely with Dr. Gerald Gurin and Dr. Matlock to examine the factors that both foster and inhibit making the educational experience at Michigan diverse, equitable and inclusive. As a first-year student, she was hired to do data entry. By the time she left OAMI, she was the research director. “Jerry [Gurin] taught me everything I know about the ins and outs of research,” she says, while “John [Matlock] would set you up with the resources you needed and would allow you the space to be creative and to propose new ideas.”
In October 2023, OAMI began its next chapter with Dr. Rachel Dawson as its director. Although leadership has changed over time, a legacy of unwavering support for students remains deeply ingrained in the culture.
My hope for OAMI moving forward is that we continue to evolve and grow in our delivery of holistic success services in support of our students during their time at U-M and beyond with a keen focus on high academic achievement, true multicultural inclusion that centers and amplifies the voices of our diverse community, and the fostering of leadership on campus and in the community.
