UNCF Hosts Inaugural Virtual Social Justice Week
Washington, D.C., Nov. 12, 2021—UNCF (United Negro College Fund) will host its first annual Social Justice Week Nov. 15-18. Open to all HBCU students, alumni, faculty and friends, Social Justice Week is a week of virtual events that will engage the entire HBCU community and supporters in activities and dialogue centered on social justice issues. The week will feature events aimed at creating opportunities for learning and engagement on how communities can break down and overcome the deep-seated structural inequalities, all through the lens of people’s experiences and opportunities locally and nationally.
In 2019, UNCF began a formal social justice effort through a gift and partnership from the National Football League’s Inspire Change Foundation. The vision of this partnership is to create equal access in both life and education through federal advocacy and policy that preserves the tradition of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Since its founding, the UNCF social justice team has established an emergency student aid fund, engaged in the #HBCUsVotePower Campaign and made significant contributions to Second Chance Pell Grant programs.
“These events during social justice week are an example of how HBCUs lead in this space,” said Lodriguez Murray, UNCF’s senior vice president of public policy and government affairs. “As we look ahead, we will continue to seek out opportunities and provide events to educate and raise awareness to help show the need economic equity for underserved communities around the world via the intersection of social justice and HBCUs—an intersection that has changed our world will continue to do so. UNCF and the HBCU community are committed to working together to expand our impact and make meaningful progress towards systemic change.”
Who: UNCF
What: “Social Justice Week” upcoming events include:
· Nov. 15, 7 p.m. ET
o The Black Effect: Addressing the Importance of Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy
· Nov. 16, 7 p.m. ET
o The HBCU Summit: An Engaging Conversation About Issues Students Have Faced Over the Last Year
· Nov. 17, 7 p.m. ET
o Beyond the Glamor: Addressing Micro-Aggressions and Bias in the Fashion Industry
· Nov. 18, 7 p.m. ET
o This Is America: Addressing Why Your Voice and Your Activism Matters
When: Nov. 15-18, 2021
Where: To learn more and register for all events, please visit UNCF.org/socialjusticeweek.
How: Events will be streamed on Zoom, and recordings will be available on UNCF.org at the conclusion of the week.
UNCF relies on the knowledge and funding of a diverse network of partners to achieve its social justice mission. Sponsors of this event include: Bank of America, Gucci Change Makers, and Inspire Change.
UNCF’s Social Justice Week is designed to raise awareness and inspire further action. For partnership opportunities or additional information, please contact Thomas Dinkins at thomas.dinkins@UNCF.org. #UNCFSocialJusticeWeek
###
About UNCF
UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically Black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20% of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.