Democracy and Dialogues Initiative

Members of the UConn community are invited to come together on Inauguration Day 2021 for a dialogue on strengthening our democracy. The present historic moment demands robust participation in our political system and commitment to the values upon which it is built. But what do we want our democracy to look like? How can we support participation by all members of our community in the work of self-government at UConn and beyond? Join us for small group facilitated conversations exploring our experiences, concerns, aspirations, and ideas for the future of democracy.

How does it work?
After a short introduction and orientation by the organizers, each participant will be randomly assigned to a breakout group to dialogue with other members of the UConn community, guided by a trained facilitator. The conversation will be broken up into rounds allowing exploration of various aspects of our theme. At the conclusion of those rounds, all participants will reconvene and each breakout group will share highlights of their conversation with the larger group.

For more information and to register for the zoom link, visit: https://democracyanddialogues.dodd.uconn.edu/2021/01/14/1-20-21-democracy-and-community-dialogue/

Thursday, February 18, 6:00-8:00pm

Hosted by the Hartford History Center at Hartford Public Library

When was the first time you got down on the dance floor, sprayed paint on an outdoor wall, or listened to rap on the radio? Maybe hip hop has never really been part of your life. Hip Hop is a global arts movement that was started by Black and Puerto Rican youth in the early 1970s in the South Bronx as a response to the criminalization of youth, the lack of quality education supports, and the burning down of dilapidated housing neglected by property owners and the New York City government. These young people took their situation and flipped it into dance, visual arts, and music, which they shared at community block parties to tell their stories and express their realities. Join us to explore the origins of hip hop culture through short readings, small-group dialogue, and engagement with cultural specialists.

Register for Zoom event: https://tinyurl.com/y6ydkmdp

Co-hosted by the Democracy & Dialogues Initiative of the Dodd Human Rights Impact and UConn’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion.

For more information and a link to register, visit:
https://democracyanddialogues.dodd.uconn.edu/2021/01/13/02-18-21-origins-of-hip-hop/