Written by: Rebecca Valeriano-Flores, Director of Student Inclusion and Engagement, O’Neill Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion From the inception of the United States until today, there has been a call for liberation and justice that refuses to be ignored. Inequities and harms abound in a country where racism, transphobia, ableism, and many other types… Read more »
DEI
The true calling of Black History Month and Women’s History Month
Written by: Jori Mundy (MPA’15) This time of year is always special for me because it provides the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the groundbreaking achievements, undeniable resilience, and uncompromising fortitude of my ancestors and the instrumental individuals who created the many avenues of revolution we experience today. Their stories remind us that our call… Read more »
Tamra Wright: Understanding systems to help individuals
When O’Neill lecturer Tamra Wright was a child, she wanted to become a lawyer focused on civil rights and helping others. “My parents’ upbringing involved socioeconomic challenges,” she says. “They were always very open with me about their lived experiences and never hid it. But they also emphasized the support and love they had from… Read more »
O’Neill courses carry alumni from classroom to career
Tenecia Waddell-Pyle (BSCJ’16) was still a police officer when her classes began at O’Neill IUPUI. Her mission to earn a college degree, set an example for her children, and prepare for a new phase in her career led her to O’Neill. “I’m always teaching my kids about follow-through,” she says. “In order for me… Read more »
Living at an intersection of identities as a biracial woman
Written by: Alyssa Hodges, O’Neill IUPUI Criminal Justice major Being biracial is complex and unique and beautiful. Being a biracial woman only deepens all of those things. These three groups, so wonderfully blended, have made me who I am. But my intersectional identity can be—and has been—fetishized and even questioned by some. My mother is… Read more »