UROC Community Day set for Monday, June 21, 2021
Celebrate ten years of groundbreaking research and community outreach at the UROC Community Day/Tenth Anniversary Celebration virtual event at 4 p.m. Monday, June 21.
The event will feature The Art of Transformation: We Thrive Together, a virtual UROC Critical Conversation featuring five of UROC's innovative project leaders who've demonstrated resilience and creativity in growing their organizations and community-based projects over the past year.
The conversation will be moderated by special guest University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert J. Jones, and include a welcome from University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel and University Associate Vice President for Public Engagement Andy Furco. Panelists include:
- Award-winning financial educator Tonia Brinston and University College of Education and Human Development Professor Chalandra Bryant on the link between historical trauma, ambiguous loss, and financial decision-making among African American families in North Minneapolis;
- OneMN.org Managing Director Brett Buckner on the development of Seeds to Harvest, a community-based service organization dedicated to responding to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest in North Minneapolis;
- Senior Program Manager of University's Technology Empowerment Center (TEC) Sem LaFluer on the work of TEC's free workforce development program and computer refurbishing program;
- University School of Nursing Associate Professor Siobhan McMahon on Ready Steady, a research program through the University's School of Nursing that investigates the best ways to avoid falls through strength-building and balance exercises with community participants; and
- Vice-Chair of Health Equity at Boston University Department of Family Medicine Dr. Renee Crichlow on The Ladder, a North Minneapolis-based club and cascading mentorship program that builds interest in healthcare careers.
In addition to the virtual conversation, the celebration will feature a commemorative lighting of the Lowry Avenue Bridge the evening of June 21 and the online unveiling of UROC'S tenth anniversary photography exhibit, Together.