iStudent Blog: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Symposium Recap of “Juneteenth Celebrates Freedom!”
2023 Juneteenth Symposium
Published: August 22, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
As part of the national celebration of Juneteenth 2023, the San José State University iSchool hosted its second annual symposium on June 20, 2023, titled “Juneteenth Celebrates Freedom!” After a brief introduction, Dr. Anthony Chow passed the microphone over to professional storyteller, consultant, and writer Binnie Tate Wilkin who served as the keynote speaker for last year’s symposium.
Symposium Recap of “Self-Care, Challenges, Solidarity”
Asian American Women Leaders
Published: August 6, 2023
As part of the national celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the San José State University iSchool hosted a free online symposium on May 26, 2023, titled “Self-Care, Challenges, Solidarity: Asian American Women Leaders.” The symposium opened with a warm welcome and brief story by Dr. Anthony Chow, followed by a presentation from co-keynote speakers, Annie Pho and Alanna Aiko Moore. Prior to their introductions, the speakers began with a land acknowledgment: “We’d like to start today with a land acknowledgment in recognizing that the Indigenous people, who are the original inhabitants of the land that all of us are on were dispossessed of their land through violence, through murder, through deceptive processes, and colonialism…and since land acknowledgments are often done without action, Annie and I have made a donation today to the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center in support of the land that we are on.”
Symposium Recap of “Deaf Culture & History”
Best Practices and Lessons Learned for Libraries and Educators
Published: July 10, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
As part of the national celebration of National Deaf History Month, the San José State University iSchool hosted a free online symposium on April 13, 2023, titled “Deaf Culture and History: Best Practices and Lessons Learned for Libraries and Educators.” The symposium began with a brief introduction by Dr. Anthony Chow, followed by a special thanks to Dr. Mary Bolin and the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee who were the organizers of the event. The key. note speaker, Dr. Rhonda Jennings-Arey, was introduced alongside the ASL interpreters from Partners in Communication: Sheila Breger-Hall and Sharon Newman-Solo.
Symposium Recap of “Ukrainian Libraries During the Wartime: A Year in Review”
Published: June 29, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
The San José State University iSchool presented a symposium on April 5, 2023 about how Ukranian libraries and librarians have persisted for more than a year of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The free online event opened up with introductions by iSchool Director Dr. Anthony Chow, Ukrainian-English translator Oleksii Deikun, and Assistant Professor Dr. Ulia Gosart, who hosted a moment of silence for all the individual lives that have been taken by the war.
Celebrating LGBTQIA+ Librarianship in Tough Times
iSchool Presents Online Symposium July 5
Published: June 12, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
Please join the SJSU iSchool and our keynote speaker, Deputy County Librarian Deb Sica, as we celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual (LGBTQIA+) librarians and librarianship. This month’s symposium will feature a diverse array of panelists, who bring their expertise in various aspects of the LIS field.
Juneteenth Celebrates Freedom!
iSchool Presents Online Symposium June 20
Published: May 29, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
Please join the SJSU iSchool as we celebrate Juneteenth in collaboration with Professional Storyteller Binnie Tate Wilkin and Poet Laureate of Clark County, Nevada (2017 – 2019) Vogue M. Robinson. The event will not only feature stories and poems by our keynote speakers but will also include student panelists as part of the conversation.
Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
iSchool Presents Online Symposium May 26
Published: May 5, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
Please join the SJSU iSchool in celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month as we talk about the barriers and challenges that AAPI women library leaders face, the role of self-care, and how to work towards solidarity in BIPOC communities at large.
Black History Month: Making a Successful Entry into the Profession
Black History Month Symposium
Published: May 1, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
In honor of Black History Month, the San José State University iSchool hosted a free online symposium on February 23rd, 2023, titled “A Celebration of Black History Month: Equity in Libraries, 2023 and Beyond.” The symposium featured moderator Wanda Brown and keynote speaker Elaina Norlin. The symposium also hosted a panel discussion with Michael Crumpton, Kelvin Watson, Dominique Dozier, Binnie Wilkin, and Dr. Stephanie Brasley.
Women’s History Month
iSchool Presents EDI Online Symposium March 22
Published: March 9, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
Please join the SJSU iSchool in celebrating Women’s History Month 2023 as we honor the achievements of Women in Information!
iSchool Presents EDI Online Symposium February 23
National Black History Month
Published: February 5, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
Come and join the SJSU iSchool as we honor Black History Month while also celebrating the achievements of our Black community members in the Library and Information Science field.
Indigenous Community Leaders in Libraries Today
Native American Heritage Month Symposium
Published: February 5, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, the San José State University iSchool hosted a free online symposium on November 29th, 2022, titled “Honoring the Historical and Current Lives of Indigenous People.” The symposium featured keynote speaker Donna Cossette, Registrar for the Churchill County Museum and Archives; keynote speaker Lynette Dial, Library Director for Hoke County Public Library; Kim Sellers, Associate Professor at UNC Pembroke; and Melissa Stoner, Native American Studies Librarian at University of California, Berkeley.
Seeking Immortality Alongside the Northern Cheyenne Native Community
Published: December 6, 2022 by Eori Tokunaga
In 2016, 567 tribal entities were federally recognized and, as of 2020, estimates suggest that there are roughly 6 million people in the United States, or 2% of the nation’s population, who identify as Native American and/or Native Alaskan. Yet, Native American Heritage Month was only officially recognized by the United States in 1990, less than 40 years ago. (Sources: International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs; US Census Bureau)
iSchool Presents EDI Online Symposium November 29
Please join the SJSU iSchool as we honor and celebrate the achievements of our indigenous community members during Native American Heritage Month.
National Hispanic Heritage Month
iSchool Presents EDI Online Symposium October 11
Published: September 19, 2022 by Eori Tokunaga
Please join the SJSU iSchool in celebrating and recognizing the achievements of our Hispanic and Latino/a/x communities as we honor National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Resources to Combat Anti-Asian Violence
Published: August 10, 2022 by Eori Tokunaga
It is imperative that we at the San José State University iSchool cultivate a justice-oriented and community-minded culture for our SJSU Spartans. While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the lives of our communities, it is important to address the increasing hostilities that have occurred as a result of the pandemic.
Symposium Recap: Celebrating Juneteenth
Published: July 26, 2022 by Eori Tokunaga
The San José State University iSchool presented a free online symposium on June 20, 2022, in honor and celebration of Juneteenth Day. The audience was welcomed by iSchool Director Anthony Chow, who introduced guest speaker and professional storyteller, Binnie Tate Wilkin.
“EDI is really everyone’s responsibility. Getting to know our diverse cultures [and] lived experiences is a core part of what it means to be an American.” – Dr. Anthony Chow
Fundraising Initiative for Ukrainian Libraries
Published: July 20, 2022 by Eori Tokunaga
In mid-June of 2022, the SJSU iSchool hosted the symposium “Ukrainian Libraries during the Ongoing Russian-Ukrainian War.”
LGBTQIA+ Resources in the Library
An inclusive library enhances our world
Published: July 7, 2022 by Eori Tokunaga
In honor of Pride Month, the SJSU iSchool hosted an EDI Symposium on June 30, 2022, titled “How LGBTQIA+ Librarians Shape Libraries Today.” SJSU iSchool Director Anthony Chow opened the symposium with a personal anecdote about discrimination he has faced in his own life, followed by introductions for the keynote speaker, Dr. Shannon Oltmann.
LGBTQIA+ Pride Month
iSchool Presents EDI Online Symposium June 30
Published: June 23, 2022 by Eori Tokunaga
Please join the SJSU School of Information in honoring our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual (LGBTQIA+) community as we celebrate Pride month.
Symposium Recap: Ukrainian Libraries in the Ongoing Russian-Ukrainian War
Published: June 22, 2022 by Eori Tokunaga
The San Jose State University iSchool presented a symposium on June 15, 2022, regarding the conditions and services of Ukrainian Libraries during the Russian-Ukrainian war. The audience was welcomed by iSchool Director Anthony Chow and Assistant Professor Ulia Gosart, with Ukrainian and English translations provided by Oleksii Deikun.