In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, UConn Hartford student leaders staff visited the Stowe Center and participated in a workshop on Justice & Community. UConn Hartford understands that education and knowledge are the prerequisite to actionable steps toward positive change. We will use what we’ve learned to be better students, colleagues, and leaders on our campus and in the community. In the words of Dr. King, “Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedication individuals.” UConn Hartford honors Dr. King and strives to uphold his legacy.

About a dozen people experiencing homelessness participated in a short course on crafting personal immigration stories taught by Campus Director and Historian, Mark Overmyer- Velázquez. The course is part of the Charter Oak Cultural Center’s Beat of the Street (BOTS) enrichment program. Students who complete 12 short courses successfully receive a free laptop computer and qualify for free tuition at Goodwin College.

UConn Hartford hosted its 3rd annual Carol Sings on the steps of the Hartford Times building. Students, staff, faculty, local residents, and community leaders joined in on the revived Hartford tradition to usher in the holiday season.

On a blistering cold day, hundreds of folks experiencing homelessness visited UConn Hartford to receive a new pair of boots and other essential care like toiletries, hats and socks, flu shots, medical checks, and a meal. It was the first time UConn Hartford hosted Footwear with Care’s annual Winter Boot Giveaway and we hope our campus becomes the permanent partner and location for this deeply impactful service. Thank you to all volunteers and community partners who helped to make the event an act of community care. Read more on the [Hartford Courant].

UConn Hartford partnered with the Dodd Center to offer a private screening of Just Mercy, a film based on the powerful and inspiring true story of Bryan Stevenson and his historic battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard with a law degree, Stevenson decided to dedicate his career to defending incarcerated individuals who were not afforded their right to proper representation or fair trial. To do so, he moved to Montgomery, Alabama, where he founded the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), a human rights organization whose efforts have exonerated or reprieved hundreds of wrongly convicted or unfairly sentenced individuals. Less than a month before the screening, Stevenson visited UConn to receive the prestigious 2019 Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice. Just Mercy stars Michael B. Jordan and Oscar winners Jamie Foxx and Brie Larson and will be in theaters world-wide on Jan. 10, 2020. You can also purchase Stevenson’s book, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption.

The Capital City Crew, a UConn Hartford student group, whose mission is to connect students to the Hartford community, organized the first of many “Hear Us Out” conversations. Reflecting the strong civic and community spirit of our students, Hear Us Out is a forum for dialogues around inclusion, equity, and justice. The inaugural conversation was themed “Hartford Against Hate,” and asked critical questions about racism and social justice in relation to student experiences on campus and in Hartford. Scott Campbell, Professor of English and who lives in and advocates for Hartford, moderated the conversation. In the last segment of the event, students responded to the question, “How can we make our campus community more inclusive?” Their responses included:

“more communities to work, listen, and learn together” | “campaigns + education on issues of concern” | addressing problems head on and not trying to sweep them under the rug” | “treat others how you want to be treated” | “inclusive curriculum (representation within classroom) | “Islamophobia discussion” | “more cultural events/represent all cultural holidays/events” |

Stay tuned for more Hear Us Out conversations!

UConn Hartford was well represented at the Hartford Public Library’s “Beyond the Words” annual Gala at the Hartford Marriott Downtown. Author Reyna Grande was the featured keynote who spoke about her immigrant experience and how books and libraries gifted her with equal access to knowledge and information. West Hartford resident and architect, Tai Soo Kim, received the Caroline M. Hewins Medal, which “recognizes an individual who embraces the City of Hartford and its people, who breaks the mold and provides service of a revolutionary kind, who stretches the boundaries of a social or cultural institution with a humanistic approach to public service, and who shows strong guardianship of and advocacy for the basic right to equal access to information and opportunity.” As one of the most impactful institutions in our city, UConn Hartford is committed to supporting this partnership and HPL’s programming.