Awareness Events
We value all our department members and seek to promote a wide range of social identity groups through initiatives and events to acknowledge many celebrations. These events are colloquially called IDEAS n’ Chill. IDEAS stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-racism, and Social Justice. Many of our gatherings include documentary screenings, trips to local cultural locations, and various culinary experiences.
Academic Year 2022-2023
Women’s History Month: The Gender Equity in EM Summit was hosted on March 8th on International Women’s Day. Dr. Aisha Terry was the keynote speaker and panelists were involved in discussions about augmenting their professions through alternative career options.
Black History Month: The department planned for a lunch at Lucille’s, a Black-owned restaurant in the Museum District, followed by a guided tour of the Houston Museum of African American Culture.
Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month: We hosted a dinner event at Gloria’s, a local Latin-owned restaurant and educated our department members about the Latino culture while watching the Broadway hit “Latin History for Morons”.
Academic Year 2021-2022
Pride Month: Along with the BCM Pride student organization, we co-hosted a screening of the documentary “Paris is Burning” over catered dinner that was followed by a discussion on health inequities in the LGBTQ+ population.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Month: Traditional East Asian dishes were on the menu as our department took part in a cooking class at Urban Chef.
Ramadan Iftar: Department members and their families gathered after sundown at Fadi’s to break bread during the holy month.
Women’s History Month: The Gender Equity in EM Summit was hosted in March and planning committee members celebrated the success of their work at Eddie V’s restaurant in Houston.
Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month: The original installment of IDEAS n’ Chill included the viewing of the documentary, La Bestia, that highlighted the plight of migrants as they attempt to cross the border from Central America. The event was followed by a discussion on human rights, immigration, and its impact as a structural driver of health.
