Events

Navigating Online Global Efforts During Covid Time
September 23rd, 6pm-7pm, Virtual Format Jessica Baumgardner-Zuzik
Senior Director -Learning & Evaluation, Alliance for Peacebuilding Jessica Baumgardner-Zuzik will discuss execution of global efforts in a post-covid workplace and moving to the PA countryside from Washington, DC, while adjusting to online work. Jessica works in the field of peacebuilding in conflict-affected settings, specifically economic development and humanitarian efforts with the World Bank and UN. Some of her research endeavors include economic empowerment, MenEngage, family planning, gender and macroeconomic planning, maternal and infant health, and cross-sector gender involvement in the industry. Jessica is fluent in French and holds a BA in Peace and Conflict Studies and Foreign Languages from Juniata College and an MA in Economics from the University of San Francisco. To Register: https://pitt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0qduyvqD4uH9LdtI6bVecYsWVAPdKaIDhL Sponsored by: Asian Studies Center, Center for African Studies, Center for Latin American Studies, Center for Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies, European Studies Center, and Global Studies Center

The Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Pittsburgh has celebrated Latin American and Caribbean cultures with a full-day festival on our Oakland campus since 1979. The Festival will be held on Saturday, October 2, 2021 from 7:00-10:00 P.M. in the William Pitt Union at the University of Pittsburgh. The event features performances, food, arts, crafts, and information tables from Latin America and the Caribbean. Admission is free! In order to abide by Pitt guidelines and good practice, we will hold a discrete celebration open only to students, faculty, and staff. However, we are hopeful that by Fall 2022 we can return to the wide-open community celebration we have grown accustomed to. Thank you once again for your support and patience as we sort through the challenges this pandemic imposes upon all of us. For more information, email clasfestival@pitt.edu.

The “What’s in a Name?” series aims to open a doorway to explore issues that affect us every day, and that, ultimately, reverberate through the most intimate aspects of who we are. While we will explore basic tools and name etiquette, with the kindness and respect we all deserve, we intend to reflect about what our names say about us, and how they may be used to define who we are. Join us for a discussion on Legal Names and the LGBTQIA+ Experience with featured speaker Rosalynne Montoya, followed by a panel discussion with Rosalynne and other experts on the legal process and public policy surrounding changing one’s name. Featured Speaker: Rosalynne Montoya (she/they) Rosalynne Montoya, usually referred to as Rose, is a Hispanic, bisexual, nonbinary transgender woman. Rose’s pronouns are she/her/hers and they/them/theirs. She works as a model, actor, public speaker, makeup artist, advocate, and content creator. Rose is also a board member of Aadya Rising, a nonprofit working to fill in the gaps to help the transgender community. She has been in campaigns and featured by TomboyX, Savage X Fenty, Yandy, FX Networks, New York City Pride, Planned Parenthood, and more. Their goal is to spread love and education about their community as they share their story. Panelists:
Stefan Dann, Counsel at McGuireWoods LLP
Drew Medvid, Regional Organizing Lead at Human Rights Campaign Facilitator:
anupama jain, Founder and Principal Consultant at Inclusant This event is sponsored by the Global Hub, the Center for Latin American Studies, the Global Studies Center, Division of Student Affairs, Office of Residence Life, Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month, Rainbow Alliance, AQUARIUS, and the Latinx Student Association.

Dominican Republic, 2020 | Documentary In 1937, tens of thousands of Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent were exterminated by the Dominican army, based on anti-black hatred fomented by the Dominican government. Fast-forward to 2013, the Dominican Republic’s Supreme Court stripped the citizenship of anyone with Haitian parents, retroactive to 1929. The ruling rendered more than 200,000 people stateless, without nationality, identity or a homeland. In this dangerous climate, a young attorney named Rosa Iris mounts a grassroots campaign, challenging electoral corruption and advocating for social justice. Director Michèle Stephenson’s new documentary Stateless traces the complex tributaries of history and present-day politics, as state-sanctioned racism seeps into mundane offices, living room meetings, and street protests. At a time when extremist ideologies are gaining momentum in the U.S. and around the world, STATELESS is a warning of what can happen in a society when racism runs rampant in the government. Filmed with a chiaroscuro effect and richly imbued with elements of magical realism, STATELESS combines gritty hidden-camera footage with the legend of a young woman fleeing brutal violence to flip the narrative axis, revealing the depths of institutionalized oppression.

Research and International Reconstruction in Afghanistan
October 12th, 6pm-7pm, Virtual Format Nikolai A. Condee-Padunov
Research Associate, Lessons Learned Program, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) Nikolai Condee-Padunov is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a B.Phil and Global Studies Certificate in 2010. As Research Associate, Nikolai will share some of his experiences and insight into how his former studies, language, and research skills prepared him for his role in international reconstruction. He will also discuss his career selection, trajectory, and advice for future professionals. To Register:
https://pitt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcvfuuuqzojHdHD_9N62QTpwS6Wzob-YICB Sponsored by: Asian Studies Center, Center for African Studies, Center for Latin American Studies, Center for Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies, European Studies Center, and Global Studies Center

International Development Work in Various Communities
October 20th, 6pm-7pm, Virtual Format Sakun Gajurel, Volunteer Initiatives and Youth Engagement Coordinator, UNICEFF
Rotary Peace Fellow, World Food Programme, Disaster Relief, Refugee Operations Sakun is an international development professional with experience serving in Nepal, Thailand, Italy, India, Bangladesh and the US. She has aided vulnerable communities in multi-lingual settings, including disaster situations, in the capacity of program support, communication, advocacy, and as a community outreach officer. Sakun has assisted organizational development, project management, monitoring and evaluation initiatives, and partnerships. She currently serves as Emerging Leader for UCIS at Pitt, and will discuss her career trajectory, experience serving South Asian Refugee Community, and efforts to aid local teachers and the university community. To Register:
https://pitt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcsdemupzkrG9cL-ZORMx6WJD6yDvGE9YEh Sponsored by: Asian Studies Center, Center for African Studies, Center for Latin American Studies, Center for Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies, European Studies Center, and Global Studies Center

Street Medicine and Health Organization
November 9th, 6pm-7pm, Virtual Format Emily Delp, M.D.
Family Medicine Resident Physician at Medstar Health/Georgetown-Washington Hospital Center, Co-Creator of Street Health DC, Inc. Dr. Emily Delp, a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, will discuss the creation of her nonprofit organization providing health resources to persons experiencing unsheltered homelessness in DC. She will also discuss her experiences of serving refugee populations, providing street medicine, and addressing health policy initiatives. To Register:
https://pitt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcucuquqz0pHNa_VVMC5qIwqm3kUG9zF83C Sponsored by: Asian Studies Center, Center for African Studies, Center for Latin American Studies, Center for Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies, European Studies Center, and Global Studies Center