Monday, February 28, 2022
The Queer community in the United States has made great strides in representation and outreach, but true understanding and acceptance on the national scale are still in progress. Last year's colloquium Affirming Medical and Mental Health Care for LGBTQAI+ Communities focused on the medical and civic fields. Spectrums, the second annual virtual colloquium on Monday, February 28, 2022, from 12-5 pm brings together scholarly and student advocates to focus on issues of intersectionality, biphobia, and non-binary expressions, giving a unique perspective on the social challenges we face today. This event celebrates the whole spectrum of gender and sexual identity and advances the national discussion on empathy and presentation. Spectrums will bring about thoughtful conversations that inspire and establish a new generation of advocates at Rutgers University.
From 3-4 pm we will take a break from the panels to celebrate Queer joy with an intergenerational arts showcase, featuring a poetry reading by Dr. Cheryl Clarke.
Watch the Colloqium Part II Conference
This event has ended, registration is closed.
Join the national conversation to further understand vulnerable communities and empower advocates for progress.
In memory of our teacher, mentor, and friend, Mark Schuster.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Chris Finley, Assistant Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity, University of Southern California
Dr. Chris Finley is an Assistant Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Her work encompasses indigenous feminisms, queer indigenous studies, visual culture, and decolonization. In her teaching, writing and research, Dr. Finley engages in the critique on how dominant U.S. popular culture sexualizes Native bodies as culturally and, therefore, racially unable to conform to white heteroreproductive norms. She argues that in order to provide a successful critique of settler colonialism within American studies, Native studies must address the negative implications of biopower through the relationship between sexuality, Native peoples, and gender.
Dr. Finley has a Ph.D. in American Culture from the University of Michigan. She has authored numerous scholarly articles and book chapters and has presented at national and international conferences. She is currently working on a book manuscript titled Finding Native Feminist Pleasure in Visual Culture: Indigenous Queens Who Refuse to be Princesses. She is the recipient of many awards and fellowships, including the Race and Gender Postdoctoral Fellowship at Rutgers University.
Schedule
12:00 – 12:30pm: Opening Remarks
Jonathan Holloway, President, Rutgers University Enobong (Anna) Branch, Senior Vice President for Equity, Rutgers University Dr. Gloria Bachmann, Director, Women's Health Institute Evyatar Kanik, SEBS Governing Council Representative, Rutgers University Student Assembly
12:30 – 1:00pm: Keynote Address
Dr. Chris Finley, University of Southern California, Native Studies Scholar
1:00 – 1:55pm: Intersectionality
The compounding of ethnic and gender identities creates unique conflict for an individual going about their daily life. How does intersectionality apply across the spectrum?
Dr. Cheryl Clarke, Viergela Louidor, Nala Peña Moderating: Scott Russell
2:00 – 2:55pm: The Non-Binary Spectrum
Students and scholars come together to discuss nonbinary identity, and examine how it is perceived by the public across time and culture while conspiring to better tomorrow. Wil Vargas, Chris Finley, Mady Engelman, Shaan Williams Moderating: Nala Pena
3:00 – 3:55pm: Intergenerational Arts Showcase
Creativity fuels and inspires change, and is represented on this panel of spoken poetry, prose, and art.
Dr. Cheryl Clarke, Stela Hamamdzic, September Reigns, Oluwadamilola Omoniyi, Jordan T. Robinson, Sanika Phawde, John Ollom
4:00 – 5:00pm: Bisexuality
Stakeholders discuss the current state of bi/pansexual identity and imagine a better future for the community.
Melanie Maimon, Katharine Little, Shiloh Estacio-Touhey, Paul Nocera Moderating: Lindsay Jeffers
Organizers
Gloria Bachmann, Kayo Denda, Evyatar Kanik, Katharine Little, Shaan Williams
Co-Sponsors
- Babs Siperstein Humanities and Medicine Seminars
- Babs Siperstein Gender Center of New Jersey
- Center for Social Justice Education and LGBTQAI+ Communities
- Douglass Residential College
- Division of Student Affairs
- Garden State Equality
- Margery Somers Foster Center, Rutgers University – New Brunswick Libraries
- Office of Graduate Student Life, Rutgers University – New Brunswick
- Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity - Alpha Theta Chapter
- Rutgers University – New Brunswick Libraries
- Women’s Health Institute - RWJMS
Colloquium Part I
View the recordings of Part I, Affirming Medical and Mental Health Care for LBGTQAI+ Communities
Read the dedicated tribute about how our teacher, mentor, and friend, Mark Schuster has made an impact for so many.
