Diversity Speaks Series 2026
Virtual presentations typically held from January-May.
Breaking Barriers Through Assistive Technology
June 3, 2026: A PHRC virtual Diversity Speaks featuring Meng McLendon, a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist with specialized expertise in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
Addressing Your Dignity
May 6, 2026: A PHRC virtual Diversity Speaks featuring Dr. Karen Armstrong, Director of The Dignity Collaborative at Penn State Altoona and Sue Patterson, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Penn State Altoona
Power, Privilege and Public Health
May 21, 2026: A PHRC virtual Diversity Speaks featuring Dr. Lorraine T. Dean, Associate Professor in Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
The Fight to Restore the Community Relations Service and the Future of Civil Rights Mediation
April 15, 2026: A PHRC virtual Diversity Speaks featuring Julius Nam, Assistant United States Attorney, Public Corruption & Civil Rights Section, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California
Past events
- Breaking Barriers Through Assistive Technology [Link] (June 3, 2026)
- Power, Privilege and Public Health [Link] (May 21, 2026)
- Addressing Your Dignity [Link] (May 6, 2026)
- The Fight to Restore the Community Relations Service and the Future of Civil Rights Mediation [Link] (April 15, 2026)
- Resist. Reimagine. Rebuild: A Call to Action for Education Equity and Racial Justice [Link] (February 20, 2026)
- Justice-Centered Leadership: Thinking and Acting Critically [PDF] (February 11, 2026)
- Intersecting Legacies: Racism’s Enduring Impact on Community Health and Mental Health Disparities [Link] (January 29, 2026)
- "Intro to Supportive Services for Veteran Families" [Recording] featuring Becky Verduzco, SSVP Case Manager and Outreach Coordinator., Soldier On (May 29, 2025)
- "Creating Schools of Wellness," [Recording] featuring Dr. Harrison Bailey, III, Superintendent of Schools, Wilson Area School District (April 17, 2025)
- "Recruitment and Retention of Police Officers, Threats in the Community and Active Threat Assessment, 21st Century Policing," [Recording] featuring Garth Warner, Chief of Police, Derry Township Police, Hershey PA (March 20, 2025)
- "Healing Through History: Fostering Healing, Humanity, and Community Care Through The Lens of Black Experiences," [Recording] featuring Marcus Sankofa Nicks, a historian, educational leader and healer-activist (February 28, 2025)
- "Inclusion & Equality for Disabled People," [Recording] featuring Leann Firestone, Founder & Director of Neurodiverse Network Nonprofit (January 23, 2025)
- "Don't Believe Everything You Hear: My Positive American Experience (Part 3)," featuring Amer Al Fayadh (April 24, 2024)
- "Best Practice Solutions to the Mental Health Consequences of Child Sex Trafficking," featuring Ruchira Gupta (January 11, 2024)
- "Breaking Barriers: Embracing the Colors of Unity," featuring Hagir Elsheikh (January 5, 2024)
- "State of Black Pennsylvania," featuring state Senator Art Haywood (December 19, 2023)
- "Gendered Islamophobia: Muslim women at the intersection of faith, race, and gender (Part 2)," featuring Margari Hill (December 13, 2023)
- "Islam and Islamophobia in the American Context: What has changed since 9/11? (Part 1)," featuring Dr. Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu (December 7, 2023)
- "Alarming Rise of Antisemitism," featuring Jonathan A. Segal (November 7, 2023)
- "DEIB: Adding More Seats at the Table," [PDF] featuring Loki Mulholland (December 8, 2022)
- "Teacher Diversity: Catalyst for Organizational and Leadership Diversity and Transformation, [Recording]"featuring Denise Pearson, Ph.D. (October 12, 2022)
- "The State of Latinos in Pennsylvania, A Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Conversation during National Hispanic Heritage Month,[Image]" featuring Norman Bristol Colon. (September 14, 2022)
- "The Impact of DEI in Turbulent Times,[Recording]" featuring Dan Jurman (March 3, 2022)
- "Advancing Transportation Equity for Inclusion, [Recording]" featuring Myneca Ojo (Feburary 3, 2022)
- "Strenghtening Diversity in the Workplace,[Recording]" featuring Varsovia Fernandez (June 14, 2021)
- Historic Significance of Relationship Between Blacks and Jews [Recording] (October 27, 2020)
- Pandemic of Hate Combating Systematic and Structural Racism in the 21st Century [Recording] (June 30, 2020)
- No Child Left Behind, Educational Equity in the Digital Era, featuring state Rep. Dan Miller [Recording] (October 16, 2020)
