At the School of Dentistry, we celebrated Black History Month with a variety of meaningful events. Faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of the school gathered to be enlightened and inspired by the people and movements that have marked history:
Detroit Divided: The History of Segregation in Detroit – Bus Tour
A group of students, faculty and staff spent four hours on Sat. February 9 aboard the “Detroit Divided: The History of Segregation in Detroit Bus Tour,” hosted by Black Scroll Network History & Tours, which began at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Participants learned about racial disparity in Southeast Michigan, which is rooted in Detroit. The tour visited sites housing discrimination and residential segregation, school segregation and educational inequality, police brutality and job discrimination. Second-year dental student, Aimee Yarde noted how much she enjoyed the tour, stating “Detroit has such a rich history that I did not know about!”
Race, Power and Access in Detroit – Roundtable Discussion
Each month, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Office of Health and Wellness collaborate to host a Community Roundtable discussion. This month’s event was themed “Race, Power and Access in Detroit” and conversation focused on how these intersections impact the city of Detroit and its citizens.
High Tea Luncheon
The Student National Dental Association hosted their 9th annual Ladies High Tea luncheon on Sat., February 23 at the Iroquois Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. The theme of this year’s event was “Reshaping Perceptions and Taking the Lead” and was hosted by Lola Banks, director of Diversity and Inclusion. Jana Tumpkin McQueen, D.D.S. was this year’s speaker, a Michigan native who graduated with honors from Meharry Medical College and went on to complete her education at Howard University where she received her Orthodontic Certificate in 1988. She spoke to the group about taking the lead, the importance of not being afraid to ask and shaping our perspectives as women.
