Join the Library for our event celebrating Black History Month: Connecting Communities to Improve Educational Equity. The Coronavirus pandemic places new challenges on communities of color. In order to improve educational equity, how do we best help connect our community with vital resources? Our discussion with campus leaders will serve as a call to action as we navigate new ways to work and live together safely. Our panel discussion will include Beverly Ward, co-chair of UC San Diego’s Black Staff Association and Gerardo Arellano, director of UC San Diego’s Raza Resource Centro. The panel will conclude with questions from the audience.

This event is presented by the Library’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. For general information or to request an accommodation, contact Jenn Dandle at JDandle@ucsd.edu.

Gerardo Arellano

Gerardo N. Arellano received his PhD from UC Berkeley and his BA from UC San Diego in the departments of comparative ethnic studies. Arellano is the inaugural director of the Raza Resource Centro at UC San Diego. His research interests include trans-border culture and migrations, de-colonial pedagogies, Latinx post secondary educational achievement and retention. Arellano has extensive experience working with underserved students of color at the community, high school, and university levels. He loves to work with students and he enjoys advising graduate and undergraduate students, strategic planning, curriculum design, program development and assessment. He is passionate about coaching students to obtain scholarships, internships, research and conference experience.

Beverly W. Ward

Beverly W. Ward, MBA is a business manager in UC San Diego’s Student Life Business Office and has worked on campus for 20 years. She provides financial analysis support for clients on policies related to UC San Diego’s financial system. During her tenure on campus, Ward has served as chair of the Black Staff Association and on the boards of the UJIMA Network, the Staff Association and the Black History Month Scholarship Brunch committee. She is a first-generation graduate who has hired, trained, and still provides letter of recommendation to more than 200 UC San Diego students.