During Spring Break, URA members participated in three events in New Brunswick and Newark coordinated by the Civil Rights Committee. A fourth is planned for April on the Camden Campus.
The group met at the Labor Education Center on March 18 for a leadership training workshop with Chuck Wilson, Ph.D., AFT National Director for Wellness.
Chuck Wilson, PhD
The workshop was followed with an open conversation titled “Meeting the Challenges of a New Government: Civil Rights, Mental Wellness and Work.”
The conversation was led by Wilson and Ms. Karen Bellamy-Lewis, an international representative of IFPTE (International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, AFL-CIO).
Student Counselor Ana Estevez, from the School of Business in Camden, said she enjoyed collaborating as a committee across the three campuses. “From the training to our special guests and the members, it was impactful and filled with inspiration, motivation, and community,” she said.
URA members who have attended Dr. Wilson’s workshops will certainly remember his “I’m Amazing! I Love myself, and I love you, too” mantra. His participation this time focused on building healthy relationships across our workplace and breaking down isolation.
Domonique Noel, a Research Project Assistant at Bloustein, said she enjoyed the Civil Rights and Mental Wellness Event “because of the opportunity to learn more strategies for addressing challenging workplace situations.” She said she also enjoyed hearing feedback on the strategies she used in the past when navigating difficult situations.
On March 19 a similar conversation was held on Newark campus. In Newark the presenter/facilitators were Wilson and Ingrid Hill, Vice-Chair of People’s Organization for Progress, a Newark-area civil rights organization and long-time URA ally. Hill told the group, “Go to the people who were there, ask them how they did it?” to get information, but “Don’t be afraid to try new ways.”
Ingrid Hill, People’s Organization for Progress
Committee members are now planning to bring this program to Camden in April.
