ERC Connections - Eastern Michigan University

O C T O B E R
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ERC Connections
Volume 2, Issue 4
ERC Events
November 17
Understanding Practice
Issues with Transgender
People
December 9
Advancing the LGBT
Community in Northwest
Michigan
December 17
HIV/AIDS Research
Colloquium: Issues and
Trends
New Partner with the ERC
The ERC is proud to announce that Equality Michigan will co-sponsor
the Equality Leadership Series! Equality Michigan, a statewide antiviolence and advocacy organization that works primarily with
Michigan’s LGBT community, was officially founded in 2010 when
Triangle Foundation merged with Michigan Equality. Both the Equality
Research Center and Equality Michigan are committed to educate
communities and advance the cause of equality.
The Equality Leadership Series brings together researchers, advocates,
and practitioners on contemporary LGBT equality issues. Upcoming
events in the Leadership Series will bring leaders together to discuss
solutions on these subjects:
HIV/AIDS Research: A Colloquium on Current Issues and Trends
December 17, 2014
Current Research on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment including
research on PrEP, Stigma, Criminalization, and disturbing trends in HIV
infection rates in Southeast Michigan will be covered, echoing the
themes of the 2014 International AIDS Conference.
Workplace Equality: LGBT Policy and Practice Roundtable
January 26, 2015
A panel, Including State Senator Rebekah Warren, will discuss pending
litigation in the Michigan Legislature to amend the Elliott-Larsen Civil
Rights Act. This legislation would update the Act to include protections
for LGBT individuals. Hear from public officials, attorneys, and HR
professionals about strategies for creating corporate policies that
promote inclusion and diversity.
January 26
Workplace Equality: LGBT
Policy and Practice
Roundtable
January 21
Re-conceptualizing Gender
Equity in the Academy:
Trans* Academics
LGBT Youth Homelessness:
Dialogue on At-Risk Youth
and Safe Spaces
LGBT Coalition Building: A
Case Study in Queer
Community Making
Learn, Play, Be:
Symposium on LGBT K-12
Safety and Inclusion
Closing the Gap in
Culturally Competent Care
for LGBT Older Adults
Gender Roles,
Homophobia, and “The
Closet” Student Research
Award
Equality Research
Leadership Conference
February 12
February 16
March 7
March 26
April 8
May 1-2
May 28
Equality Connections
Banquet
ERC CONNECTIONS
OCTOBER 2014
LGBT Advocate: Rebekah Warren
State Senator Rebekah Warren is one of Michigan’s leading
advocates of LGBTQ rights and will be speaking as part of a
panel at The Workplace Equality: LGBT Policy and Practice
Roundtable in January. One of the topics being addressed
will be the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act and the Senator’s
struggle to add protection for sexual orientation, gender
identity and expression.
Currently serving her first term in the State Senate, Warren
declared she would seek a second term in the State Senate
rather than running for US Congress. She believes there is
still work to be done in Michigan and remains committed to
the causes of defending and advancing LGBT couples’ rights
to access health care benefits, adoption, and marriage and
Supporting the passage of a statewide anti-discrimination
bill that would protect people based on race, gender,
ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity
and expression.
New Faces at the ERC
Nicole
Timothy
Alyssa
Associate Director
Intern
Intern
Intern
Nina Brennan is an
undergraduate and graduate
alumna of Eastern Michigan
University and a part-time
lecturer in the Department of
Communication, Media and
Theatre Arts. She is thrilled to be
the new Associate Director of the
Equality Research Center: "I'm
impressed daily by the amount of
wonderful things which are
happening in King Hall, and
excited to work with such a
fantastic group of people." Prior
to her new appointment, Nina
and her colleague Dr. Nick
Romerhausen, were awarded a
research grant for the Center's
Equality Knowledge Project
series, which they are eager to
showcase in December.
I'm Nicole Schulte, this is
my fifth (and hopefully
last!) year studying
Communication at
Eastern Michigan
University. I chose to
become involved in the
ERC because I greatly
admire the work and
research that the Center
provides for students and
faculty on campus as well
as for the community. The
Equality Research Center
is a very progressive and
action-oriented
organization that I'm
extremely proud to be
apart of for the semester!
Timothy is a recent
graduate of Tallahassee
Community College and a
senior at Eastern
Michigan University,
double majoring in
communications and
political science. He is a
member of the nationally
recognized EMU
Forensics Team and
recipient of the TCC Shira
Brownstein award for
excellence. As a long time
advocate for the LGBT
community he is thrilled
to be joining the family of
the Equality Research
Center to promote
research, and greater
advocacy for the LGBT
society in Michigan.
I am excited to be part of
the Equality Research
Center during my final
semester as an
undergraduate student at
Eastern Michigan
University. One of the
many things I learned
during my 10 year
“semester off” was the
importance of educating
employers on issues of
diversity. While here I
hope to gain a greater
understanding of current
LGBT issues in the
workplace so I may
become an advocate for
them in the future.
Nina
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ERC CONNECTIONS
OCTOBER 2014
Equality Knowledge Project Award Recipients
The Equality Research Center is committed to advancing public information, awareness, and education
regarding LGBT issues. The Equality Knowledge Project was created to be a research stimulus program
that intended to accelerate the production of credible research in these areas. This year there were
seven outstanding individuals recognized for their achievements. Their work is being showcased in the
2014-2015 Speaker Series.
Nick Romerhausen, Ph.D. and Nina Brennan, M.A.
Beverly Mihalko, Ph.D MPH, CIC
Eastern Michigan University
"Advancing the LGBT Community in Northern Michigan:
Strategic Planning for the Regions first Pride Celebration"
Eastern Michigan University
Closing the Gap in Culturally Competent Care for LGBT
Older Adults: Current Practice in Michigan Long-term Care
Facilities
Erich N. Pitcher, Ph.D. Student
Nicole Richards, M.A. Student- Student Award
Michigan State University
Re-Conceptualizing Gender Equity in the Academy:
Trans*Academics
Eastern Michigan University
Gender Roles, Homophobia, and "The Closet": An
Exploration of Lesbian Women's Experiences
Michelle Kelsey Kearl, Ph.D. and Guiliana Sorce,
Graduate Student
Indiana University Purdue University - Fort Wayne
LGBT Coalition Building: A Case Study in Queer
Community Making
The Equality Research Center
begins it first Annual Fund
Drive this Fall. Check your
mail and email in late October
for ways you can continue to
support the Center and its
work.
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ERC CONNECTIONS
OCTOBER 2014
A Call For Papers
There is still time to submit your paper for the Equality Research Leadership conference!
Submission Deadline: December, 15
K-12 educational environments and practices
2014
Equality Research Leadership is a conference intended
Higher education environments and
to highlight new research focusing on LGBTQ people,
practices
communities, and issues. The conference will feature
academic papers, white papers, research reports, and
Workplace discrimination effects and policy
workshops bringing the work of scholars and
Trans*phobia, discrimination, and policy
researchers to the public sphere. Target audiences
Aging LGBT populations needs and issues
include academics, advocates, activists, and policy
HIV/AIDS trends: treatment, communication,
makers. Equality Research Leadership is a
multidisciplinary conference and accepts submissions
and prevention
from all fields and methods of inquiry. While all
Coming Out
LGBTQ equality topics are welcome, the Equality
LGBT family issues and policy
Research Center is particularly interested in
Political action and activism
submissions presenting new research on the
following:
Community building initiatives
Find us on… Facebook: Equality Research Center
Email: [email protected]
Wordpress: equalityemu.wordpress.com
Eastern Michigan University
124 Quirk
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Twitter: @equalityemu
Web: www.emich.edu/equality

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