RSCCD Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

🎉 Join Us Today! 🎉 We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Alex Newson to our virtual event on neurodiversity in education, happening today from 11 am to 12 pm! 🌟 Dr. Newson is a neurodivergent and disabled educator, researcher, and advocate with a wealth of expertise in special education and neurodiversity-affirming practices. A recipient of the prestigious Project COLEAD grant, Dr. Newson’s research focuses on promoting equity, inclusion, and empowerment for disabled and neurodivergent students and educators. She brings years of experience working with students with diverse needs, trauma histories, and mental health challenges—demonstrating that trauma-informed and neuroinclusive approaches are essential for social justice. 💻 This event is open to the public! Don’t miss out on this inspiring session as Dr. Newson explores ways to create inclusive and supportive learning environments across all educational levels. 📅 When: Today, 11 am – 12 pm Pacific Time. Scan the QR Code for the link or visit our Linktree here: https://lnkd.in/gZ8XkB4n Let’s learn together, support neurodiversity, and make a positive impact! ✨ #RSCCD #SAC #SCC #CEC #Disability #Diversability #Education #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion

🎉 Join Us Today! 🎉 We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Alex Newson to our virtual event on neurodiversity in education, happening today from 11 am to 12 pm! 🌟 Dr. Newson is a neurodivergent and disabled educator, researcher, and advocate with a wealth of expertise in special education and neurodiversity-affirming practices. A recipient of the prestigious Project COLEAD grant, Dr. Newson’s research focuses on promoting equity, inclusion, and empowerment for disabled and neurodivergent students and educators. She brings years of experience working with students with diverse needs, trauma histories, and mental health challenges—demonstrating that trauma-informed and neuroinclusive approaches are essential for social justice. 💻 This event is open to the public! Don’t miss out on this inspiring session as Dr. Newson explores ways to create inclusive and supportive learning environments across all educational levels. 📅 When: Today, 11 am – 12 pm Pacific Time. Scan the QR Code for the link or visit our Linktree here: https://lnkd.in/gZ8XkB4n Let’s learn together, support neurodiversity, and make a positive impact! ✨ #RSCCD #SAC #SCC #CEC #Disability #Diversability #Education #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion

🎉 A big thank you to everyone who joined us for Cultura Y Comida: Celebrating Latinx Heritage! We explored Latinx diversity, migration, and the deep history of Latinx culture in Orange County. A special focus was on Mendez v. Westminster (1947), a pivotal case that ended the segregation of Mexican American children in California schools. This ruling set a precedent for the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case and made California the first state to desegregate its public schools. Dr. Alfredo Carlos' presentation allowed for meaningful conversation and gave us the opportunity to share food, stories, and strengthen workplace culture and understanding. 🌽💬 A special thank you to Villas Tacos for providing exemplary service and delicious tacos for all of our district faculty and staff to enjoy. #LatinxHeritage #WorkplaceCulture #HispanicHeritageMonth #Tacos #RSCCD #Community #College

🌎 Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day! 🎉 While we proudly celebrate this day in California, not all states recognize it, reminding us of the ongoing journey to fully honor Indigenous cultures. We want to express our deep gratitude to the Indigenous peoples and the land on which our community colleges reside. Recently, our Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion attended the 2024 National AISES Conference this October in San Antonio, TX, recruiting future Indigenous STEM educators. AISES is a circle of support that fosters Indigenous STEM leadership by sharing resources and opportunities, helping to empower both individuals and communities. In observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we reflect on the rich histories, cultures, and traditions of Indigenous peoples worldwide, and we look forward to a future where all are honored, respected, and treated with dignity. #IndigenousPeoplesDay #STEMEducation #DEI #AISES2024 #IndigenousVoices #RespectAndHonor #Aises

🌟 Hello LinkedIn Community, We are excited to invite you to our events in honor of Diversability Month. These events are an excellent opportunity to deepen our cultural competency and expand our knowledge on abilities. Event 1: RSCCD Staff Panel on Diversability  Date: October 22, 2024 Time: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm Location: Santa Ana College, Room HS -106 Please join us for coffee ☕ and an assortment of pastries 🥐 for an open discussion, with our very own RSCCD staff about diversability awareness! The panel will discuss faculty readiness, accessibility compliance, and student utilization of services. This amazing panel will include: Interim Associate Dean for DSPS at Santa Ana College, Krystle Taylor, Ed.D., CRC. Learning and Disability Specialist for DSPS at Santiago Canyon College, Catherine Hoang, Ed.S., M.A. DSPS Counselor at Santa Ana College, Paige Henley, M.S., and DSPS Counselor at Centennial Education Center, Alejandro Moreno, M.A. Event 2: Neurodiversity in Education – A Two-Day Series Speaker: Dr. Alex Newson, Neurodiversity Advocate and Educator Day 1 Date: October 29, 2024 Time: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Format: Zoom 💻 Registration Link: https://lnkd.in/gBT4HzrK Day 2 Date: October 31, 2024 Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Format: Zoom 💻 Registration Link: https://lnkd.in/gKUW2S3j Alex Newson PhD will guide us through two engaging one-hour sessions, starting with an introduction to neurodiversity in educational settings and followed by an actionable approach to implementing neurodiversity-informed practices. Dr. Newson is a neurodivergent and disabled researcher, advocate, and educator who received her doctorate in special education from the University of Oregon. Before beginning her doctoral studies, Alex taught in private and public-school settings across the Pacific Northwest as a certified Special Educator and Educational Assistant. Her passion for teaching and research stems from her experiences as a special educator to youth with co-occurring disabilities, mental health needs, and trauma histories. She has seen how the use of trauma-informed neurodiversity-informed practices with neurodivergent and disabled individuals are more than just best practice, but a social justice issue. Her current projects focus on Autistic educator experiences of burnout, disabled and neurodivergent student perspectives of inclusion, belonging, and accessibility in higher education, and training educators on ways to implement neurodiversity-affirming practices in K-12 settings. As an educator and researcher, Alex hopes to bridge the gap in current educational systems to better empower practitioners to disrupt their communities while holding systems accountable. #Diversability #Empower #Neurodiversity #Accessibility #SocialJustice #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is a time of reflection, renewal, and hope. It marks the beginning of the High Holy Days, a period dedicated to introspection and personal growth. During Rosh Hashanah, individuals assess their actions over the past year, seek forgiveness, and set intentions for a better year ahead. It's also a time to celebrate with family and community, embracing themes of new beginnings and the chance to start afresh with a positive outlook for the future. RSCCD would like to wish those who celebrate Rosh Hashanah a heartfelt Shanah Tovah! #shanatova #roshhashana #rsccd #diversity #equity #inclusion #community #newyear #CA #OC #college #highered #socal

✨ Celebrating Latinx Heritage Month at RSCCD – The Celebration Continues! ✨ From September 15th to October 15th, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion continues to proudly celebrate Latinx Heritage Month! As we reach the halfway point, we invite everyone to stay engaged and participate in the exciting events that remain. This month is dedicated to honoring the rich cultural history, traditions, and contributions of the Latinx community within our district and beyond. At RSCCD, we are committed to fostering an environment where authenticity, belonging, and the diverse voices that shape our community are valued and uplifted. Latinx Heritage Month is a moment to reflect on the incredible achievements of Latinx individuals across education, civil rights, the arts, sciences, and more. This celebration aligns with the independence anniversaries of several Latin American nations from European colonialism. These dates commemorate the Wars of Spanish-American Independence and echo the broader spirit of liberation, notably influenced by the Haitian Revolution. On September 15th, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua celebrate their independence. Mexico follows their independence on September 16th, Chile on September 18th, and Belize, which gained independence from Britain in 1981, on September 21st. Countries like the Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Colombia, and Brazil commemorate their independence outside of this timeframe. Although Spanish is widely spoken across Latin America, the region is a mosaic of languages. Indigenous languages like Quechua, Aymara, Guarani, and Nahuatl are still spoken, and other languages, such as Portuguese, French, and Dutch, are also part of the region's linguistic diversity. As we continue to celebrate this vibrant culture, we encourage you to join us for the upcoming events happening across RSCCD campuses. There's still much more to experience! Events at Santiago Canyon College: Financial Aid Workshop (In Spanish & Vietnamese) Tuesday, October 1st, 12-1pm | E-304 Juntes Con Tamales Wednesday, October 2nd, 1-2:30pm | Vazquez Promenade Battle of the Deans Tuesday, October 16th, 12-2pm | E-203 Events at Santa Ana College: Chicanx in the 21st Century Wednesday, October 2nd, 3pm | D-101 Chican@s in the Arts: Film and Poetry Tuesday, October 8th, 3pm | D-101 Chicana/Latina History Wednesday, October 16th, 3pm | D-101 Let's continue celebrating, learning, and sharing in the joy of Latinx Heritage Month! #LatinxHeritageMonth #RSCCD #Community #DiversityAndInclusion #CelebrateCulture #LatinxVoices #Latinx #Cultura #Culture #HSI #HispanicServingInstitution #CA #OC #CommunityCollege Please visit our Linktree for further information on Latinx Heritage Month campus events. 🔗https://lnkd.in/gZ8XkB4n

Happy Pride 2024 from RSCCD ODEI! 🖤🤎🩵🤍🩷❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 Let's celebrate our community and spread the love this June! 🏳️🌈

RSCCD's ODEI, SCC, and SAC united today for Shawarma! 😁 🌯 #ODEI #MSA #SantaAna #studentlife #graphiccommunications