April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) 

We see you. We believe you. You matter. 

Sexual Assault Awareness Month brings people together to create and generate discussion and skill-building on how to prevent sexual violence in our schools, workplaces, and communities. While providing support and care to survivors of sexual violence is an everyday action, this awareness month also carves out intentional moments to honor and believe survivors’ stories and experiences. 

As we continue to navigate this ongoing public health crisis, we won’t be able to physically come together this April to do this critical work. The Women’s Center and all of our campus partners including the Office of Equity and Inclusion, Retriever Integrated Health, Green Dot, and Retriever Courage, and more will nonetheless continue to promote awareness and prevention this month. 

And, remember, no matter where you are, dear survivors, we see you. We believe you. You matter. Always.

SAAM 2022 Calendar of Events 

UMBC Take Back the Night Virtual Experience 

Ongoing 

Online

This interactive virtual gallery contains images and survivor testimony in the form of poems and audio vignettes as a tribute to UMBC’s Take Back the Night. This event invites our campus to come together to speak out and heal together in community. Take Back the Night is a public testimony. It is about making sexual assault and our support for survivors visible and not tucked away behind closed doors. 

Office of Equity and Inclusion Campus Climate Survey 

Ongoing: Due April 25th, 2022 

Online

The 2022 campus climate survey has been launched! Information gathered from the survey will be used to inform our ongoing education, prevention, and response work, and is an important component in campus-wide efforts to stop, prevent, and remedy the effects of sexual misconduct at UMBC. You can access the online survey here until Monday, April 25, 2022, and it will take about 15-25 minutes to complete. This survey is anonymous and confidential.

Retriever Integrated Health Community Conversations  

Thursday, April 7, 2022 · 6 - 7 PM

Library and Gallery, Albin O. Kuhn : Gallery

A community can be a vital tool to help all of us get through life’s ups and downs and celebrate our big and small moments. Community Conversations is an interactive event that will help students understand the role of community in supporting their well-being and mental health. This conversation will also highlight what it means to “show up” for others. This event is in coordination with the Mental Health Community Action Day on April 7th.  *NOTE this is not only geared towards survivors, but may be a good outlet for care*

UMBC Together Mental Health Awareness Walk

Thursday, April 7, 2022 · 12:30 - 1 PM

Biological Sciences

Connecting with others and moving our bodies both help with mental health and self-care. Please meet us in the Breezeway of the Biological Sciences Building for a 1-mile walk to relieve stress and connect with others. We will end our walk at the same location with an OCA Mocha pop up table. This session is part of USC's 4/7 Mental Health Community Action Day. *NOTE this is not only geared towards survivors, but may be a good outlet for care*

Women’s Center We Believe You Discussion Group 

Tuesday, April 12, 2022 · 3 - 4 PM

The Commons : Women's Center

The We Believe You Discussion Group creates space to center the experiences of survivors of sexual- and power-based violence. It is a bi-weekly group that follows the Women’s Center Brave Space model to provide a welcoming environment and thoughtful community to engage in conversations focused on support and healing for survivors of sexual violence. This group centers the experiences of survivors and their allies; we request that students do not use this space for class research or interviews. The remaining dates for this event this semester include April 12, April 26, May 10th.   
 

Green Dot Bystander Intervention Training Faculty & Staff 

Friday, April 22, 2022 · 1-5 PM 

The Commons : 329

Green Dot is built on the premise that in order to measurably reduce the perpetration of power-based personal violence, including sexual violence, partner violence, or stalking, a cultural shift is necessary.  This highly interactive session is great for you and your friends or colleagues to: a) understand the impact of power-based personal violence on campus and in various communities, b) learn how to identify power-based personal violence and respond within the bounds of your strengths and limitations, c) practice newly developed skills to be prepared for enacting this in your daily life. 

Women’s Center We Believe You Discussion Group 

Tuesday, April 26, 2022 · 3 - 4 PM

The Commons : Women's Center

The We Believe You Discussion Group creates space to center the experiences of survivors of sexual- and power-based violence. It is a bi-weekly group that follows the Women’s Center Brave Space model to provide a welcoming environment and thoughtful community to engage in conversations focused on support and healing for survivors of sexual violence. This group centers the experiences of survivors and their allies; we request that students do not use this space for class research or interviews. The remaining dates for this event this semester include April 12, April 26, May 10th. 

Green Dot Bystander Intervention Training Students

Friday, April 29, 2022 · 1 - 5 PM

The Commons : 329

Green Dot is built on the premise that in order to measurably reduce the perpetration of power-based personal violence, including sexual violence, partner violence, or stalking, a cultural shift is necessary.  This highly interactive session is great for you and your friends or colleagues to: a) understand the impact of power-based personal violence on campus and in various communities, b) learn how to identify power-based personal violence and respond within the bounds of your strengths and limitations, c) practice newly developed skills to be prepared for enacting this in your daily life. 

Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the story of the ancient Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt. On Pesach each year, Jews around the world not only remember, but also retell the story of the exodus from Egypt. The story of the exodus is the archetypal model of redemption for the Jewish people. In Hebrew, the word for Egypt is “mitzrayim,” which means narrow straits or places of constriction. This journey to freedom involves the transformative process of moving from the narrow place out into the openness of the desert, the uncharted wilderness that is both uncertain and rich with possibilities. 

Passover starts on the evening of Friday, April 15th, and ends the 7-day festival at sunset on Friday, April 22nd. During Passover, many Jewish families engage in fasting from “chametz,” leavened bread, and anything from the major grains that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water. This removal of chametz commemorates the fact that the Jews left Egypt in a hurry and did not have time to let their bread rise.

Given Passover’s placement during the academic year, this may impact Jewish students, staff, and faculty in various ways. In addition to being aware of this religious observance, you can support members of the Jewish community this week in the following ways:

• Be mindful of the dietary restrictions connected to the holiday. Provide access to kosher food for any gatherings or events. Visit https://www.kosher.com/recipes/passover for example recipes.

• Offer to hold onto your friend's chametz during Passover or ask your friend if they have someone to sell it to. It is a good way to show your friends that you care.

• Spend time learning more about the holiday and its importance to Jewish community members. 

Passover Observance at UMBC

UMBC Hillel and UMBC Chabad will be hosting a variety of programs for Passover and the intermediate days of the holiday. Interested students can do the following:

• Follow Hillel on instagram, @UMBCHillel

• Visit the Hillel MyUMBC page, https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/umbchillel

• Visit the Chabad MyUMBC page, https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/jewishlearningconnection

• Students can also take advantage of the varied prayer, reflection, and meditation spaces across campus, which can be found here. 

• Interested students can also reach out to Rabbis Jeremy Fierstien (jif@umbc.edu) or Dovid Ryder (dovidr@umbc.edu) with additional questions. 

Participating students are expected to ensure that the space is left clean and organized, and all materials and supplies are put neatly away so that the space can be ready for use during regular business hours. This includes ensuring that ALL food products have been appropriately disposed of and cleaned. Participating students are expected to follow the student code of conduct, and respect the space and property of i3b and the Center for Well-Being. 

Passover Dining at UMBC

UMBC students celebrating Passover can join UMBC Hillel and Chartwells for the First Night Passover Sedar. This will be held on Friday, April 15, beginning at 5:30 pm, in the Chartwells Office - Conference Room. To access the space, students should enter through the doors to the left of True Grits that lead to the office space, and turn right at the end of the entranceway. 

Dining options for students needing kosher meals from April 15 - 22 are extremely limited but can be arranged by contacting David Glenn (david.glenn@compass-usa.com) from Chartwell’s Dining. Students will also find limited supplies for kosher snacks and access to a kosher toaster oven within the Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being. If you have additional questions about programming or dining options, please connect with Rabbi Jeremy Fierstein (jif@umbc.edu).