ANNUAL REPORT 2021
Celebrating Latino Heritage in the African Diaspora
The Office of International Affairs presented creative ways to explore Afro-Latino identity and acknowledge the many contributions that Latinos in the African diaspora have made around the world .
Starting in July 2021 , Dr . Lejeune Lockett , Director of the Office of International Affairs , promoted “ In Conversation : A Series with Kimberli Flores ” in partnership with the International Society of Black Latinos ( ISBL ). Flores , who served as the event ’ s moderator , is an ISBL Board Member , cast member of the TV series “ Chicago P . D .” and movie “ In The Heights .”
She launched this series of conversations to address some pertinent issues around race , identity , and diversity within the Latinx community . Thought-provoking and insightful themes discussed in the series of conversations included “ Uncovering Our Afro-Latino Roots ” and “ Recognizing Blackness within the Latinx Community .”
The spirited series proved to be engaging and educational with a variety of panelists including scholars , historians , artists , activities and entrepreneurs who challenged traditional understandings of what it means to be Latino and expanded cultural awareness toward inclusion .
CDU launches First Transnational Cohort of Global Health Leaders Interns
The inaugural CDU Global Health Leaders ( GHL ) Internship was launched in January 2021 as a year-long program with the goal of providing young professionals with guidance from leading global health experts and professionals . The goal is to facilitate the honing of personal and interpersonal skills , gaining research experience , and developing program implementation skills needed to address health disparities that make meaningful contributions to global health challenges .
From a competitive pool of hundreds of applicants , five students based at CDU and five based in Zambia were selected as the first transnational cohort of GHL interns . The 2021 CDU GHL Internship , supported by the Rise-Up ! Project in Lusaka , Zambia , has given aspiring Global Health Professional students a chance to contribute to eradicate discrimination and stigmatization among Adolescent Girls and Young Women ( AGYW ) living with HIV / AIDS .
Through this experience , this cohort formed partnerships and international friendships , built leadership and teamwork skills , actively engaged in global community health , and helped the Rise-Up ! Project move forward in its efforts to address health disparities and transform clinical HIV practice .
This is achieved by executing joint deliverables related to research , data analysis , and programmatic tasks that support and further the objectives of the Rise Up ! Project . The cohort also presented in virtual classrooms , the HIV Cluster , and International Committee meetings at CDU . Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions , the CDU students were unable to travel to meet with their colleagues in Zambia as originally planned . However , the work of the cohort was anchored by weekly meetings every Thursday night throughout the year to complete the modules facilitated by Coordinator Josephine Akingbulu and Assistant Professor Dr . Lejeune Lockett .
New Student Organization Encourages International Travel
Travel Unbounded ( TU ) is a student-based organization at CDU launched in September 2020 by the Office of International Affairs . With the enthusiastic support and effort of faculty and students , TU continues to be successfully growing its participation and expanding its travel information and encouragement .
Dr . Lejeune Lockett , Director of the Office of International Affairs , served as the Faculty Advisor with the assistance of Project Manager , Josephine Akingbulu . The club leadership was composed of CDU students , President Dyala Alameddine , Secretary
Stephanie Johnson , and Treasurer Kassandra De Matta .
TU aims to expose CDU students , faculty , and staff to global diversity , culture and geography , captivating travel stories , useful travel tips , and a fascinating community of global trotters . The TU virtual meetings served to highlight countries presented by students , faculty , staff , and friends as the guest speakers .
The CDU Global Health Leaders Interns presented about Zambia . Shanti Grace , Executive Assistant to the College of
Science and Health Dean , shared about her travel adventures to Fiji and Costa Rica . Dr . Richard Lindstrom , Sr . Director of Academic Computing Information Technology , shared about his travels throughout Japan , and Provost Steve Michael shared about his travels to Romania .
TU is committed to providing resourceful travel information that can enhance one ’ s travel experience and develop the confidence and capacity to travel effectively and explore globally . Ultimately , TU embraces the slogan “ Let ’ s bring the world to CDU and CDU to the world !”
CHARLES R . DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE 21