Sonoma State University (SSU) students are hosting the 8th annual Social Justice Week (SJW) from April 4 - April 8, 2022.

SJW is a unique combination of a course focused on examining theories and examples of social activism, centered around Social Justice Week events that are offered to everyone at SSU and the surrounding community. The events include lecturers, speaker panels, films, dance presentations, and workshops, all reflecting various aspects of social justice. 

This year’s theme is “Empowerment Through Social Justice.” All events are in person, (Student Center Ballrooms) free, and open to the public. Events are also live-streamed on zoom and recorded. See the list of phenomenal programs and speakers below. You can also view the SJW website for more event information.

Monday, April 4th

1:00pm - 2:00pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom  

• Inspiring and Organizing Communities to Build Volunteer Organizations Empowered to Pursue Social Justice
  • Speaker: Dolores Huerta, President and Founder. Dolores Huerta Foundation 

2:30pm - 3:30pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom  

• Bystander Intervention Training
  • Presenter: SSU Title IX & Discrimination, Harassment, Retaliation Compliance Investigation and Training Specialists

4:30pm - 5:00pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Presenter: Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD) 

5:30pm - 6:30pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Workshop: Critical Self-Reflection Through the Lens of Accountability/Transformative Justice
  • Presenter: Ruby Morales. Workshop will include movement and interaction.

7:00pm - 8:00pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Academic Activism: Moving Beyond the Classroom
  • Presenter: Students and Dr. Erica Tom, Director of Native American Studies (NAMS), Lecturer, American Multicultural Studies Department, and the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies

Tuesday, April 5th

11:30am - 12:30pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Paws For Life K9 Rescue and Prison-Based Service Animal Training Program.
  • Screening of PBS Documentary With John Legend, “Shelter Me: Soul Awakened,” come meet the prison trained service dogs.

1:00pm - 2:00pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Learn from artist L. Frank Manriquez 
  • This event is co-sponsored by Native American Studies

2:30pm - 3:30pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• How Neurodiversity Relates to Social Justice
  • Presenter: Christy Giambastiani, Senior Disability Management Advisor at SSU

2:30pm - 3:30pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Film Screening: With Drawn Arms | 4 PM | Student Center Ballroom
  • View the trailer

5:30pm - 6:30pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Social Justice Careers Alumni Panel and Networking
  • SSU Alumni Association and SSU Career Center

7:00pm | Student Center Ballroom A  | Livestream Link 

• From 1968 to Black Lives Matter: Tommie Smith's Impact on Athlete Activism 

Wednesday, April 6th

11:30am - 12:30pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Presenter: Alianza for Equity

1:00pm - 2:00pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Racial Justice Curriculum Resources

2:30pm - 3:30pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Supporting Social Movements Through Research
  • Presenter: Dr. Sharon Fuller, Lecturer, SSU Geography, Environment and Planning 

4:00pm - 5:00pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• The Role of Systemic Racism in Journalism
  • Presenter: Otis R. Taylor Jr., Supervising Senior Editor of Race and Equity, KQUED

5:30pm - 6:30pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Presenter: Seth Eisen, EyeZen Presents

7:00pm - 8:00pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Black and Brown in Blue: The Role of Police Chaplains

Thursday, April 7th 

11:30am - 12:30pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Sex & Disability
  • Presenter: Lauren Stewart, SSU HUB Cultural Center 

1:00pm - 2:00pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• How to Mix Academic Work with Police Reform Activism
  • Presenter: Dr. Angelo Brown, Assistant Professor of Criminology, Arkansas State University 

2:30pm - 3:30pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Presenter: Mark Tilsen, is an Oglala Lakota poet educator from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and Water Protector on the front lines of fighting the oil pipelines. 

4:00pm - 6:30pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Survivor Centered Dialogue

7:00pm - 9:00pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Movie Screening: Strong Survival

  • Presenter: Director, Shynie Lu; Student Host: Maya Babow

Friday, April 8th

11:30pm - 12:30pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Understanding How Privilege (of gender, race, age, hierarchy, language, sexuality, religion, etc.) Operates in and Impact the Classroom

  • Presenter: Aparna Sinha, Assistant Professor Culture & Communication, Cal Maritime

2:30pm - 3:30pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• The History of Voting Rights and How Students Can Get Involved in Today's Fight
  • Presenter: SSU Lobby Corps, Charles Bordy

4:00pm - 5:00pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Landback

  • Presenter: Matthew Sequoyah Williford, Vice Chair/Tribal Monitor at Konkow Valley of Maidu

5:30pm - 8:00pm | Student Center Ballrooms | Register for Zoom

• Social Justice Awards
  • Presenters: 
    • Dr. Erica Tom, Director of Native American Studies, Lecturer, American Multicultural Studies Department, and the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies 
    • Dr. Jerlena Griffin-Desta, Chief of Staff / Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Diversity