Third annual Together RIT coming up on Oct. 25

RIT is hosting its third annual Together RIT: A Day of Dialogue on Friday, Oct. 25. This year’s theme is Deaf culture, disability, and neurodiversity. Registration is open.

Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to join in a day of conversation, panels, and presentations intended to offer the opportunity to engage in intentional and honest dialogue about diversity and inclusion topics.

“Having a diverse student body and workforce made up of a large Deaf community, neurodivergent individuals, and people with disabilities is something that we need to better leverage and understand,” said Taj Smith, executive director for Culture and Diversity Education within the Division of Diversity and Inclusion. “I look forward to seeing students, staff, and faculty participating throughout the day. I encourage faculty to offer extra credit for attending and for managers to support employees who want to engage in this professional development opportunity.”

The event’s opening panel begins at 10 a.m. and will be moderated by Alesia Allen, assistant vice president for NTID Diversity and Inclusion, and Elizabeth Reeves O’Connor, principal lecturer in the School of Communication. Panelists include Tim Albert (staff), Angeline Hamele (student), Dustin Haraden (faculty), Brian Trager (faculty), and Astrid Zambori (student).

Sessions will be held throughout the day with topics including Deaf MythBusters and gains; Deaf, neurodiverse, and disabled identity across faith communities; accessibility in the lab and the field; and building an alliance with faculty with disabilities. There will be a screening of the film Signing Black in America, screening of the first episode of Deaf And…, and interactive activities and resources available. Free Together RIT t-shirts will be available in the Fireside Lounge throughout the day.

The closing will be a conversation with alumni Amie Fornah Sankoh, SVP ’09, ’14 NTID (laboratory science technology), ’17 (biochemistry), and Kaitlin Sommer, ’24 (political science), moderated by Amberlee Jones, associate director of advancement for NTID. Registration for the closing session is full.

Registration is open for all RIT students, faculty, and staff until Friday, Oct. 18, at noon. Participants do not have to commit to the whole day but are free to register for just one session as their schedule allows. Registration is required through the Together RIT website.

Together RIT launched in the fall of 2022 as a way to gather the campus community together to create spaces to ask questions, empathize, build solidarity, and give recognition to current and future social issues. The day is an opportunity to highlight the positive contributions, joy, and pride that all kinds of doers, communicators, and learners experience. The program’s inaugural theme centered on race, ethnicity, and racism, while last year’s focus was gender and sexuality.

The full program is available to view with registration available on the Together RIT website.