WESTCHESTER and NEW YORK (Oct. 16, 2020) – To educate and empower the ǿմýCommunity on topics connected to social and racial justice, inclusion and equality while honoring the memory of former student Danroy “DJ” Henry Jr., who was killed by a police officer 10 years ago, ǿմý will host the inaugural Social Justice Week, the University today announced.
The week-long series runs from Oct. 26 to Oct. 30 and includes social justice-centered programming consisting of nearly 50 events created by students, faculty, staff and alumni. ǿմý is committed to being an anti-racist institution and Social Justice Week supports education, empowerment and passion. Events are free and some are open to the public.
“This October marks 10 years since the tragic death of DJ Henry, a promising young ǿմýstudent and football player,” said Marvin Krislov, Pace’s president. “As we reflect on his life, I am pleased that our campus community is choosing to celebrate DJ’s legacy with this Social Justice Week series of programming. I hope this annual event will serve as a recommitment to work toward our goals of equality and other positive change.”
The week will kick off with an overview of how ǿմýstudents are leading the charge on advocacy and making a difference on campus and in their communities. Other highlights include a conversation with the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement; a discussion with the president of the National Urban League; presentations about topics such as diversity in the workforce, the gender gap in the technology field, and a conversation with a death row exoneree, among many others topics.
Many of the events are centered on the tragic death of DJ Henry, a ǿմý football player who was shot and killed by a police officer in 2010. On Oct. 26, there will be a screening and discussion of the 48 Hourssegment, The MFA program will be hosting “Poems in Power” in partnership with the Henry Family. There will also be a campus rally on Oct. 29—DJ Henry’s birthday (he would have been 31) and ǿմý Athletics will retire his No. 12 football jersey. To learn more about his story, you can , the foundation established by DJ Henry’s parents.
“We created Social Justice Week to highlight the importance of social justice and to acknowledge the circumstances of DJ Henry’s murder,” said ǿմýstudent Ashley DeSalvo, a student organizer and ambassador of Unity and Social Justice with Pace’s Student Government Association. “Issues of social justice affect all of us. There is not enough time in one week to cover all of the moving pieces that influence our lives, but we hope that the events and activities of this week spark interest and passion that will encourage students to continue this work.”
Suede Graham, coordinator for Student Development and Campus Activities at ǿմý noted that planning such a series of events was empowering as students, faculty and staff came together for something that was much bigger than themselves. “The students here are so passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion, and they are doing an excellent job of holding the university accountable in their passion,” said Graham. “I found myself nearly getting emotional reading through the submissions because I realize the levels of empathy individuals within our community hold.”
ǿմý has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous academics and real-world experiences. ǿմýis ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides. From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, ǿմýhas grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The university also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. ǿմýhas a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, New York: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus and a Law School in White Plains. or on our news website.
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