University of Michigan/Flint Renames DEI Programs

The University of Michigan/Flint's office of DEI is now been renamed to HOPE - the Wolverine Hub of Opportunity, Persistence, and Excellence.

The university has spent $250 million on their trailblazer DEI strategies, but because of threats from Donald Trump to roll back funding, the DEI strategy has been terminated. 

They do not anticipate any staff changes, but some positions may be retitled.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/college-that-s-spent-250m-on-dei-is-using-new-word-to-evade-trump-ban/ar-AA1BRZfS?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=e501adff46de4e95f0ff2759195964a5&e&fbclid=IwY2xjawJVKExleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHYg82ZLhvw-Nciitcy1l07nHc308U-NWU5h2CEROHf-5mOzwuZEwUuvn1g_aem_O3M7CqXcazZteKXDU7d9tg

Female Trans Actor's Renewed Passport Says Male

The renewed passport of prominent transgender actor Hunter Schafer, 26, listed her gender as male following Trump's policy that the U.S. will only "recognize two sexes, male and female."

The gender markers on her government-issued IDs have been female since she was a teenager.

She added that she is worried about traveling out of the country in the next week and having to "out myself to Border Patrol" and for other trans people in similar situations.

People on the top of hierarchies, in this case Republicans, think that everyone wants or needs to be like them.

https://local12.com/news/nation-world/trans-actor-hunter-schafer-euphoria-hunger-games-criticizes-president-donald-trump-policy-after-passport-lists-her-as-male-executive-order-two-sexes-government-issued-ids-gender-markers?fbclid=IwY2xjawIoooFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZP6dppbPKzLdEZjIxQtmICZnk2b9SNiq771rBEkm5rdCA7sDWNqiLA3nA_aem_cjNcUBFVjPIB2BfHdJjn8g#?-cincinnati

Wondering What You Can Do?

The White Pages offers a list of 30 actions a person can take, alone, to get involved in our turbulent times. If any of them seem pertinent, they could be an idea for even a little bit of change or resistance.  

https://thewhitepages.net/p/thirty-lonely-but-beautiful-actions?fbclid=IwY2xjawIehMJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcKXslxzdGhKOnlNPCIyVZGGdXu6KWlaq_7nJtauu-liS2WOEk2K2Hs2ZQ_aem_mr5fG

NAACP Encourages Blacks to Shop Companies Who Still Have DEI Initiatives

The NAACP is encouraging Black Americans to use their buying power towards companies that haven’t pulled back from DEI initiatives. The NAACP says the spending guide it published today is needed because DEI initiatives promote the social and economic advancement of Black Americans.

“Diversity is better for the bottom line,” NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in an exclusive announcement to The Associated Press. “In a global economy, those who reject the multicultural nature of consumerism and business will be left in the past they are living in.”

https://apnews.com/article/black-consumers-dei-buying-guide-naacp-34664d8af92e2dc1ba787a498348b7a4

ACLU Summarizes Trump's War on Human Rights

The ACLU has summarized actions by President Donald Trump which has launched the most systemic and aggressive assault on human rights in U.S. presidential history.

Already, his administration has disengaged with the United Nations Human Rights Council — even though the U.S. is not a current member - defunded a UN refugee agency the U.S. long supported, ordered sanctions against the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, ordered to review ratified U.S. treaties that are the law of the land, and threatened to commit ethnic cleansing  in Gaza.

Learn more at this link.

https://www.aclu.org/news/human-rights/the-targeted-chaos-of-trumps-attacks-against-international-human-rights-law-and-justice

Two Female Gold Medal Ice Skating Champions to Perform as a Pair

Retired Olympic champions Madison Hubbell and Gabriella Papadakis plan to skate together at events in a bid to help pave the way for same-sex pairs to compete officially. 

France's Papadakis won gold in ice dancing while American Hubbell won in the team event, both in Beijing. 

The two women will perform together during the Art on Ice Gala in several cities in Switzerland this month, and hope to help break down a gender stereotype in the sport.

"I see a lot of young women who want to pursue ice dance in a certain way and there's not that many young boys or men who are competing, so there's a limit to how many people right now are participating," Hubbell told Reuters on Wednesday after her rehearsal with Papadakis in Zurich.

In October 2022, Skate Canada became the sport's first governing body to allow same-gender pairs to compete at the national level.

https://www.reuters.com/sports/papadakis-hubbell-skate-together-promote-same-sex-pairs-competition-2025-02-06/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&fbclid=IwY2xjawIXaV1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRkcasLhM7VZj1KdfoGZ9Chp76XLBmcKBJ6Brj1PNdY8It_oZuLEPmjfpA_aem_RElWRNRaDh2aig4Xh7yE4A

Portland Trailblazers Launch Technology for Visual Impaired Fans to Follow Games

The Portland Trail Blazers, an NBA team in Oregon, have become the first professional sports team to offer haptic display technology at every home game, providing blind and low vision fans a way to experience basketball through touch.

The technology, developed by Seattle-based startup OneCourt, translates live gameplay into trackable vibrations that fans can follow with their fingertips. The service is available at no additional cost at the Moda Center where the Trail Blazers play home games

The team will make five devices available for the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA regular season on a first-come, first-served basis. Fans can check out devices from Guest Services stands at three arena locations after making reservations via email..

"This success highlights what's possible when innovation meets inclusivity," the CEO of the founding company OneCourt. 

However, we wonder if the device will eventually be outlawed by Trump's DEI decrees, as it is made to promote inclusion.

https://www.kgw.com/article/life/trail-blazers-haptic-display-technology-blind-low-vision-fans/283-983035d8-1aa1-46f2-a80e-8fe8998754ed