OUTspoken presents: Sonalee Rashatwar
How Fat Queers The Body: Unpacking influences of racism, heterosexism, cissexism, and colonialism on body image
Thursday, October 28th at 6 PM
The 15th annual OUTSpoken event will feature Sonalee Rashatwar. Rashatwar, popularly known as TheFatSexTherapist on Instagram, is an award-winning clinical social worker, sex therapist, lecturer, and grassroots organizer based in Philadelphia. Their work focuses on disability justice & healthism, decolonizing sexualities, and fat positive wellness. They will deliver a virtual keynote program on Thursday, October 28 at 6:00pm, open to all campus community members, that will examine the role of racism, heterosexism, cissexism, and colonialism in the creation of cultural standards of beauty and will speak to our collective change-making spirit to create a world in which all bodies and people are affirmed and celebrated.
This event is free and registration is required. Register at tinyurl.com/2021outspokenpresents
Send Silence Packing
Thursday, October 28th from 9 AM - 4 PM, COED CHHS PLAZA
Counseling and Psychological Services is bringing Send Silence Packing to campus on Thursday, October 28th from 9am - 4pm in the COED CHHS Plaza. Send Silence Packing is an impactful education display of about 1000 backpacks that is designed to inspire action for suicide prevention through education and advocacy. To better understand the display watch this short video.
About 50-70 volunteers are needed throughout the day for the event. Volunteers will be assisting by providing information about the display to individuals walking through the exhibit. They will also be directing students to the resource tables to learn more about the mental health resources on campus and in our community, or connecting individuals with clinical staff if support is needed at the moment. Volunteers will also be standing at the entrance points of the exhibit, providing information on alternative routes around the display for individuals who do not wish to walk through the exhibit.
This event will not be possible without the support of volunteers. Your help is needed to lead the conversation on mental health and suicide prevention in our campus community. If you are interested in volunteering please sign up using this form.
Alternate Route Information
For individuals who do not wish to see the exhibit, alternate route signage will be placed around the display. Additionally, volunteers will be present at the entrances to the display to assist individuals who wish to take an alternate route. We also encourage you to use the map to the left to plan your alternate route. COED CHHS Plaza is located between the buildings labeled 52 and 63 on the map below. The map outlines alternate routes around the building.
Let's Talk: Send Silence Packing Edition
From 3 - 5 PM on October 28th CAPS will also be hosting a special edition of Let's Talk. Let's Talk is a brief, drop-in and confidential problem-solving consultation with a CAPS team member. Visits are first come, first serve. No appointment necessary and the wait time is usually brief. This is not therapy and it is not designed for students needing urgent help. To get connected click here.
If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to Sarah Besse, mental health educator and coordinator of suicide prevention at sdewitt4@uncc.edu.
Resources for Muslim Community
Please find a comprehensive list of resources for members for the Muslim community here.
Continued Support Related to April 30
No matter where you were on April 30, as a member of Niner Nation, you were most likely impacted in some way by the violent act that occurred in a space that we all assume to be safe -- a classroom, on our campus, in our community. The death of two and the injuring of four students on April 30, 2019 is something that is now part of UNC Charlotte’s history. Even if you weren’t yet a Niner, this violence may still impact you.
To navigate the continued impact of this violence and trauma, perhaps you sought the help of a professional counselor or from your own support system. Please know that it can take some people longer than others to begin to feel “normal” and safe again and that is okay. And, if you are struggling, we encourage you to use the information below to try to understand your reaction and consider resources for seeking help.