Join us for the ninth annual campus-wide observance of Walk the Walk Week (WTWW), a week-long series of University, department, and student-sponsored events designed to help us consider how we—both individually and collectively—can take an active role in making Notre Dame more welcoming and inclusive.
Notre Dame’s commitment to diversity and inclusion arises from our aspirations about the community we want to be and goes to the heart of the University’s mission. In keeping with Catholic social teaching, we strive to:
Respect the dignity of every person
Build a Notre Dame community in which all can flourish
Live in solidarity with all, particularly the most vulnerable
WTWW is an important opportunity, among many throughout the year, to recommit ourselves to these principles and consider our next step in building a more just, equitable, and inclusive campus and society.
Galería América, Bond Hall third floor hallway (North)
Best known for his satirical relief prints, Barberena is an internationally award-winning Nicaraguan printmaker whose art has been exhibited worldwide. His work features images drawn from popular culture, politics, and culutral tragedies. Through his work, he aims to highlight the interconnectivity shared by all. He lives in Chicago where he runs two printmaking projects: Bandolero Presss and La Calaca Press.
The exhibit will run until January 20th, 2025 in Galería América, located in the third floor hallway (North) of Bond Hall.
On January 15, we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This day is a holiday for students, faculty, and staff.
So that we might all have the opportunity to honor Dr. King’s legacy on MLK Day in our own ways—by participating in a service project, attending events in the local community, worshiping in our faith communities, engaging in dialogue with friends and colleagues, or spending time with our families and loved ones—we will not plan any campus-wide observances that day.
The Notre Dame Law School will hold its annual Day of Service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to honor Dr. King’s unwavering fight for racial and social justice, to embody the University of Notre Dame’s Catholic mission, and to embrace our responsibility to serve others.
This event is open to Law students, faculty, and staff who wish to spend part of the day volunteering. More information and signups will be sent to students and faculty/staff in mid-December. For more information visit law.nd.edu.
Taking the Long View: AI Bias in Image Generation
246 Hesburgh Libraries
Hosted by ND Learning, this workshop will delve into the history and complexities of bias in AI algorithms and provide participants with an understanding of how biases can manifest in AI-generated images, as well as strategies to mitigate and counteract these biases.
Near Northwest Neighborhood, 1007 Portage Avenue, South Bend
Join the School of Architecture for an afternoon of service-learning through design. Learn more about the work and impact of the Near Northwest Neighborhood organization, design a structure for South Bend's only community fridge initiative and meet local neighbors and community activists.
Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, LaFortune Student Center
Join Student Government in supporting local small businesses for Walk the Walk Week! The POC Owned Market will have vendors from People of Color-owned businesses in the Michiana area! There will be food, books, and handmade goods for sale.
Stop by the Center for Diversity Equity and Inclusion (Community Kitchen, Champions of Diversity Room, and History Makers Room) on the Second Floor of LaFortune during lunchtime.
Critical Pedagogies for Equitable and Inclusive Teaching
246 Hesburgh Libraries
In this session hosted by ND Learning, participants will discuss and explore the ways in which principles from anti-racist and decolonial pedagogies can help instructors approach different elements of their course design process to promote justice and equity. The session will focus primarily on practices that involve dialogue—as well as leveraging students’ knowledge and expertise—to inform not only what we teach, but how we teach.
1,000 Cut Journey: A Virtual Reality Learning Experience
231 Hesburgh Libraries
This immersive workshop, hosted by ND Learning, leverages the power of extended reality (XR)—an umbrella term that comprises augmented reality, mixed reality, and virtual reality—to provide a unique and impactful learning experience.
Developed by researchers at Stanford and Columbia, 1,000 Cut Journey is an approximately 12-minute immersive scenario delivered via virtual reality headsets. In it, participants will embody a Black male, Michael Sterling, who experiences racism as a child through disciplinary action in the classroom, as an adolescent encountering the police, and as a young adult dealing with workplace discrimination.
Building a Legacy of Opportunity: A Conversation with Dr. Howard Adams
Dahnke Ballroom, Duncan Student Center
Keynote reflection by:
Dr. Howard Adams Inaugural Executive Director, National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science
In conversation with:
Dr. Stephanie G. Adams Dean of the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Texas at Dallas
Robert V. Jones (’85) Co-Founder, President, and CEO, PReSafe Technologies
Dr. Sylvia Wilson Thomas Vice President for Research and Innovation, University of South Florida
Dinner will be served.
Throughout his career, Dr. Adams has advised thousands of young adults from underrepresented backgrounds on how to navigate higher education and build careers in both industry and academia. In this informal conversation over dinner, he will share his wisdom with our campus community.
Presider Rev. John I. Jenkins University President
Keynote Reflection Salima Rockwell Notre Dame Volleyball Head Coach
Join us as we reflect on Dr. King's legacy and pray for an end to racism, inequality, and injustice in our communities, nation, and world.
A dessert and mocktail reception will follow in the new Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in LaFortune Student Center.
Thursday, January 18
Inclusive Teaching With Canvas Lunch + Learn
246 Hesburgh Libraries
Intended for faculty and other instructors, this workshop will share strategies for promoting inclusion and accessibility using the Canvas learning management system along with course design and Universal Design for Learning principles. The event will also demonstrate two inclusive software integrations (Namecoach and Panorama).
Food Insecurity: A Panel Discussion to Chart Our Next Steps Forward
Smith Ballroom, Morris Inn
Join the University Enterprises and Events division for an in-depth panel discussion focused on food insecurity globally and within the Indiana and Midwest communities. Chef Seth VanderLaan, Director of Culinary, Jocelyn Antonelli, Nutrition Services Program Director, and Jim Conklin, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Cultivate Food Rescue, will participate in a wide-randing discussion led by moderator Karim Tinoco, Sustainable Foods and Kitchen Program Manager. Topics covered will include the ranges of food security, the triple burden of malnutrition, the impact of food waste, and solutions individuals can engage in to alleviate this.
Steve Schapiro (American, b. 1934), Honor King: End Racism, Memphis, Tennessee, 1968, Gelatin silver print. Milly and Fritz Kaeser Endowment for Photography, 2017.011.003
Stop by the new Raclin Murphy Museum of Art to explore photographs of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and critical moments of the Civil Rights Movement. The photographs reflect the movement's participants’ struggle, courage, and hopefulness. Dr. King described this dynamic as having the faith “to rise from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope” in his October 1963 speech on the Notre Dame campus. Decades later these photographs continue to resonate with, in the words of Dr. King, “the challenges we face” in the ongoing pursuit of a more just society.
These works of art by celebrated photographers dedicated to recording history in the making—including Dan Budnik, Charles Moore, Moneta Sleet, and Ernest Withers, and others—will be on temporary view in the Object Study Room as part of the University's Walk the Walk Week events.
We Got Us Now — Walking with Children Impacted by Mass Incarceration
Geddes Hall, Andrews Auditorium
The Initiative on Race and Resilience and the Center for Social Concerns join to bring We Got Us Now — a national nonprofit advocacy organization that raises awareness about parental incarceration — to Notre Dame for Walk the Walk Week. This multimedia educational event will host founder/CEO Ebony Underwood, a panel and Q&A session, and a reception all aiming to engage, educate, elevate, and empower through sharing the stories of justice-impacted youth and bringing awareness to the experiences of the over 10 million children impacted by parental incarceration in the United States. Please join us as we show solidarity with, and shine dignity on, those impacted by 50 years of mass incarceration.
Research That Matters: Scholarship Advancing Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
104 Bond Hall
The Graduate School will highlight Notre Dame graduate students and postdocs whose research advances the legacy of Dr. King’s dream of a more just and equitable world. Students from multiple disciplines whose research is focused on topics of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion will present brief lightning talks about their research and its impact. Light refreshments to follow. All are welcome!
Student Government, in collaboration with the Black Student Association, is hosting the 2nd Annual Black Excellence Dinner. This is a black tie formal dinner celebrating Black excellence in all aspects of Notre Dame campus life.
Doors will open at 6:45pm and a coat check is available. There will be a buffet-style dinner, keynote speaker, and recognition of outstanding Black students, staff, and faculty at Notre Dame. The keynote address given by Dr. Terrence Roberts, a member of the Little Rock Nine, will be livestreamed at 8:00 p.m.
This event was made possible by our generous sponsors. Special thanks to the Division of Student Affairs, the Office of Institutional Transformation, the Klau Center for Civil and Human Rights, the Notre Dame Scholars Program, the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement, the Initiative on Race and Resilience, the Balfour-Hesburgh Scholars Program, the Department of Africana Studies, the Transformational Leaders Program, the College of Mendoza D&I, the College of Engineering, the School of Architecture, the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, Human Resources, the Kellogg Institute, Notre Dame Athletics, Notre Dame Alumni Association, Diversity Council, the Black Business Association of Notre Dame, the Alliance for Catholic Education, the Department of Sociology, and the Hesburgh Program for Public Service.
Friday, January 19
Walk the Walk Week Staff Unity Summit
Downes Ballroom, Corbett Family Hall
The Staff Unity Summit serves as an opportunity to build the “Beloved Community” Dr. King envisioned and spoke about. Meet and interact with other Notre Dame employees, have lunch, and explore the steps necessary to create the Beloved Community here at Notre Dame for all employees. The event will include small group dialogue, speakers, and a few surprises. Lunch will be provided. Contact Eric Love (elove1@nd.edu) for more information.
To get to Downes Ballroom, enter Corbett Hall through either Door 3 or 4 and take the elevators to the 7th floor.
Walk the Walk Week: Civil Rights Photography
Raclin Murphy Museum of Art: Object Study Room
Steve Schapiro (American, b. 1934), Honor King: End Racism, Memphis, Tennessee, 1968, Gelatin silver print. Milly and Fritz Kaeser Endowment for Photography, 2017.011.003
Stop by the new Raclin Murphy Museum of Art to explore photographs of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and critical moments of the Civil Rights Movement. The photographs reflect the movement's participants’ struggle, courage, and hopefulness. Dr. King described this dynamic as having the faith “to rise from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope” in his October 1963 speech on the Notre Dame campus. Decades later these photographs continue to resonate with, in the words of Dr. King, “the challenges we face” in the ongoing pursuit of a more just society.
These works of art by celebrated photographers dedicated to recording history in the making—including Dan Budnik, Charles Moore, Moneta Sleet, and Ernest Withers, and others—will be on temporary view in the Object Study Room as part of the University's Walk the Walk Week events.
Continuing the Conversation: Walking in the Spirit of Truth: Charting the Pathways to Racial Justice, 2.0
Auditorium, Hesburgh Center for International Studies and Live on Zoom
In January 2023, the Kroc Institute hosted an open and forthright conversation about the status of racism in the United States and how the pathways toward racial justice are impacted. This year, distinguished guests return for part two of the discussion – on how walking the walk toward true racial justice and justpeace involves addressing the myriad manifestations of racism with conviction and with a resolve toward actions.
Remarks by:
Dr. Gwendolyn Purifoye, Assistant Professor of Racial Justice and Conflict Transformation
Dr. Derrick Brooms, Executive Director of the Black Men's Research Institute, Morehouse College
Dr. Carla Goar, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Anti-Racism and Equity Institute, Kent State University
Dr. Amber A. Hewitt, Chief Equity Officer for the Government of the District of Columbia and Director of the Mayor's Office of Racial Equity
Dr. David Stovall, Professor, Department of Black Studies and Department of Criminology, Law and Justice, University of Illinois, Chicago
Black Images
Washington Hall
Black Images is an annual talent show hosted by Notre Dame's Black Cultural Arts Council (BCAC) where black students are given a platform to celebrate their gifts, skills, and talents. This year's talent show will be held on January 19th, and tickets will be sold for $5 before the event at the LaFortune Student Box Office or $7 at the door. We would like to invite you all to attend Black Images. You do not want to miss this amazing showcase!
Saturday, January 20
WTWW Service Project
Duncan Student Center
The Walk the Walk Week Service Project invites you to give of your time and resources to address the immediate needs of the most vulnerable members of our community. Students, faculty, and staff, are invited to come pack care kits for community organizations.
Food from local caterers and t-shirts will be provided to volunteers on a first come, first served basis.
Step out of your comfort zone and join Student Government for a dance workshop! Use this opportunity to have fun learning dances and embracing different cultures. Four different groups on campus will be instructing: the African Student Association (5pm), RitmoND (5:30pm), the South Asian Student Association (6pm), and ASCEND Kpop Dance Club (6:30pm). Everyone is welcome to attend and no dance experience or specific attire is required!
UZIMA! Drum and Dance presents ASHE
Leighton Concert Hall, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
ASHE or ASE (pronounced Ashay) is a practical word in the West African Yoruba tribe's spirituality; it has the meaning of omnipresence, i.e., immediacy. It is often translated as "So Let It Be."
ASHE: A Celebration of Voices, presented by UZIMA! Drum and Dance at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center will feature a unique collaboration between UZIMA! and many choirs, groups, and individuals from our community that will culminate in an uplifting and inclusive celebration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King. We hope you join us for this beautiful expression of unity and inspiration!
This event is part of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center Presenting Series' Cultural Collective, new programming supporting equitable artistic development in our community.
Student Government Office, LaFortune Student Center Room 109
Join UndocuAlly ND and Notre Dame Student Government for a campus-wide training and afternoon of engaging topics around immigrant justice.
Together, we will discuss subjects related to the undocumented student experience, learn and apply (in real-time) best practices for allyship and building inclusive community with immigrant students, and engage with "Know Your Rights" materials. By educating ourselves, listening to our peers, and engaging in honest dialogues, we can do our part to help ensure Notre Dame is a safe and just place for all community members, regardless of their immigration status. All members of the Notre Dame community are invited.
We hope you will join us for this evening of collective learning, as we work together to build our sanctuary at ND.
Monday, January 22
Leading with the Power of Story: A Gathering for Women of Color and Allies
Stayer Center Commons A&B
This event is sold out.
Women of color embody a vibrant tapestry of identity who have unique experiences in the higher education landscape. Engaging in open dialogue and forging connections with each other leads to a more inclusive and supportive environment. This gathering aims to create a safe space for faculty and staff who identify as women of color and their allies within the Tri-Campus Community to learn about and practice building a supportive community on campus through powerful conversations, storytelling, and compassion. The gathering will begin with a workshop led by Lani Peterson, a psychologist and executive coach who specializes in the application of narrative as a medium for personal growth, connection, and change, and culminate with a reception to enhance participants’ social networks with active community members and resources on campus.
This gathering is not just a moment; it's a curated transformative experience that aims to uplift, inspire, and create lasting connections. Collectively, we will weave the threads of unity and strength for a brighter, more connected community at Notre Dame.
Sponsors of this gathering include the Office of the Provost, the Office of Institutional Transformation, Notre Dame Human Resources, Thrive!, ND Elevate, Notre Dame Enrollment, Mendoza College of Business, and the Indigenous Faculty and Staff Employee Resource Group.
Arts of Dignity Student Art Exhibition: Opening Reception
Geddes Hall, First Floor
Join us to celebrate the opening of the Arts of Dignity Student Art Exhibition at the Center for Social Concerns.
Juried selections from Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s College, Holy Cross College, and IU South Bend undergraduate and graduate students will be on display throughout Geddes Hall. Submitted works explore themes related to Walk the Walk Week, such as diversity, civil rights, and economic justice.
This event has been rescheduled to Tuesday, January 23, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Meet representatives from community organizations addressing a range of issues, including education, housing, healthcare, disability, food security, immigration, and human rights. Booths will be throughout the first floor of Geddes Hall.
Open to students, faculty, and staff looking to engage more deeply with the city of South Bend. Find more info at socialconcerns.nd.edu/fair. Sponsored by the Center for Social Concerns.
Additional Resources
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Efforts at Notre Dame
Explore resources and work that continues at the University of Notre Dame 365 days a year.
Black@ND is a talk show created and co-hosted by Emorja Roberson, Euda Fils, Daut'e Martin, and Blake Woods. It seeks to be a forum for an open and honest conversation that gives greater visibility to the experience of black students, faculty, staff, and alumni at the University of Notre Dame. Its purpose is to foster constructive self-criticism and awareness within the University community in order to contribute to the University’s mission to promote a spirit of diversity and inclusion.
Global in scope and comparative and interdisciplinary in critical approach, the Initiative on Race and Resilience promotes multiracial collaboration, qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and inclusive pedagogy. It focuses on challenging systemic racism and promoting racial equality through scholarship, education, and community empowerment.
The Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights presents Building an Anti-Racist Vocabulary, a lecture series and associated course presenting preeminent scholars, thought leaders, and public intellectuals to guide the Notre Dame community through topics necessary to an understanding of systemic racism and racial justice. The series is designed to provide intellectual and moral building blocks to begin the transformative work of anti-racism.
Building on the Notre Dame's Spirit of Inclusion, Notre Dame Athletics invites all student-athletes, coaches, staff, faculty, alumni, supporters, and community members to join in the work needed to create sustainable progress and change.
The eighth annual Walk the Walk Week featured a Prayer Service in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on January 22, 2023. The Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church, delivered keynote reflections.
"Why I Write"
Reflections from Pulitzer Prize winner and former U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey opened Walk the Walk Week 2023
Walk the Walk Week 2023 Prayer Service Recap
A short recap video of the 2023 Walk the Walk Week Prayer Service and Candlelight March.
Walk the Walk Week 2023 Recap
Get a glimpse of the many events that took place during Walk the Walk Week 2023
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What’s Your Next Step?
What can you do to make Notre Dame a more diverse and inclusive community?
