April means two celebrations at UB: Earth Month and Pride Week. Celebrate and learn more from a variety of events hosted by clubs and organizations at UB:
April 6 — How I Got Started in Sustainability Panel
Listen to guest speakers from a variety of industries discuss sustainability. Speakers will include Lindsay Aleshire, head of social sustainability at M&T Bank; Alexandra Holland, executive director of the WNY Sustainable Business Roundtable; and Rob Gauchat, vice president of sales and marketing at Solar Liberty. The event will take place in 10 Capen Hall from noon to 1:30 p.m.
April 10 — Global to Local Racial Justice Series: Decoloniality, Indigeneity and Queer Politics
Hosted by the UB School of Social Work, guest speaker Autumn Asher BlackDeer is a queer academic from the Southern Cheyenne Nation. Her research aims to uplift Indigenous voices. She describes herself as an advocate for survivors of sexual violence, decoloniality and Indigenous health equity. The event will take place on Zoom from 12:30-1:30 p.m.
April 10 — Pride March and Mixer
This march to honor and celebrate LGBTQ+ history and community will begin at 3 p.m. in Knox Quad at the Progress Pride Paths. It will conclude at the mixer in the SU Lobby with speakers and food.
April 11 — TS Madison: University Pride Lecture
LGBTQ+ activist and reality television host TS “Maddie” Madison will speak twice at UB: Once in Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall from 7-8:30 p.m. and at a student-only session from 3-4:30 p.m. at SU Room 240. Madison is known for hosting “The Ts Madison Experience,” guest judging on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and being featured on Beyoncé’s song “COZY,” making her one of the first Black transgender women to chart in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.
April 13 — Queer Climate Justice
Students will learn about queer climate justice and how it relates to UB’s Climate Action plan. The event will take place in SU 240 from 3-4:30 p.m.
April 14 — PRISM OTA Ball
PRISM’s Open to All Ball aims to showcase ballroom culture and its deep roots with queer and trans people of color. The event will take place in Harriman Hall from 7-11 p.m.
April 14 — Global Health Day Symposium: Women’s Health
Learn more about women’s health from keynote speaker Junfeng (Jim) Zhang, a Global and Environmental Health professor from Duke University, at his presentation “Air Pollution and Women’s health: Exposure Vulnerability and Biological Susceptibility.” The event will take place in Farber Hall G26 from noon to 4 p.m.
April 14 — Ecopedagogy: Teaching Environmental Care in Iberian Studies and Beyond
Join two professors from Miami University and North Carolina State University in a discussion of ecopedagogy, a teaching technique that connects sustainability education with a wide variety of subjects. The professors will specifically discuss strategies for applying ecopedagogy to Spanish language and literature. The event will be on Zoom from 4-5 p.m., with a viewing party at GRoW CEC.
April 15 — Queer Prom
Enjoy the last event of UB Pride Week with Queer Prom to dress up, eat, dance and take photos. The event will take place in the CFA Atrium from 7-11 p.m.
April 15 — Birding at Tifft Nature Preserve
Join the Audubon Club on a birding walk at Tifft Nature Preserve on 1200 Fuhrmann Blvd. from 9 a.m. to noon.
April 19 — UB Department of Indigenous Studies Campus Pride Month Speaker: Kit Thomas
Guest speaker Kit Thomas is an Akwesasne-based artist, a member of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe and an LGBTQ+ and mental health advocate. They will be discussing the concept of Two-Spirit and its significance in the indigenous community. The event will take place in the SU Theater from 1-2 p.m.
April 20 — The Legacy of Love Canal: An Intimate Conversation with Lois Gibbs
Back in 1978, guest speaker Lois Gibbs led her neighborhood of Love Canal, Niagara Falls to bring public attention to the toxic chemicals harming her community. Her actions and successes became a blueprint for the budding environmental movement. The event location is to be announced and will take place at 6 p.m.
April 21 — Engineers for a Sustainable World Club Tabling Event
ESW will be tabling for their Pollinator Garden Bed project, where they’ll discuss the importance of biodiversity and conservation and the ties between native wildflowers and pollinators. The event will take place at SU from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
May 1 — GRoW Your Network
Hosted by UB Sustainability and the Career Design Center, network and connect with sustainability professionals from a variety of industries. The event will take place at GRoW Clean Energy Center from 4-6 p.m.
May 4 — Environmental Justice 101: Connections to Higher Education
Hosted by UB Sustainability, the event aims to discuss how environmental problems often affect marginalized communities more than others. Participants will be able to reflect on their experiences with environmental injustice on campus. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. A location has yet to be announced.
Jasmin Yeung is the senior features editor and can be reached at jasmin.yeung@ubspectrum.com