UNC Men’s Project

Now that the move-in, orientation, and FallFest dust has (somewhat) settled, you may be asking yourself some questions: What the heck is Sakai? Did I just subscribe to more listservs than any human person should ever subscribe to? Why do we already have homework? And perhaps, more broadly: how will I spend my remaining years at UNC and make my mark on this campus?

If you’ve been asking yourself this last question — and are interested in the health and wellness of yourself and your fellow students — Student Wellness offers several opportunities for you to get involved in the work that we do!

Diversity & Inclusiveness in a College Environment (DICE):

DICE aims to create greater diversity awareness and programming around inclusiveness for students at UNC.
Join if you want to…
- Create a strong media campaign for diversity and inclusiveness
- Engage students’ awareness of issues such as race, class, ability, privilege, etc.
- Integrate various campus departments and offices to identify student perspectives on diversity and promote involvement in diversity issues on campus
- Support and encourage diversity and effect a more inclusive environment
For more information, e-mail studentwellness@unc.edu

Healthy Heels Ambassadors

HHA is a group of peer educators that raise awareness, educate, and offer supportive resources to empower students to make healthier choices that improves the collective health of the UNC-CH community.
Join if you want to…
- Gain leadership experience
- Make a meaningful difference on campus
- Possibility of opportunities to visit professional conferences
- Develop an area of expertise
- Become a mentor
- HAVE FUN!
For more information, e-mail studentwellness@unc.edu

Interactive Theatre Carolina (ITC)

ITC uses the tools of theatre to talk about difficult issues around health, wellness, and equity.
Join if you want to…
- Learn about and engage in conversations about JUSTICE and HEALTH!
- Perform and EDUCATE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS annually!
- BUILD YOUR ACTING RESUME with new theatre trainings (Theatre of the Oppressed, Forum Theatre, Image Theatre), character work, and improv)!
For more information, e-mail ITC@unc.edu

One Act

One Act’s student organization seeks to further the mission of One Act skills trainings through encouraging bystander intervention to prevent violence. One Act and One Act for Greeks skills trainings teach Carolina students the knowledge, skills, and confidence to recognize the early warning signs of violence and take preventive action in your everyday life.
Join if you want to…
- Plan violence prevention events throughout the year
- Connect with other students invested in violence prevention
- Discuss ways to safely intervene in problematic situations
- Gain knowledge of campus prevention and response resources
- Contribute to a safer campus environment
For more information, e-mail OneAct@unc.edu

Carolina Recovery Community

Our goal is to enable our students to enjoy a normal substance-free collegiate experience while excelling at UNC-CH.
Join if you want to…
- Do fun stuff– like ropes courses, hiking, sober tailgates, and more
- Gain recovery, academic resources, and other support services
- Develop a sense of community with other students in recovery
- Find a Mentor
- Get involved with the Carolina Recovery Group
For more information, e-mail carolinarecovery@unc.edu

Sister Talk

Sister Talk is a group for women of color who would like to discuss any relational, transitional change that is impacting their ability to successfully be the best they can be.
Join if…
- You are a woman of color
- You are interested in discussing relationships, self-care, work/life balance, academic success, managing stress, and self-image, among other topics!
For more information, e-mail studentwellness@unc.edu

UNC Men’s Project

We seek to create opportunities for male-identified students to increase men’s involvement in gender equity and violence prevention efforts.
Consider applying if you want to…
- Connect with a network of male-identified individuals interested in talking about masculinity and promoting positive masculinities
- Gain leadership skills
- Learn about the impact of masculinity on ourselves and our society
- Explore your own story
- Become a trained ally and peer educator
- Use social media to help create awareness on campus
For more information, e-mail UNCMensProject@gmail.com

Stay tuned for more ways you can get involved with Student Wellness this year, including attending a training and making an appointment!

Recently, two large campaigns have been launched around the issue of violence prevention. The United Nations kicked off the HeforShe campaign, and the White Houses launched its own Its On Us initiative. These two projects are gaining a lot of print and social media buzz.

HeForShe is a UN-led global effort to engage men in violence prevention discourse and action. The project asks men to commit to the idea that “Gender equality is not only a women’s issue, it is a human rights issue that requires my participation. I commit to take action against all forms of violence and discrimination faced by women and girls.” (www.heforshe.org)

UN Flag — “Flag of the United Nations” by dirc, Flickr Creative Commons

Its On Us is a White House-led nationwide campaign that focuses on reducing sexual violence on college campuses. The initiative asks people to pledge to “Recognize that non-consensual sex is sexual assault. To identify situations in which sexual assault may occur. To intervene in situations where consent has not or cannot be given. And to create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported.” (www.itsonus.org)

Both campaigns mentioned have used celebrity star power to push their messages forward. The UN brought in Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame, and the White House has a long list of celebs including Kerry Washington, Jon Hamm, and President Obama himself. I hope this increased media attention will allow campaigns like these to bring a greater awareness, and a more active resistance, to all forms of violence.

Additionally, it is both refreshing and reassuring to see campaigns directly (HeForShe) and indirectly (Its On Us) challenge men to be accountable for the violent patriarchal society we live in. That being said, I hope they continue to push for men’s active participation in violence prevention, men’s active resistance to violent masculinity, and men’s active deconstruction of male privilege. The latter, privilege, is all too easy and convenient for men to forget.

Male privilege must be explored, re-explored, and actively resisted at both the individual and societal levels as we work toward true gender equity and violence prevention. Signing a pledge online is not good enough. Not even close. Those who identify toward the male-identified end of the gender spectrum, especially cisgender men, must be held accountable for the culture and society for which we have both greatly benefited from, and actively and passively constructed.

UN Women's Day 2014 — “International Women’s Day 2014: Equality for women is progress for all” by UN Women, Flickr Creative Commons

Although these campaigns are certainly are not perfect and could benefit from constructive criticism and more direct engagement from leaders in the movement, I am encouraged and cautiously excited to see them forming on such large and visible stages. That being said, as more men join this cause—which is fundamentally their responsibility—I hope we keep the conversation about privilege at the forefront. All too often men are over-praised and over-compensated for work they should have been doing in the first place and for work that women, and particularly women of color, have been doing for a long time without proper recognition.

A violence prevention movement with men engaged that does not actively resist and deconstruct male privilege is hollow and ineffective.

HeForShe and Its On Us are a step in a positive direction, but that does not mean we shouldn’t continue to challenge, build, and grow with them. Keeping the deconstruction of male privilege at the forefront is just one of several issues that should and already have been addressed. Some more issues include: How are these movements inclusive to the spectrum of genders outside of the false male-female binary? How are these movements acknowledging the tremendous and courageous work that has come before them? How are intersectionality and identity politics being infused into all of this anti-oppression work? And what about the male survivors of men’s violence—are their voices being heard and included?

UNC Men’s Project. Logo designed by Garrett Ivey.

Let’s continue the conversation and push for holistic, equitable, and authentic violence prevention. If you are a male-identified student and interested in these issues, consider applying to the UNC Men’s Project. The UNC Men’s Project is a campus-wide initiative to increase men’s involvement in gender equity and violence prevention through experiential learning, creative practice, and fellowship. You can find more information with the link below.

Applications are available online at www.uncmensproject.com and are due by Midnight on Friday, October 3^rd