April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month! Please join us for these events, and let's work together to end gender-based violence.

[ID: A colorful list of the events listed above. At the top is "Sexual Assault Awareness Month" surrounded by flowers, music notes, a rainbow, and a peace sign.]

Share your thoughts in our weekly poll!

Live music is a powerful space for connection and healing—but safety and dignity should always come first. This week, we’re reflecting on how to create survivor-centered, consent-driven music scenes, inspired by Safe Beats, Stronger Communities—our Thursday evening conversation and open mic on consent, creativity, and collective care.

How can we use art and music to promote consent culture, support survivors, and challenge harmful norms in public spaces?

Check back next week for your responses and a new question!

Last week, we asked, "What does supporting survivors and promoting awareness look like to you? How can we create safer, more supportive spaces for those affected by sexual violence?" Here are some of your responses:

Thank you for sharing your wonderful responses!

[ID: "Question of the Week" in yellow block letters inside a yellow-orange frame on a purple-blue gradient background.]

Wednesday, April 9 | 12 - 1pm
WLRC & Zoom
Audience: UIC Undergraduate, Graduate, and Professional Students

How do survivors of gender-based violence advocate for change? During this conversation with survivors and those who support them, we will celebrate how we have raised our voices, learn about survivor-led movements, and explore ways to get involved.

[ID: "HEALS: Healing for Engagement, Action, & Leadership by Survivors" in white text over a purple background, with flames rising from the bottom center.]

Thursday, April 10 | 2 - 4pm
WLRC & Zoom
Audience: Everyone (open to the public)

Join us for a screening and discussion of the documentary Ahead of the Curve, featuring Curve Magazine founder Franco Stevens and filmmaker Jen Rainin, winner of the 2025 UIC Alumni Association Alumni Achievement Award.

[ID: A person wearing a sleeveless top and sunglasses, looking to the side with a jacket slung over their shoulder and one hand resting on a stack of magazines. Around them is text describing the Ahead of the Curve event.]

Thursday, April 10 | 4 - 6pm
605 Student Center East
Audience: Everyone (open to the public)

Join us for a conversation with industry experts, artists, and activists about creating safe and consensual live music spaces, while also celebrating talent through an open mic.

Sign up to perform and be part of a night that promotes connection, safety, and community through music!

[ID: "Safe Beats, Stronger Communities: A Conversation & Open Mic" in bold orange, magenta, and black text on a pink background. In the center are silhouettes of musicians playing instruments.]

Monday, April 14 | 5 - 6pm
245 Student Center East
Audience: UIC Undergraduate, Graduate, and Professional Students

Join us for an Adult Learners (25+) workshop with Commuter and Off-Campus Life! We will dive into themes and activities that highlight identity, power and control, and how we can cultivate safe and consensual working spaces.

[ID: "Safe Beats, Stronger Communities: A Conversation & Open Mic" in bold orange, magenta, and black text on a pink background. In the center are silhouettes of musicians playing instruments.]

Wednesday, April 16 | 1:30-3pm
WLRC
Audience: UIC Undergraduate, Graduate, and Professional Students

Are you on the e-board of a UIC student organization focused on women, equity and inclusion, or social justice? Want to learn more about how WLRC can support the great work you do? Join us for an open conversation to network and build community with other student org leaders and our staff team!

[ID: A group of people in various shades of pink clothing, each raising a flexed arm muscle. At the top is "Student Organization Roundtable.]

Thursday, April 17 | 3:30-5:30pm
Dorin Forum, Room DEF
Audience: UIC Students, Staff, Faculty

How Should We Respond Using a Justice Lens? You're invited to join us for a panel of speakers who will explore the current landscape in higher education.

[ID: National Day of Action at UIC logo, a graduation cap surrounded by laurels. Details (above) are shared with an outdoor scene of campus and the Chicago skyline in the background.]

Survivors, we are here for you! Please reach out to the Campus Advocacy Network any time you need support, information, resources, answers, and/or advocacy related to safety, healing, or gender-based violence (sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, stalking, harassment, family abuse).

We can connect in person at WLRC or via Zoom, phone, text, or email. Our services are free, confidential, and open to all members of the UIC community.

We can help you build a safety plan, connect with resources (like mental health support or legal assistance), process your experiences, and stay informed about your rights and options. We can assist you as you navigate processes like requesting academic accommodations, communicating with Financial Aid and the Registrar's Office, filing a report with the Office of Access and Equity, and/or petitioning for an Order of Protection, depending on your needs.

We are here not only for survivors and those facing gender-based violence, but also for those in roles where there may be a need to support survivors on campus, such as instructors, mentors, advisors, student leaders, friends, or colleagues.

To connect with an advocate:
- Call: (312) 413-8206
- Text: (312) 488-9784
- Email: can-appointment@uic.edu
- Submit an Ask an Advocate form

[ID: Four members of Mujeres en Medicina, smiling, hold a section of clothesline from WLRC's Clothesline Project, where t-shirts tell the stories of surviving violence or offer messages of support, such as "Women owe you nothing," "You are loved," and "I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become!"]

Everyone at UIC has a role to play in preventing violence and supporting survivors in our community. 

If you are an ally supporting a survivor in your life (whether that is a friend, family member, student, or employee), contact us to discuss questions around advocating for survivors, campus and community resources, mandated reporting, and more.

If you are a student leader, instructor, or supervisor, please consider inviting CAN to speak to your class through our Don’t Cancel Your Class! program, or request a training for your department, college, student organization, or other campus unit. 

[ID: A coffee cup, paper, paper clips, buttons, and pencils scattered around text about the Don't Cancel Your Class program, all on a teal background.]

If you are teaching, please share information about CAN during class and in your syllabus:

"If you have experienced sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, stalking, or harassment, there is help available. The Campus Advocacy Network provides free and confidential services to UIC students, faculty, and staff who have experienced or are experiencing interpersonal violence. Pregnant and parenting students are also welcome to contact CAN for resources, information, and support.

If you would like to speak with an advocate, please email CAN at can-appointment@uic.edu, call (312) 413-8206 and leave a voicemail message, text (312) 488-9784, or fill out CAN's Ask An Advocate form online at can.uic.edu/ask. To learn more, visit CAN's website at can.uic.edu."

[ID: The text of the CAN Syllabus Statement in dark blue on a white background, with a teal green border.]

Black Cultural Center: Black Table Talk
Wednesday, April 9 | 12-1pm, 207 Addams
This is a great opportunity for faculty and students to connect, share their research and explore new collaborations over a casual lunch.

Disability Cultural Center: Crip Coffee Break: Get Crafty
Wednesday, April 9 | 3-4pm, 235 BSB & Zoom
We'll hang out together and let the conversation be guided by what’s going on in our lives or what’s on our minds.

Arab American Cultural Center: Arab Poetry Day يوم الشعر العربي
Thursday, April 10 | 1:00-2:30pm, Suite B01, BSB
Come and join us to discover the beauty of Arabic Poetry. Students will read classical and modern Arabic poems. English translations will be provided.

Arab American Cultural Center: Arab American Graduation: RSVP by April 11!
Join the Arab American Cultural Center’s Graduation Hafla. Celebrate graduates with music, speakers, and refreshments.

Disability Cultural Center: Disabilities Studies Working Group: River Sands, "Cripistemology, Disability Art. and Knitting as Resistance"
Friday, April 11 | 1:30-2:30, Virtual
Join us for an Honors College Capstone presentation on craftivist forms of crip knowledge-making. No advance reading—just a presentation, Q&A, and feedback.

Disability Cultural Center: Community Care Cohort Internship: Apply by April 11!
Learn about care work and disability justice while building key skills. UIC undergraduates with lived disability experience can apply for the two-year CCC Internship focused on alignment, connection, and leadership.

Heritage Garden: Spring Seed Swap
Saturday, April 12 | 12-2pm, Lecture Center B2
We invite gardeners, organizations, and community members interested in learning more about gardening, environmental sustainability, and social justice.

Asian American Resource and Cultural Center: DIY Scrapbooking
Tuesday, April 15 | 1-2pm, AARCC (723 W Maxwell St.)
Join the AARCC for a fun afternoon of DIY scrapbooking! Come make your personalized scrapbook (all supplies included).

Black Cultural Center: Student Leadership Symposium
Wednesday, April 16 | 10am-4pm, BCC Gallery, 207 Addams Hall
Join the BCC an annual event with dynamic speakers breaking barriers. Don’t miss the chance to connect, learn, and engage.

Latino Cultural Center: Zona Abierta: Reviving Local Democracy: New Conflicts in the Chicago City Council - Dr. Kumar Ramanathan
Wednesday. April 16 | 2-3pm, Virtual
Join us as UIC postdocs share research on marginalized communities. Dr. Kumar Ramanathan will discuss how inequality is reshaping the Chicago City Council.

Asian American Resource Center: AARCC 20th Anniversary Celebration
Thursday, April 17 | 6-8pm, 301 Student Center East
AARCC has served the UIC community since 2005. This year, it launches the “Race to 20” fundraiser to celebrate nearly 20 years and support its programs and services.

About the UIC Centers for Cultural Understanding and Social Change (CCUSC): Founded as a direct result of campus activism, the CCUSC work collectively to produce knowledge and shift university culture, validating the multidimensional lived experiences of historically and currently excluded communities. Informed by social justice frameworks, the Centers support students, faculty, and staff as they build a strong identity and sense of belonging, becoming change agents for a more just campus and society.

The Centers connect our communities and design intercultural and engaged-learning opportunities, student mentorship programs, cultural programming, advocacy, collaborative research, and community partnerships. Through these efforts, the Centers expand the educational and transformational mission of UIC.

[ID: The above statement about who the UIC Centers for Cultural Understanding and Social Change are, on a purple background.]

In light of potential threats to our communities, both here at UIC and throughout the Chicago area, it's important to know what our rights are when interacting with immigration and other law enforcement officers.

UIC's administration has shared official protocols for such interactions on campus. In short:

UIC's Rigo Padilla Pérez Undocumented Student Resource Center provides a comprehensive set of resources you can use on campus and in the community, including printable cards in multiple languages. They can also provide Know Your Rights trainings by request.

For more detailed info, check out this presentation from Sanctuary for All UIC, a collective of students, faculty, and staff imagining a sanctuary for all at UIC.

We are here for you and will continue to share resources and information with our campus community.

[ID: A two-page flyer with Know Your Rights info from ICIRR, which is available on its website.]

Sanctuary for All: Art Studio: Fight For Higher Education
Thursday, April 10 | 12-2pm, Lecture Center B2
Join us for a drop-in art studio, get creative, make posters and prepare for the People's University: April 17th National Day of Action for Higher Education at UIC.

School of Public Health: 16th Annual Minority Health Conference (MHC)
Friday, April 11 | 10am-3pm, UIC School of Public Health (1603 W Taylor St.)
Join UIC’s School of Public Health and Office of Diversity and Inclusion for a student-led event highlighting research and efforts addressing health inequities in minority and underserved communities.

Native American Support Program (NASP): Conversations about Native American Research and Support at UIC
April 16 & 17 | Various Times & Locations
NASP is hosting experts to enhance Native and Indigenous recruitment, retention, and career development at UIC. The event includes opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to participate and provide feedback.

Planning, Sustainability and Project Management: Sustainability Fund Advisory Board (SFAB): Apply by April 18!
SFAB manages the sustainability fund and is seeking one student member. Attend meetings, evaluate applications, and influence UIC’s sustainability efforts while gaining experience and connecting with advocates.

Gender & Women's Studies: Fall 2025 Course Offerings
Explore Gender & Women’s Studies and Social Justice courses for Fall 2025! The flyer on their website includes course descriptions, dates, and times. 

Black Studies & Gender and Women's Studies: Open Study Hours
MTWTh | 1-5pm, 1250 UH
Come connect with fellow students, study together, and build community.
Tea, coffee, and snacks will be available. Drop in whenever it fits your schedule!

Asian American Student Academic Program: Low Sensory Space at AASAP
Tuesdays | 9:30-11:30am, 2720 SSB
Looking for a quiet or low-sensory space? Every Tuesday, AASAP will have low light levels, little sound/relaxing music, and calming tools available.

Office of the Dean of Students: U&I Care Meals
Click above to access emergency meal assistance through the U&I Care Meals Program! Limited meals are available each term for UIC students facing urgent food insecurity.

Commuter and Off-Campus Life: Upcoming Events
Click above for exciting events, resources, and opportunities designed for UIC commuter and off-campus students!

Career Services: Upcoming Events
Click above for career prep workshops, career fairs, and more!

Daley Library: Upcoming Events
Click above for fun and engaging events for UIC students!

Counseling Center: Upcoming Events
Click above for popular workshops, peer-support groups, drop-in groups, and other events!

Little Sparks Program: Services and Opportunities for Student-Parents
The Little Sparks Program supports student-parents as they complete their education by providing childcare funding and wrap-around support. They offer things like child care; tuition assistance; diapers, wipes, and formula; student-parent network & events; and community resources.

Resilience: Upcoming Events
Resilience is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the healing and empowerment of sexual assault survivors through non-judgmental crisis intervention counseling, individual and group trauma therapy, and medical and legal advocacy in the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Resilience provides public education and institutional advocacy in order to improve the treatment of sexual assault survivors and to effect positive change in policies and public attitudes toward sexual assault.

- April 9: Intro to Crochet for Anxiety Reduction
- April 10: Our Music My Body Open Mic at UIC
- April 14: Survivor's Book Club
- April 14: Women of Color Support Group
- April 15: Survivor's Book Club: Free Support Group
- April 16: Resilience x &Rise BIPOC Wellness Event
- April 16: Intro to Crochet for Anxiety Reduction
- April 18: Standing Silent Witness T-Shirt & Sign Making Day

YWCA Evanston/North Shore: 40-Hour Domestic Violence Training
April 14 - April 25 | 9am-2pm, 1215 Church St., Evanston
A 40-hour domestic violence training site, approved by ICDVP, covers all required topics through a trauma-informed lens for those working with affected individuals.

Youth Abortion Support Collective: Midwest Compass: Navigating Support
Wednesday, April 16 | 6-7pm, Zoom
hear from Midwest abortion funds and practical support organizations on what they do and how you can be involved in helping abortion seekers get the care they need in your state. Open to 14- to 24-year-olds in the Midwest!

CAASE: Surviving the Mic: Virtually Together
Thursday, April 17 | 3-5pm, Virtual
Surviving the Mic: Virtually Together is an online gathering space for survivors of sexual harm and those who support them, either personally or professionally or both.

Chicago Women's Health Center: Pelvic Self-Exam Workshop
Monday, May 12 | 6:00-7:30pm, Virtual
This 90-minute workshop will cover the pelvic floor, the Pelvic Self Exam movement, exam best practices, and biases in pelvic health.

KAN-WIN: Youth Peer Advocate Leadership (YPAL) Program: Apply by May 26!
June 9 - July 22
YPAL is a program for high school aged people to receive in-depth training on issues of gender-based violence, be in conversation with other young people interested in combating gender-based violence, and explore ways to contribute to the anti-violence movement. 

UIC Women’s Leadership and Resource Center
& Campus Advocacy Network

1700 Student Services Building (MC 363)
1200 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60607

(312) 413-1025 ∙ wlrc@uic.edu ∙ wlrc.uic.edu

Subscribe:
Did someone forward you this newsletter? Please subscribe to ensure you receive future updates!

Missed a newsletter?
Visit our archive to read recent weekly digests.