Civic Action Week: The Path to Joy and Liberation (October 17-22) allows our campus community to deepen our understanding of systemic challenges that require a collective response. Through educational sessions, action-oriented civic opportunities, and direct service the University of Pittsburgh can be part of a solution that makes space for liberated, joyful, and inclusive spaces that welcome our broader communities.

There are educational workshops and speakers throughout the week as well as in-person service projects we are looking for staff and faculty to join. Please visit our event website for more information

Feature opportunities:

CAW kickoff and reception: Monday October 17 4-6pm

William Pitt Union Lower Lounge (registration not required)

Join the Offices of Engagement & Community Affairs and PittServes as we welcome you to Civic Action Week, hear from community leaders that center joy & liberation, and kick off the “Year of” Emotional Well-Being

Engagement Community of Practice: Tuesday October 18 1-3pm

Alumni Hall Presentation Room 121 (website registration)

Join staff and faculty that hold positions responsible for facilitating outreach and engagement on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh in an in-person professional development session. Together we’ll get to know one another, hear about promising practices across campus, get important institutional updates, and go through a shared activity to further our practice.

University of Pittsburgh – Newcastle Collaborative Conference: Wednesday October 19 and Thursday October 20

Virtual: The conference will include a programme of concurrent sessions focused on the themes of sustainability, health, culture and cities and places. Plenary sessions will draw upon the role universities play in their place, looking at a range of international contexts and approaches to impact and evaluation.

National Speaker: Thursday October 20 Visionary Organizing Lab

William Pitt Union Ballroom

2 sessions available, registration required: 10am-12pm OR 2-4pm 

Visionary Organizing makes use of systems thinking, emergence thinking, transformative thinking, growth skills, and facilitation skills to experiment with community self-reliance and create sustainable systems that affirm dignity. Our understanding of Visionary Organizing emphasizes five components:

• locating ourselves and communities within history and systems,
• connecting to and trusting our collective inner wisdom,
• affirming dignity,
• experimenting with community self-reliance, and
• imagining futures

Day of Caring/Staff Service Opportunities: Friday October 21 (registration required)

Join one of 12 community partner projects for service opportunities throughout the region. Each volunteer will receive breakfast (on-campus) and lunch (on-site) as well as a t-shirt. Consider inviting your unit as a team-building and community building opportunity. Contact Gabrielle DeMarchi for more information at gabrielle.demarchi@pitt.edu

Please invite your networks/team leads/colleagues/students on and off campus! To request meeting holds or ask questions for any and all events please email communityinfo@pitt.edu

Registration closes 10/15