Today I write to share recent news about our CHASS students, staff, and faculty:

• The collective open letter from our CHASS Chairs, Program and Center Directors, Stop Redlining UCR, is a clear statement on structural racism, and the first step in how we can come together to create change. Thank you all for your message.
• UCR alumna, Dr. Nana Kaneko (Ph.D. Music / Ethnomusicology 2017) has started a new job at FEMA in the Office of Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (OEHP). Nana was profiled last summer by UCR Magazine.
• As our world continues to change we need stories more than ever. Our Theater Film and Digital Production Department created an inspiring video on storytelling. It’s 4min and so worth the watch.
• Professor Ni’Ja Whitson received a United States Artist Fellowship in Dance. It is an unrestricted award for innovators in their field. You can hear from and experience some of Ni’Ja’s work through their website and our UCR ARTS interview with them.
• The UCR Brain Game Center, headed by Psychology Professor Aaron Seitz, has recently added over 12 new grants/contracts (totaling around $10 million, with about $5 million to UCR), essentially doubling the funding to that research program in 2 years. 
• The EARS Student Group was selected to participate in the NSF I-Corps program (now called Innova'R), and will be awarded a $3,000 grant to investigate a business model which could potentially bring the Music Department’s week-long intensive songwriting camp to other schools and universities across the world.
• Congratulations to Professor Allison Hedge Coke and her team for their successful 44th Annual UCR Writers Week. The event brought in over 2400 participants and featured extraordinary writings including three United States Poet Laureates: Rita Dove, Joy Harjo, and Juan Felipe Herrera.

There is so much more that I could share as all of you continue to contribute to who we are as CHASS. I am regularly inspired by you and grateful for all that you do and all that is CHASS.

Thank you for the continued inspiration.

With respect and gratitude,
— Juliet McMullin