SoHE Insights is an occasional series featuring guest posts from students and faculty. Below, Human Development and Family Studies Assistant Professor Dr. Alvin Thomas shares a poem he was moved to write after the events of the last several months. The piece features artwork he commissioned from artist Ted M. Sandiford.
Though Dr. Alvin Thomas, Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies in the School of Human Ecology at UW–Madison, already had the busy life of an academic prior to the pandemic, his efforts since the outbreak have extended his role beyond that typical stretch.
Recognizing the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 and systemic racism on Black communities, he joined regional leaders to offer a weekly mental health and wellbeing support group for Black men that has been running since late April (free and available each Saturday at 1:00 p.m. CST here). He has also shared his insights with numerous audiences, including in a recent UW Now Livestream, a longer Cap Times piece on the impacts of COVID-19 for Black Madisonians, and an op-ed in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Below, he shares a more creative reflection and invites viewers to share the piece on social media. You can follow Dr. Thomas on Twitter at @Dr_AT758.
View a related Q&A from Dr. Thomas here and a message from SoHE Dean Soyeon Shim to students regarding the police murder of George Floyd and subsequent community uprisings here.