vitalvoices 2024-2025

The vitalvoices Speaker Series serves as a forum to bring scholars and practitioners alike to speak to students, faculty, alumni and community partners at UHD's College of Public Service. It is our hope that those we invite to speak will share, from the heart, their professional experiences, their knowledge, and how the work they do impacts society as a whole. We like to feature people whose work is interdisciplinary and touches upon the fields social work, criminal justice and urban education.

Stay tuned for upcoming Fall semester Speaker Series. 

---

Situational Awareness

Wednesday, September 18^th from 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

Situational awareness is key to noticing sudden movement or if something just doesn’t seem right. This session will include a simulation as well as the latest research and a historic overview of active shooter events in the U.S. We will look at case studies, review emergency response plans and most important, learn how to create your own unique survival mindset. Topics include:

• De-escalation techniques
• Maintain distance from your attacker
• Plan (and prepare for) your escape route
• Practice disengagement moves
• Escape an attack from the back
• Get out of common grips and holds
• Don't waste any movement or energy
  
  

Self Defense Techniques

Wednesday, September 19^th from 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

In this workshop, join Lieutenant Trinity Delafance to learn self-defense that will help you fight off an attacker and get away. Come practice eight basic self-defense techniques including:

• Knee strikes
• Front thrust kicks
• Palm-heel strikes.
• Hammer strikes
• Elbow and punches
• Bear hug escapes
• Headlock escapes
• Tactical falls

---

Emotionally Overwhelmed? Join the Club

Wednesday, September 25^th from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. 

We are living in what seems like a prolonged time of great social, cultural, and technological change. Collectively we have experienced enormous shifts in our workplaces, our school systems, our families, and in the culture at large. Everything is changing.

For many, this can be overwhelming and contributes to what is called emotional dysregulation. The good news is you don’t have to be a therapist to learn how to effectively deal with emotions that cause us and others to feel stressed, frightened, and defensive.

Join Dr. J.C. Fowler, professor of psychology in psychiatry in behavioral health at Houston Methodist and executive director of Houston’s Monarch Community to learn about attachment theory and how it affects how we communicate and perceive our world. Whether you are an educator, social worker, plumber, parent, or business professional, the insights learned will help you communicate and connect with others in meaningful and productive ways.

---

For more information contact Steven Villano, director of the Center for Public Service and Community Research at villanos@uhd.edu.