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Two Bloomsburg University students Laticia Feliciano and Serenity Vidot have been chosen to participate in the Frederick Douglass Research and Debate Days presented by the Frederick Douglass Institute (FDI) Collaborative from Tuesday, April 13, to Tuesday, April 20.

Feliciano presents her work on Thursday, April 15, from noon to 1:15 p.m., while Vidot will present on Friday, April 16, between 12 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.

The FDI Collaborative exists across the 14 universities of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. This series is an annual event and is being hosted virtually this year. Submissions were accepted from students across all System schools and focused on social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion from all disciplines. Only 20 submissions were accepted to present.

Feliciano is an FDI mentor and an active member of the BU community. Her presentation “The Legacy of Sandra Bland” highlights how the death of an ordinary citizen not only sparked social change but led to a change in the legal system through the Sandra Bland Act. Feliciano’s work reflected on the event of Sandra Bland’s death and its significance to the current climate of the country and the impact it will continue to have for generations to come.

“It’s exciting to be able to present my research and participate in Frederick Douglass Research,” said Feliciano. “My research is a project called “I Fear for My Life.” The project is about Black people that have had encounters with police and have been killed. I chose to do my research project on Sandra Bland.

Vidot is a member of the Honors College. Her presentation “Disparities In Speech-Language Pathology Services in Communities of Color” shares a topic that is largely overlooked in the profession of Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) and in higher education. Through her presentation, Vidot illuminates the disconnect between racial/ethnic minorities and SLP as a service within the special education system. She examined the misconceptions and deep-rooted beliefs and experiences that have contributed to the challenging relationship between SLP professionals and members of communities of color while also presented solutions that would bridge the gap, increase access, and improve outcomes for these groups.

“I am ecstatic to be presenting my research at this FDI event,” said Vidot. “My passion for social justice has grown since I have begun my higher educational journey, and I am excited to use this journey as a platform to share my voice and the research I have done.”

“My topic was chosen because I wanted to educate myself on the disparities in communities of color,” Vidot says. “I also thought it would be perfect to gain additional knowledge about my field (speech-language pathology) while learning more about students of color and their relationship with speech services.”