Diversity Week events challenge students to think differently

Race, immigration, LGBT issues, the Libyan conflict and more will be explored during a week of special events

Diversity Week has traditionally been a show and tell of world cuisine, fashion and music. At FIU, Diversity Week 2011, “FIU: Where Worlds Unite,” will be much more – an exploration of new ideas, issues and perspectives.

During the week of special events starting Monday, April 4, there will be opportunities for students to learn about racial justice, immigration, gender issues, disabilities, religion and current events.

Students will be challenged, for instance, to think differently about the conflict in Libya during a forum on Wednesday morning. That evening, “The Black Jew Dialogues,” will encourage students to consider how seemingly harmless jokes about Jews and Blacks can be inappropriate and hurtful. An interactive dialogue “A Sensory Experience,” on Thursday will allow students to understand how it feels to have a disability.

Organized by the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs and Diversity (EOPD), the events were planned by a 25-member committee with representatives from around the university, including faculty, staff and SGA President Helena Ramirez.

“The diversity of the committee has added to what you see in the programming,” said Shirlyon McWhorter, director of EOPD. “The key is to make it meaningful to people. If it is meaningful we will think about it and be conscientious of the people sitting next to us.”

Diversity Week, said McWhorter, aims to both celebrate FIU’s diversity and educate the community about the true meaning of diversity.

“We have a great opportunity at FIU to celebrate our diversity and to look further than the surface issues,” she said. “Diversity Week raises our consciousness about diversity.”

The programs also support FIU’s Global Learning for Global Citizenship initiative, which aims to give all undergraduates global awareness, perspective and engagement. The Global Learning initiative will host its first Global Learning Conference on Friday during Diversity Week.

“The Global Learning view on diversity is to encourage staff, faculty, students and community members to have a global perspective, which means not just knowing what people think, but learning how and why people think as they do,” said Global Learning Associate Director Stephanie Doscher. “Then, as individuals, we are able to transcend our own perspective and begin seeing the world through the perspective of others. This is the quality of the great global thinkers of the world.”

The College of Engineering also has organized special events around Diversity Week at the Engineering Center. On Thursday, Engineering Dean Amir Mirmiran and professor Norman Munroe will host an unveiling ceremony for a new statue for the campus that represents diversity. The guest speaker for the ceremony will be an FIU senior Merle “Conscious” Soden, who is CEO of The Getting Unstuck Project inc., an organization dedicated to providing educational materials that educate people on the ways to “getunstuck” from the behavior that put them at risk for HIV/AIDS infection.

Here are the Diversity Week events. All are free and open to the public.

Monday, April 4

Opening Reception, 6 p.m., Rafael Diaz-Balart Atrium in the College of Law. Hosted by President Mark B. Rosenberg. RSVP is required.

Tuesday, April 5

9:30 – 10:45 a.m. Lecture: “Racial Justice in Public Education,” led by FIU Law Professor Charles Pouncy. RDB 1000.

1 – 2:30 p.m. Panel discussion, “Immigration: A Lynchpin of Diversity at FIU and Beyond,” led by FIU Hispanic studies professor Erik Camayd-Freixas and Miami-Dade professor Carlos Gonzalez. This discussion will present the educational, economic and cultural benefits of immigration in our community. RDB 1009.

3:30 – 5 p.m. Roundtable discussion, “FIU: Women of Influence,” will include FIU’s women leaders, Student Affairs Vice President Rosa Jones, Community Engagement Vice President Divina Grossman, External Relations Senior Vice President Sandra Gonzalez-Levy and General Counsel Kristina Raattama. SIPA 100. RSVP required.

4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Festival: “Caribbean Fest – Celebrating Caribbean Life and Culture” at the Broward Pines Center with art, music, dance, traditional dress and food of the Caribbean cultures.

Wednesday, April 6

1 – 2:30 p.m. Interactive discussion: “Embracing the Continuum: The Benefits of Political Diversity on Campus,” moderated by Global Learning Director Hilary Landorf and International Relations professor John Clark. The discussion will focus on recent events in Libya and challenge participants to take on different political perspectives. AHC3110.

3:30 – 5 p.m. Film and panel discussion: “For the Bible Tells Me So.” Participants will watch a portion of a documentary on religion and homosexuality, that will be followed by a discussion with leaders of various faiths. RB120.

6 – 8 p.m. Play: “The Black Jew Dialogues” includes sketches, improvisations, and multi-media in a two-actor play to bring awareness to prejudice and racism within the American Black-Jew experience. SIPA125. Free admission tickets can be obtained at PC215 . RSVP as well.

Thursday, April 7

9:30 – 10:45 a.m. Film and panel discussion: “Walking Each Other Home.” The movie explores race relations in America. SIPA 100.

Noon – 1 p.m. Concert: “Jazzy Lunch” with performances and conversation by International Jazz Artist Nicole Henry. The concert will be located on the lawn outside the Green Library. Bring a blanket and brown bag lunch.

3 – 4:30 p.m. Interactive dialogue: “A Sensory Experience” will allow participants to experience how it feels to face disabilities. RB130.

3- 5 p.m. Engineering unveiling ceremony hosted by Engineering Dean Amir Mirmiran and professor Norman Munroe. The ceremony will feature guest speaker Merle “Conscious” Soden, an electrical engineering student at FIU and a national speaker on the subjects of HIV/ AIDS, recovery, and success. First floor lobby at the Center for Engineering, 10555 West Flagler Street.

Friday, April 8

10 a.m – 3 p.m. Art display: “TAG: The Art of Giving TAG,” located in the Graham Center Gallery. This event will also be a gateway to providing Haiti’s needy children with a new pair of sneakers through the aid of Converse. Students are also encouraged to join these efforts by donating a pair of sneakers, minimally worn, if not new, that can be dropped of at the College of Architecture building. These sneakers will have a creative design provided by professor Jacek Kolasinki’s art students. The sneakers will then be showcased in the “Cultural Fest” before being delivered to the children of Haiti.

Noon – 3 p.m. Closing event: “Cultural Fest,” an FIU International Block Party, The event will be located on lawn outside the Green Library and will showcase more than 30 different cultures through fashion, music and food.

1- 5:30 p.m. Global Learning Conference. Begins with a luncheon from 1- 2 p.m. “Engaging our Diversity for Global Learning,” an exploration of strategies for including diverse faculty and student perspectives in global learning. Lunch provided.  At 2: 15 p.m., there will be a Ted Talks style presentation called “GL Blasts: Powerful Ideas to Ignite Global Learning,” featuring 15-minute hands-on demonstrations of global learning ideas worth spreading. From 4:30-5:30 p.m. there will be a reception to celebrate FIU’s Global Learning pioneers. RSVP for any conference events to mwinkler@fiu.edu.

For questions or comments about Diversity Week,  contact the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs and Diversity at 305-348-2785, or eopd@fiu.edu.