What started out as a joke last summer is now a monthlong event aimed at promoting diversity among Ohio University students.
Diversity Awareness Month, a Student Senate event under the University Life Commission, was first proposed at last summer's LeaderShape conference by a group of student senators including Micah Brown.
We thought it'd be really cool to bring the campus together with a diversity week
he said, adding the more they thought about it, the more it came together and the more realistic it became.
During the initial planning stages in the fall, senate realized that it was impossible to squeeze everything they wanted to put into the event into one week. They decided to combine April's Pride Week and Take Back the Night into a Diversity Awareness Month.
Our main goal is to have people think about what diversity is in their lives Brown said. It doesn't matter if you come with a closed mind (or an) open mind as long as you come ready to listen.
Diversity Awareness Month, which includes a volunteer fair on April 10, a date auction and The Athens Beautification Day Project later in the month, began last night with a kickoff rally in Baker University Center's Front Room. Rap artist Jesty Beatz took the stage for a 20-minute performance to support the event.
Student Senate has been working very hard on Diversity Awareness Month
said freshman Laura Reineke, who attended the event. I hope that people take advantage of that.
The next event, called Stereotypes and Stereos, is tomorrow evening in Baker's Multicultural Center.
17
Archives
Kelly Masterson
200804037527midsize.jpeg
