Diversity Week Celebrated on Campus
PDF Jane Lagiglio, Contributor
Image courtesy of sxc.hu.
Lewis University celebrated Diversity Week on campus from Jan. 27 to Feb. 1. There were many events held that highlighted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his contributions to the appreciation of human diversity.
“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a man of inclusiveness. He fought for economic justice for everyone. He would fulfill our Lasallian Mission,” said Carlos Fernandez-Serrato, Director of Multi-Cultural Student Services.
As we all know, Dr. King was a humanitarian in every sense of the word. He wished that all people in the world would someday be treated equally. This is the reason why Dr. King is the perfect “symbol” for Diversity Week at Lewis. The core values of Lewis University and the values of Dr. King are quite similar.
During the week, Lewis held nine events on campus that allowed students the opportunity to partake in diversity-focused presentations, speeches and interactive events.
“I hope students learned how the past impacts the present and possibly the future,” Serrato said. “I hope the events that were planned during Diversity Week expand their minds.”
Serrato is very passionate about Diversity Week, and he hopes students took full advantage of everything this special week had to offer.
“My favorite part of Diversity Week is when you have a program scheduled and it becomes a gem in terms of it being beyond my expectations,” Serrato said. “Also, I love to meet students who I have never met before.”
One presentation that took place during the week was the showing of the film “The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306.” Dr. Mark Schultz, professor of history, and Dr. Tennille Allen, assistant professor of sociology, facilitated the film. The documentary was based on the last few and most important days of MLK’s life. This is a poignant retelling of the turning point in the civil rights movement in the United States, and is an electrifying reminder of King’s amazing impact on the movement and progress of our nation.
The overall goal and purpose of Diversity Week was to advocate a message of appreciation and compassion for one another’s differences.
According to Serrato, diversity is defined as “the tearing down of borders so that each and every one of us can contribute for the betterment of human kind. No one should be left out because of differences. Our differences are what bind us.”
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