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Annual Diversity Day held at Biscayne Bay Campus a Success

FIU’s 11th Annual Diversity Day was held October 20th at the Biscayne Bay Campus. The day was hosted by The Diversity Day Committee, whose members include Craig Cunningham, Dr. Valerie Morgan, Dr. Diann Newman, Sabrena O’Keefe, Camille Perkins, Ivy Siegel, and Lisa Zuniga. The event was funded by the Student Government Association.

The activities kicked off at 10 a.m. with the Diversity Fair and Breakfast in Panther Square. The first performance was by a spoken word poet, Jason Carney. Jason was recommended to the Diversity Day Committee by students who observed his showcase at the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities national conference last spring. His keynote was entitled “One Act of Kindness”, based on his life altering experience meeting a gay man dying of AIDS when Jason was a self-described “skinhead”. Following lunch, the students attended a special panel discussion on the topic of religion and homosexuality. The diverse panel consisted of a Female Rabbi, a Haitian student, and members of a church organization that discussed various religious perspectives. Diann Newman, Assistant Dean for Student Services at the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, has worked with the committee for years. Newman shared, “Our goal is to increase awareness, tolerance and appreciation of diversity. When our students listen to someone speak about personal experiences with discrimination or intolerance, it helps to increase their compassion and sense of connection to others. We bring great speakers to campus and serve a delicious lunch. It’s definitely a program worth attending!”

Over 150 students, staff and faculty attended the event.

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