The University’s first Diversity Week will commence today in efforts to educate the student body on how people are different — and it’s not just about race.
Spectrum, Student Government’s Minority Affairs group, the Union Program Council’s International Committee and the Student Health Center organized the campaign to show how people of different races can come together in their health, culture, gender, religion and patriotism — with race not even being an issue — said Minority Affairs Director Tammy Sam.
“The purpose of the week is to display concerns of all cultures in order to highlight the prevalence of unity among all people rather than the differences among a few,” Sam said.
Sam said that she expects the week to encourage discussion on the campus about diversity outside of race in a fun and creative way.
According to Sam, the week will start today with “Health Day” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. With help from the Student Health Center, this program will show common health concerns and alerts for different ethnicities on campus, as well as show students that biologically, all humans are basically the same.
On Wednesday, which will be “Culture Day,” SG and the UPC International Committee are cosponsoring a performance by the Kahurangi Maori Dance Theater at 7:30 p.m. in the Union Theatre.
The Kahurangi, or “Cloak from Heaven,” is a touring company of six young men and women that performs ancient tribal chants and dances from the 900s when the Maori people migrated from Hawaiki to New Zealand, according to the LSU Union Web site.
“Gender Day” on Thursday, with aid from the Spectrum Alliance, will allow students to comment on their perceptions of various pictures of people from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
On “Religion Day” will be held Friday morning from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., students can get inter-faith buttons that have interlocking symbols of six different religions on them.
During the Union’s Late Night LSU program Friday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., the “Patriotism/Unity Day” will begin. Students can make a dog tag with an American Flag on it to promote pride for the many different people who make up America, Sam said.
The Health Day, Gender Day and Religion Day morning programs will either be in Free Speech Alley or the Quad.