by Simone E., Editor-in-Chief When you think of fall, do you think of cold weather and pumpkins? Halloween and Fall Break?
Do you think of “diversity”? Probably not. I’m sure some of you are tired of hearing the words “diversity” or “inclusive,” but there was a diversity conference over fall break that worked to question your definitions, and, most definitely, helped you check your privilege. Moving Our Campus (MOC) Forward Diversity Conference, an Inclusive Excellence Conference, took place over Fall Break on Tuesday, October 17th, 2017 with a motto of “Exploring Inclusion as a Path to Excellence.” The conference signified a milestone on UTC’s campus as, according to co-chairs Dr. Valerie Rutledge and Dr. Bryan Samuel, “It [brought] students, faculty, staff and key community partners together in our first diversity-themed forum of this kind.” They wanted the conference to provoke each and every participant to reflect on their part in Moving Our Campus Forward. Now, what differentiated this conference from any other conference, and why would you want to go to a conference over your Fall Break? Short answer: good food. Long answer: the sessions were not only vast in number (there were 24) and were presented by different people from both the community and campus, but they were all so interesting and unique that choosing only three for the conference was very difficult for many of the participants. Some of the sessions included discussions about socioeconomic diversity in, “The Have’s and The Have More’s,” a session presented by Kimberly Brooks, assistant director of financial aid on campus, or discussions about religion and disbelief in “Yours, Mine and Ours,” a session by Deborah Levine, award-winning author and cross-cultural coach. Another session defined islamophobia, presented by student Warda Kahlot, or discussed advocacy and how it could be used to “Elevate the Status of Women in Tennessee,” a session by Emily O’Donnell, the Executive Director of the Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga. These are just a few of the sessions and presenters, but the moral of the story is: if you missed the conference, then you missed out on a great experience to not only learn something you may not have learned, but to interact with professionals who may have had potential connections for your future. Opinions On The Conference According to Dr. Bryan Samuel, this conference “was one of the few times in [his] 24 years of experience where [he’s] seen students, faculty, and staff speak on one accord on diversity and inclusion.” He expressed that the conversations that were being had at the conference were very important--especially when thinking about competing for jobs in the global market. He stated that, “You can’t expect to be marketable if you’re not educated.” Tyrone Smiley, a former UTC Resident Director who presented on the utilization of social change in organizations, said that, “It’s a different campus from when I worked here, but if students implement what they’re learning in the sessions, it’ll definitely benefit the campus.” Levar Smith, a Morehouse professor who presented on cultural differences here and abroad, expressed that, “Impact happens after you leave the conference. Right now, everyone’s processing what’s going on. I’m very glad to have been a part of this phenomenal conference.” Alondra Gomez, a student attendee, expressed that she often doesn’t “feel like UTC is explicit about things like [diversity and inclusion]. It feels like they’re taking initiative to change things. [She did] wish more students attended though.” Dr. Richard Brown, in a closing speech that was very Dr. King-esque stated that, “We must be willing to have these types of conversations, not just annually, but all year long.” The first time Dr. Brown heard a racial slur was actually on this campus when he was 8 or 9 years old and living in the area. Dr. Brown has experienced the forward motion of the University towards embracing diversity and inclusion from all people of all “ethnicities, thoughts, and scholarly ideologies” and he wants to ensure that the MOC Forward conference becomes an annual event. Even if you decide that you don’t want to attend the conference next year, Dr. Brown wants us all to remember the word “intentional”: “Diversity and inclusion doesn’t just happen. You have to be intentional. We must continue a dialogue regarding respect and civility.” To close his speech, he implored, “Can’t we all just get along? Can we not all share a common dream?” Be on the lookout for information about the MOC Forward Diversity Conference next year, and be sure to attend.
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Author's Note:Welcome to The Torch: Reborn, your multicultural newspaper. Archives
December 2018
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