To conclude this year’s Unity Week presentation, our campus’ student-led organization No Place For Hate held a presentation on Thursday, February 19th, in the library which addressed racism and encouraged students to promote inclusion.
“The main idea was more of addressing what racism is and how we can prevent it, ways to prevent it in our everyday lives,” said Lexi Lao (11) who attended the presentation.
Earlier in the week, presentations on sexism and mental health addressed how to become a more inclusive, empathetic, and community-based campus. The closing presentation on Thursday continued forward with this message.
During the presentation, guest speaker Eden Britton from UC Irvine’s Diversity, Inclusion and Racial Healing (DIRHA) program came to speak alongside presentation leaders from NPFH to help students understand ways to increase belonging, unity, and respect for one another.
More information about the DIRHA program’s involvement in Unity Week can be found here.
The presentation focused on how racism reveals itself in everyday life – as well as on campus – and the ways in which students can prevent it. Specific topics mentioned included microaggressions, stereotypes, and bigotry.
According to students, the presentation focused on the everyday impact of racism, especially the smaller actions people may not even realize are harmful.
“They were talking about the effect of things people experience on an everyday basis…Even the little things that people do when they don’t even know they’re doing it, can have an impact,” said Charles Montano (12).
Attendees of the presentation were encouraged to discuss amongst each other and collaboratively work to develop solutions that would promote a sense of belonging in students.
“Every person has their own story…unique to them. So you should never judge anyone,” said Ava De Ramos (12).
Events like Unity week helps bring students together to have honest conversations about issues that affect different communities. It is important that we as a student body remember to treat those around us with respect, no matter their walk of life.
