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Diversity conference tackles social issues

Students participate in a discussion at a previous event titled “Our diversity and inclusion: Community dia- logue (with doughnuts),” hosted by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Student Senate. Photos by Ann Schnabel.
Students participate in a discussion at a previous event titled “Our diversity and inclusion: Community dia- logue (with doughnuts),” hosted by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Student Senate. Photos by Ann Schnabel.

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The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is hosting its second annual Diversity Leadership Conference from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in Westlake Hall.

Marissa Bacon, a member of the conference’s planning committee, said the conference will start with an activity called the “privilege walk.”

“The walk is meant to highlight the privileges we all have,” Bacon, a junior biology major, said. “For example, I may be a black girl, which means I’m oppressed in certain ways, but I also have a high socio-economic status, so I’m privileged in that area.”

Ryan Lutker, a member of the conference’s planning committee, said after the privilege walk, the conference will break up into several workshops run by student leaders.

“Each student will attend two workshops, one on gender issues and one on race,” Lutker, a freshman elementary education major, said. “For example, one workshop is about gender pronouns while another one is about race in the media, such as music videos.”

Lutker said the planning committee decided to focus on race and gender because they felt those two identity dimensions were ones Bradley students were most concerned with.

Bacon said she hopes the conference will address students’ reluctances to address controversial topics.

“No one wants to step out of their comfort zone,” Bacon said. “I think in order to make progress you have to deal with contentious issues and get uncomfortable. Bradley tries to start important conversations, but a lot of the students want to play it safe.”

Lutker said he thinks the conference will have a positive impact on the social atmosphere of campus.

“I’m hoping students that come out of the conference will be equipped to have productive conversations about topics that are very sensitive and are sometimes difficult to talk about, such as race, gender and sexual orientation,” Lutker said. “The students will be more aware of the various groups and environments around them, and that awareness will make them more successful as a leader, a student and a person.”

The conference will end with a group debriefing and lunch.

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