Article by: Cait O’Callaghan
The third annual Multicultural Summit, a full-day workshop designed to train people on how to build skills and communicate effectively, will kick off Unity Week this Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Donahue Café. The Office of Diversity Services is offering this workshop to all Suffolk students, facility and staff.
This workshop’s purpose is to reframe views on confrontation and assertiveness, which leads to greater self confidence and peaceful interactions with others.
On Saturday, students and staff will learn from Joe Weston about this year’s topic on the practice of compassionate engagement.
Weston is an international trainer, coach, lecturer, facilitator, author and a consultant. He is also an initiator of the Heartwalker Peace Project, which, according to their website, is “a volunteer organization that creates and fosters a global community with peace and cooperation as its foundation.”
He will lead this workshop to teach people how to focus on personal fulfillment, true power, respectful confrontation and lasting peace.
During this time, Associate Director of Diversity Services Craig Cullinane said, “students and staff will be able to reflect on their own, and learn how to respond to conflict in an appropriate way. [Students and staff] will learn effective ways to solve problems, and what ways aren’t effective at solving conflicts.”
Participants will also learn what builds good communication skills, which will help in the future at solving conflicts, and how to react during unwanted situations. Cullinane said the purpose of the event is to “build bridges” between people of different backgrounds.
Last semester a student received hate mail for being gay, which Cullinane condemns. “When events like [hate mail] happen, [this workshop] helps people to respond in an appropriate matter.”
Sophomore Ryan McCarthy thinks a summit to teach people how to react to such adversity is a good idea. “I have always been open about my sexuality and being me, and if someone were to react negatively towards my sexuality, I wouldn’t know how to react. I would be shocked.”
This summit will be kicking off Unity Week 2010 with many more events to follow. “Explore Spain” will be an event to come together and celebrate Spain’s diversity. All Suffolk students are invited to take part in the celebration, and will be able to taste Spanish food, see pictures of Spain and learn more about the Madrid campus. This event will take place on Sunday in the basement of 150 Tremont, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. “Explore Japan” will be at the same time in the atrium of 10 Somerset. All students will be able to see pictures of Japan, learn how to create origamis, and learn about study abroad experiences in Asia.
Nick Verreos will be speaking at the C. Walsh Theater on Monday, March 1 at 7:00 p.m. According to an email from David DeAngelis, Director of Student Leadership and Involvement, Verreos is known for “receiving national and international attention after appearing on Project Runway and has since enjoyed success as a red carpet fashion expert on E! Entertainment, SoapNet and TV Guide Network.” Verreos is also a “glam squad stylist” on MSN.com’s “Style Studio” and has appeared on MTV’s The Hills and Project Runway Canada.
The Unity Week Gallery will be an exhibit created by the Office of Disability Services, S.O.U.L.S Community Service Center and NESAD to promote education awareness of disability through different art forms. These art forms will help empower and provide support to people with disabilities. The Unity Week Gallery will be on Tuesday, March 2 at 1:00 p.m. in the Donahue Lobby.
Dr. Ulric Johnson will be discussing the complexity of diversity and what it means to Suffolk. He will also be discussing a model of diversity awareness and social change. Managing Diversity in the Workplace, a management class at Suffolk, will also be showing an art presentation on global perspectives on managing diversity. These discussions will be on Wednesday March 3 at 3:00 p.m. in the amenities conference room in 73 Tremont.
To wrap up Unity Week and to celebrate how much it has grown over the years at Suffolk, the Unity Week Showcase will show how students share their cultures through various forms of expression and performances. The end of this year’s Unity Week will be in the C. Walsh Theater on Thursday, March 4 at 7:00 p.m.
