Diversity Series encourages dialogue

 Austin Community College's Student Life Office and the Student Diversity Ambassadors created the opportunity for students to engage in healthy dialogue about diversity at the Common Experience: Diversity Lecture Series, "You can run but you can't hide".

During the lecture that was held on Sept. 29 at the Riverside Campus, speaker, Kate Messer, who works for the Austin Chronicle and heads the Gay Place column, discussed various conflicts and diversity circumstances that arise on a daily basis.  Students were encouraged to participate during the question and answer session that followed the lecture. Students and ACC professors also spoke of their own experiences and strived to gain insight over how to handle different situations.

"I was excited to take part in this event and was surprised that ACC had this kind of lecture series," Messer said. "It is important for these students to understand that it is not until you have the humility to approach someone that you will be able to begin to understand that we are all the same."

Student Julio Mares, who attended the lecture, said that he enjoyed hearing the stories of conflict that others have gone through and how they handled them.  Mares was also the artist who designed the flyer that was used for the lecture. 

The students were also able to participate in the Game of Oppression and watch a movie that was created by Texas State University students, "Why I Write."  

Terrill Shawn, the current Face of the CW Austin television station also attended. 

Student Life Coordinator of the East View Campus, John Jacobs, expressed that with this lecture they want to help students and community members know what diversity is and provide them with the resources and information needed so that they can decide for themselves what to believe.