What was Inclusive Excellence Week has become a monthlong celebration, creating May Inclusive Excellence Month.
The Office of University Diversity and Inclusivity will have guest speakers, workshops and performers to empower and celebrate minority groups on campus.
This will help raise campus awareness about diversity and inclusivity, Interim Executive Director for the Office of University Diversity and Inclusivity Jean DeCosta said.
“It begins to shift the campus climate so that it would feel more comfortable, especially to some of our underrepresented minorities,” DeCosta said
In light of SLO Solidarity, the importance of Inclusive Excellence Month should resonate with all students.
From the College of Liberal Arts to the Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology to Associated Students, Inc., each campus organization is pitching in to put on at least one event a day for every day of May.
“It’s really important to me that my school values diversity and inclusivity,” sociology freshman Juliet Spile said. “No group of people should be excluded from the Cal Poly community.”
The keynotes of the upcoming events are the President’s Diversity Awards and guest speaker and renowned author Tim Wise.
The President’s Diversity Awards, which come with the title and a cash prize, are awarded to students, faculty or staff who have made a positive impact on Cal Poly in terms of diversity and inclusivity. The award may be given to an individual or a group of individuals.
Nominations end on Friday, April 22, and the awards will be announced May 19 at 3 p.m. in the Robert E. Kennedy Library Atrium. To nominate a person or group, visit the Office of University Diversity and Inclusivity’s website.
With eight published books and vast college and other speaking tours under his belt, Tim Wise is revisiting Cal Poly after 10 years to speak about racism and his thoughts about colorblindness in society.
“I appreciate that he tells people what they can do and encourages them to do it,” Office of University Diversity and Inclusivity program director Kari Mansager said. “We really didn’t want it to be his talk and then we stop talking about these issues.”
Wise will speak May 11 at 7 p.m. in the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center.
The full schedule for Inclusive Excellence Month is now available on the Office of University Diversity and Inclusivity’s website.