KNOXVILLE—Joetta Clark Diggs, a four-time track and field Olympian and author, will kick off the UT Knoxville College of Communication and Information’s (CCI) second annual Diversity and Inclusion Week, September 19-22.
Clark Diggs will give her keynote address, Determined to Reach Your Destiny, at 7:00 p.m., Monday, September 19, at the Frank H. McClung Museum on the UT campus.
An athlete specializing in the 800-meter race, Clark Diggs competed in the 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympic Games. Clark Diggs is president of Joetta Sports & Beyond LLC, executive director of the Joetta Clark Diggs Sports Foundation, and a UT alumna with a degree in public relations. She also is the daughter of Jetta and Dr. Joe Clark, who was portrayed in the movie Lean on Me.
“We are truly honored to have Joetta as our keynote speaker,” said CCI Dean Mike Wirth. “The drive and determination that allowed Joetta to be a four-time Olympian and one of America’s greatest middle-distance runners have carried over into her post-athletic career in sports, marketing, writing, consulting, public speaking, and community service. Her inspirational message will provide the perfect start to our Diversity and Inclusion Week.”
In addition to Clark Diggs’ keynote, nine panels throughout the week will bring together experts from the university and the community to discuss a variety of diversity and inclusion issues:
- Building Spiritual Communities of Acceptance;
- Negotiating Workplace Differences;
- Freedom Riders: The Journey Continues; and
- Breaking Boundaries through Music.
Panel sessions will be held in either the CCI Auditorium (Room 321) or the Scripps Convergence Lab (Room 402) of the UT Communications Building.
The week culminates with a Diversity Festival, which includes an all-campus barbecue with diverse musical, dance, and dramatic performances from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 22, in Circle Park.
“Diversity and Inclusion Week allows CCI’s students, faculty, and staff to gain critical diversity skills and knowledge,” said CCI Director of Diversity Alice Wirth. “The lessons learned through dialogue with UT and community experts will help our students gain a better understanding of and appreciation for diversity and inclusion.”
The keynote address and all sessions are free and open to the public. Most events will be streamed live at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cci-diversity-week.
For a full schedule of events, visit http://cci.utk.edu/diversityweek.
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C O N T A C T :
Charles Primm (865-974-5180, charles.primm@tennessee.edu)